Mastitis (I think) - what do I do?

[ChutneyMary]

Hello

I wonder if anyone can help me - having BF for 3 years pretty much non stop (2 DDs) I think I have mastits. My boob is hot and red and feels like agony. It has a huge red patch on it and red lines spreading out from the red patch. I have felt fluey all night and now feel dreadful.

I have tried to feed DD2 to clear it but it is too painful. She is a minky and keeps biting me. I just can't do it. It couldn't be a bite which has become infected has it?

ANy advice gratefully received. Am about to go and have a bath so will stick a hot flannel on it. I should also mention that I am 9 weeks pregnant and BF has been fine in the pg so far.

Many thanks in advance.

Go and see a doc today, def sounds like mastitis. You might well need ab's.

I got mastitis after 3 years bf, I was getting run down and my body was reacting. Gotta put hte kids into bed, will try and remember what I did to help. I did stop feeding on that side though, it seemed the breast just wanted a break!

i had this and had to get ab's which cleared it up very quickly. massage your breast & express a bit while in a hot bath, massage it while feeding your LO, and keep feeding from that side as much as possible. that's the advice i was given and it did the trick. i also did the 'dangle feed' which felt pretty stupid but gave me a lot of relief.

kellymom mastitis page

Thanks girls. Bath marginally better but still hurts like hell. Can't get a bra on! HAve large norks too so will be flapping in the breeze on way to Drs.

Thanks again

good luck, i've got big boobs too and the bra hurt! i stayed in for a couple of days and let it all hang out.

this thread made me chuckle actually as it brought back memories of DP arriving home to find me naked from the waist up, dangling one boob in a sink of freezing cold water as it felt like my boob was on fire!

It cleared up pretty quickly but i seem to remember the important thing was to continue feeding from that side even though it hurt like hell.

oh god its horrible

but ABs will clear it up really quickly. Get some fast!

Just back from the Drs and clutching my script for ABs and canestan. He expressed surprise that I was still BF a 1 year old and said that it looked nasty. If I am no better in 2 days, I've got to go back and he will send me off to kings for some IV antibiotics. Oh dear. Better find the breast pump.

Thanks for all your support - much appreciated.

Just back from the Drs and clutching my script for ABs and canestan. He expressed surprise that I was still BF a 1 year old and said that it looked nasty. If I am no better in 2 days, I've got to go back and he will send me off to kings for some IV antibiotics. Oh dear. Better find the breast pump.

Thanks for all your support - much appreciated.

im just getting over this so i know how you are feeling.lots of pumping and rest if possible.plus fluids!

Yuck, you poor thing, you really do have my sympathy. When I had mastitis I expressed about once every couple of hours and wore a cabbage leaf down my bra. I thought it was an old wives tale but I really found that it helped, because it was cool and the inflammation really went down. I know it sounds mad but pop out and find the darkest green cabbage you can find and give it a go. It worked for me and I avoided the AB's. NB, if it doesn't work I've got a lovely cabbage bake reciope you can have.

Keep feeding/ expressing, try not to miss feeds. Warm baths/ flannels. Cold cabbage leaves in your bra can be soothing, no more than 10 minutes at a time. Wide tooth comb or fist to gently massage your breast, moving towards the nipple. Leave your bra off and stay topless as much as you can or just a loose t-shirt without a bra if you need to be covered. Plenty of fluids.

I'm sure your dr has told you to take paracetamol for pain/ fever relief.

If you are being bitten then you need to retrain her to understand her mouth size. Take her off, tell her no, relatch.

It's the only time that I think training is ok with babies! When they get new teeth their mouth changes shape and they don't know it so you have to teach them.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

I was about to post this same thread

OP, why did GP give you canesten? Only i discovered i had thrush two days ago and now the tell-tale red breast and feeling constantly full on one side has made me think i have mastitis too.

VS, I always get thrush when I have ABs and being pregnant makes the problem worse. I always get a stash of canestan to try to ward off the problem, or at least to soothe my fiery fanjo if the thrush takes hold