Mastitis or Blocked Duct - Treatment ?

[beaufies]

Sorry to be brief but baby is crying !!!

I have a painful, hard area at the top of my left breast which is not relieved through feeding. Is this Mastitis or a blocked duct ?

Whichever it is what can I do about it ?

I would rather not have to go to the Drs if at all possible and prefer to use natural alternatives as I always find there are unwanted side effects of medication.

Any advice or suggestions would be gratefully received

Try massaging the hard area, will be very sore but may ease it. If it's hot to touch I would say more like mastitis, cabbage leaves actually help?! don't ask why, don't know! Sorry toddler shouting got to go!

yes, massaging very gently but firmly if it's a blocked duct. it won't go straight away, annoyingly, but that will sort it out. also, make sure you are as far along the blocked duct as you can be eg right in the armpit, not just at the edge of your breast iyswim. don't know anything about mastitis i'm afraid. oh also dp read on the internet that ibuprofen helps, cos it reduces swelling, when i had a blocked duct.

It sounds like a blocked duct but afaik this can turn into mastitis. On a more positive note I had this once or twice and found the following helped.

Keep feeding as much as you can, rub/massage the area towards the nipple as you feed.

Get in the bath, quite hot, lie on your front and submerge breasts. Massage fairly firmly.

If you manage to to unblock it then be careful for the next few days, I found feeding upright (not lying down) most helpful. If you have a pump then express, again rubbing/massaging towards the middle. It may up your supply for a few days but you really ime need to do what you can to unblock it.

Good luck.

I had a blocked duct, and it took a few days to shift...I tried everythign and the only thing that worked was it being sucked out with a stronger force than the baby...

Good Luck.

Wow scorpio you must have one powerful pump. (or was it in human form!?)

not my pump...i was desperate!

That reminds me I was going to say to the OP that even if there is no improvement after a day/a few hours keep going with the massage/pumping/feeding/bathing/showering etc.

If it seems worse or you get feverish then go to GP.

Get a wide toothed comb and comb from the breast towards the nipple.

Works wonders!!

Is there a white dot on the nipple? Then it's a blocked duct. I had one and used a sterilised needle to unblock it. (I'm 'ard me) it worked in seconds, like popping a balloon. Bliss.

Good luck. x

thanks for all the fab advice - a godsend as usual

i tried the hot compress, massaging, expressing and feeding on that side lots, including the 'dangling' technique (very odd !) over about 4 hours and it worked

Thanks again

Next time try a trick from Dr Jack Newman's website for mastitis - cut up some raw potato slices and soak it in water (I found it worked better when you put the whole bowl in the fridge) then apply it to the lump, change every 15 or 20 minutes after it's become warm and soft, then change slices again. Do it three times, then wait 20 minutes, then do it again. then let your baby nurse from it. Has worked every time for me so far (and it has been a lot of times!) when massaging, hot compress and expressing doesn't work.

Is it red hun???? I had something similar and called the midwife out and she told me to try and express but as I had a cracked nipple at time, I decided to try the hot bath advice that I got off here... So got in a hot bath, submerged my left breast and express manually pushing on the hard bit and the relief was fantastic!!! I unblocked the duct in about 4 baths one in the morning and one in the evening and managed to continue bf ds with the other breast!

I am not saying this works for everyone but it did for me, but did get some antibotics just incase, as I wanted to prevent infection but didn't need to take them!

I hope this helps you...