Mastitis nearly two weeks after stopping BF

[Pinchypants]

OK, so I gradually wound down breastfeeds, dropping one at a time, and gave DS (five and a half months) his last boob 12 days ago. Noticed a couple of days ago that left side was sore and lumpy, then started leaking, and today feeling the first twinges of infection in my body - mastitis yet again. I put DS to breast earlier for a couple of minutes just to 'take the top off', as it were, but not sure how to proceed - will the milk just go eventually? Should I avoid any stimulation at all? Or try and hand express eg in bath to try and ease blackage? And how long will it take for my body to stop producing milk? Aargh! Sad enough stopping BF without all this pain and hassle again!

Oh dear - I've had mastitis and it is really horrid!

Have you tried sticking cabbage leaves in your bra to reduce the swelling and cool the area down? It really does work.

Also take ibuprofen to help bring your temperature down and reduce the swelling even more.

It's supposed to be better to hand express to relieve pressure than nurse (simply because the baby will stimulate you a lot more than you pressing out a little milk).

Good luck with it - if you get flu type symptoms, see your doctor for antibiotics.