Should I give up breastfeeding now?

[artichokes]

DD2 is four months old and breastfed.

This weekend I came down with my 4th bout of mastitis. This time I caught it early and got strong antibiotics before it really took hold but the other times have been bad. This means I have spent much of the last 4 months either v unwell or recovering. I have had 5 courses of antibiotics which make me feel bad and which appear to upset DD2's tummy making her v uncomfortable.

Last time I swore that if I got ill one more time I would stop BF as this is impacting on my health, DD2's health and my mothering of DD1. However, now it comes to the crunch I hate the idea of stopping. I would miss it so much and would feel I had not given DD2 the best. I would so be at a loss for how to comfort her.

Nevertheless I am terrified if more illness, more antibiotics and more letting DD1 down and relying on busy DH to take over.
My head says to stop and my heart says to continue. What do you think I should do?

You poor thing - I have had mastitis quite a few times over two babies and I have never ever felt so ill. Its a cruel illness - you hurt, you feel terrible and yet you have to look after a baby AND do the one thing that hurts the most...how fun lol.

Before you stop though have you talked it through with a BFC? Just that there could be something that is causing the mastitis that could be avoided? It can be the most silly little things that set it off...one bra you own that might be a bit tight on one side, sitting hunched up, seatbelt in the car on long journeys.

It sounds like you dont want to stop in your heart of hearts for all sorts of reasons. I understand how you feel you cannot go on though.

Is there anything triggering it do you think? Does it come at the end of growth spurts? After a day out when you prefer feeding on one side?

What do you do when you get it? All the tricks such as massage/hot shower/arm circles to help remove the blockage?

Follow your heart because once you have stopped and the mastitis goes you may then feel very wistful and sad about stopping?

But mastitis is awful - not sure how to prevent it I'm afraid

Last time I spoke to a LLL bfc on the phone. We went over lots of possible causes and preventative measures. Since getting her advice I had stopped swimming the crawl, only worn a bra when out of the house, taken a supplement called lecitin, taken daily vitamin e tablets, stopped sleeping on my side, avoided all salt on my food and drank loads more water. I was so hopeful that these measures would help but here I am again...

Did you stop due to your mastitis peppa?

No, kept going but I was lucky enough to get over the worst of it in a day or so each time - but I got extremely good at realising the symptoms and getting to the doctor asap. I have a great doctor who trusts me when I say I know it is going to be mastitis by that evening if that makes sense.

Sorry to hear you have tried what sounds like everything - I was so hoping it was going to be something obvious.

I find that I get it whenever DD /DS changed their pattern of feeds - after a big growth spurt or when they cut down on feeds - got it both times at about 7 weeks and when they first had solids. I only had it once after 6 months with DS. I last had it with DD at 6 months when she had solids and it was a bad case but also combined with an ear infection (what a fun week that was lol). I try to tell myself that probably I am only going to get it once or twice more and that I could deal with that.

How long did you plan to breastfeed for? It would be horribly sad if you stopped before you wanted to...but I also understand how hard it is. A counsellor once told me that repeat cases are often due to an old breast injury - nothing serious but perhaps a knock to the breast which caused some kind of minor damage but can have an effect.

Do you think you may feel differently once you have properly recovered - I mean you only came down with it this weekend so are bound to be feeling fed up / annoyed / exhausted/ wiped out by it all.

I really hope you can find a solution you are happy with...

I may well feel differently once recovered fully. I sort of hope I do. I breastfed DD1 for 14 months and had imagined doing the same again. However I am so paranoid about every breast twinge now. I was so I'll last time that they nearly sent me to hospital and DH had to take 3 days off work. I just don't know shat to do for the best. This evening I held sobbing DD2 as she projectile vomitted by Antibiotic ridden kill and I wondered whether continuing wasn't actually selfish.

It sounds awful and not fair at all. I am really not sure what to say as have never had it that badly before...its been bad but I could cope with it (and I dont mean that you cant cope in a pathetic way - it sounds like you are really suffering here). Life gets so much harder in this respect with two doesnt it - things you could grit your teeth through with number one just arent possible as you have another little person to think about.

Do you know if you recieve the same antibiotic each time? I have noticed that DD in particular reacted badly to one but not another.

I was going to suggest perhaps giving expressed milk of formula whilst you were on antibiotics if she reacts this badly...but obviously you then have time issues with expressing, the milk wont be removed as effectively as she would have it, supply issues...you know all the problems.

A few times I have had it some people have told me the antibiotics are not needed...I have never had the courage to trust this. I am guessing been as you have nearly been hospitalised then you really do need them.

I am not sure what to say but am very sad for you - its a horrible situation either way. On a positive note though you have done so well to come this far and you know that.

What does DH think? Do you have much support close by other than him? Did you get it much with DD1? Do you think there will be less chance of it happening once she is on some solid foods and you arent making so much milk? Its so hard as you dont know whether it will ever happen again or may happen next week.

I wouldnt make any decisions just yet...especially not when you have been so ill. Would the doctor maybe give you some antibiotics to keep at home so you can take them quickly next time...although that doesnt solve DD reacting to them.

One idea that I thought I might do in your situation may be to give it one last shot so to speak - carry on until the next time and then make the decision after that...it may not come or it may.

Which do you think would upset you most - stopping or the worry of carrying on?

IMVHO, carry on breast feeding as once you have stopped it is v hard/impossible to start again.
FWIW, I had lots and lots of problems with blocked ducts/mastitis/DS3's poor wt gain, but everything improved at @ 5-6 months. I think he had a "lazy latch" and I could not get him to drain the breasts properly.

Do you have lots of RL BF advice and support? Contact LLL/BF support worker/NCP or similar.
Having somebody to watch and advise on what we were doing made all the difference to me.
DS3 now 13, still BFing, but now stopping (because I want to ).

Good luck.

Yes...mummyfor3 has a great idea in trying to see someone face to face - whereabouts in the country are you? They may see something no one has thought about.

mummyfor3 - I read that as 13 years at first lol

Hello!
Sory to hear you are having a bad time.
I have suffered very badly from blocked ducts / mastitis. I have lost count of how many times I have had mastitis - at one point I was getting ill once a fortnight.
I used to take antibiotics everytime, but they really upset my babies tummies. So I stopped taking them and found I got better without them. It turns out in my case I keep getting obstructive mastitis rather than infective mastitis.
I have now (after 4 babies) mastered spotting the very early signs and dealing with it before I get poorly.
As soon as I feel it coming on I take ibuprofen, pop a heat pad in my bra then

• feed as much as baby will take - massaging boob as I do
• soak in the bath while massaging boob
• drink plenty of water
• if possible go to bed.

Now I have mastered this I haven't been poorly once - I still block up at least once a week, but it doesn't go past being painful. Hope you find a way to deal with this.

Sympathies. I have been really prone to mastitis this past year feeding ds. It is vile. I don't even have the strength to lift him out of his cot. Last time I couldn't walk to the loo without throwing up and passing out.

I agree with Ditsy about trying to catch it before it gets bad. As soon as I think that I have even the slightest soreness that might be a blocked duct I screech to a halt and priority is using ds to feed it out if possible. I swivel him around so his lower lip is closest to the blockage.

Also, the one time I took abs for it was much, much worse. It lasted longer and I felt nauseous and ill for days.

I tend to get it when I am doing too much. Are you taking too much on yourself? Stressed? Not looking after yourself?

Only you can decide what is best for you, for dd, and for your family. Good luck, whatever you decide.

How are you feeling today Artichokes?

Thanks for all your advice. I am feeling slot better today and DD2's stomach seems to be coping better with the antibiotics. I think I will carry on for now and try and follow the advice about resting and catching it early. I suspect I am too scarred by my v bad bout to avoid antibiotics each time but I wish I could. Thanks again for the help.