Swollen Breast in newborn

[Motherof1and2dogs]

We have seen midwife & GP today and both are unsure that my 10 day olds swollen breast is hormone related as it is only the one side, GP advised A&E for a paediatrician’s opinion. We are going A&E but expecting a long wait but wanted to see if anyone has been through this before and what the outcome was, hoping for a bit of reassurance.

She is fine in herself, no temperature, eating well, wet nappies, no poo today though which is a little worrying, but the breast is hard, red and hot to touch.
I am breast feeding if this makes a difference.

OP Here - My husband has taken baby girl to A&E and said the wait is absolutely ridiculous, she is only 10 days old, I cannot believe they make you wait for so long for such a tiny baby. Any responses of anyone that has been through the same would be a massive help. I know this won’t diagnose anything but we are just both so worried.

Also does anyone know if it is best we take her to triage to see a midwife rather than A&E?

I don’t have experience but triage won’t be able to help, they’ll almost certainly give the same advice the GP did. The plus side of having to wait with such a tiny baby is that they’ll eat and sleep which is basically what they’d do at home. I’d just wait it out and get seen as it looks sore.

Stay at a&e, I've never seen anything like that and it doesn't look comfortable. Hope she's seen soon

The wait at a&e is based on the urgency of each case, they can’t prioritise a baby who otherwise is well over a sick child etc.

Another one saying stay. It does look sore. My ds2 had a newborn infection which rumbled on and led to him losing a lot of weight. Would have been better to pick up sooner.

I had a baby who had 2 swollen breasts. That was notmal. Breast fed baby. I was freaked out but I never felt hospital was needed. Midwives said it was normal. However 1 swollen breast like your baby, I would definitely stay no matter how long the wait. It looks so sore for her.
hopefully it is just hormonal. Sending love

Looks like she's got mastitis poor thing! Definitely wait to be seen. When newborns get infections they can go downhill really quickly, so you want it treating sooner rather than later.

Poor little one. I would definitely stay and wait in A&E. My daughter had this and ended up very unwell with an infection. I hope you get seen soon and she makes a quick recovery.

If you're breastfeeding shouldn't you have taken her? I hope you get her sorted, it looks so sore poor love.

Hmm the hard, red and hot aspect makes me think it’s an infection.

Retired midwife/neonatal nurse here. Definitely stay and see paediatrician. As it is hard and hot to touch may need antibiotics. Better to treat rather than wait for a temperature and unwell baby. If it was me and they were not giving antibiotics I would want a clear explanation why not and what to watch for. I think GP thinks treatment is needed hence advice to go to A/E.
As you are breast feeding does dad have breast milk or formula with him?

my now 4yo had very similar and was one side too- we rushed her to a&e and it was a blocked duct where “witches milk” got stuck and became inflamed.
meant to be common in baby girls- i believe due to eostrogen passed from mum to baby during pregnancy and birth.
does look sore so id definitley wait it out and get seen by a Peads doctor. Hope all is well x

@MidtoLon thank you, do you know how safe the antibiotics will be for baby? Such a scary thing to give to a baby so small. I am so scared this will be the outcome and then she has a bad reaction to the antibiotics if she needs them :(

we are combi feeding, Dad has taken baby and I’ve had to stay at home with our almost 3 year old

@Jellyworms thank you! I am hoping it is this or something hormonal rather than mastitis which would be worst case scenario because of what that can turn into :(

Motherof1and2dogs

IF antibiotics are needed the paediatrician will work out the correct dose according to babies weight/age. Remember even very premature babies are given antibiotics often from birth.

@EmBeEmBethis has unfortunately happened to us also. They have kept her in, and will do for 48 hours while they monitor her being on antibiotics. Was mastitis that turned into infection. Luckily she seems well in herself still, but I am petrified to continue breast feeding. Did you breast feed also when this happened with your daughter and did you still continue after with no further issues? x

So sorry to hear this @Motherof1and2dogs but good she's on the antibiotics. They'll do the job. I also got a nasty mastitis infection at the same time and initially couldn't feed so pumped and dumped to keep milk supply going while my daughter had formula. A few weeks later we worked really hard at getting her back onto breastfeeding and it worked. I wasn't in the UK at the time so advice from her doctor may be different. Wishing you and your little one all the best.

Why are you petrified of breastfeeding OP? The mastitis will have been caused by hormonal changes in your daughter after birth and is not related to you breastfeeding her.

Totally, breastfeeding will continue to be the best thing for her. Absolutely no reason to stop.

Absolutely keep breastfeeding her. The probiotics in your milk will help protect against any side effects of the antibiotics. This wasn’t caused by you breastfeeding her. It would have been a hormonal thing where the hormones were passed to her at / before birth.

Absolutely keep breast feeding. This has nothing to do with being breastfed. Ideally if you could stay with her at hospital and your husband or someone else looks after your other child.
I hope this resolves quickly for you all.

How is she now OP? My son had 5 days antibiotics from birth so I know it's horrible having to stay in for them, hope you're maintaining some sanity x

@AuntMarch we are home now after 3 nights in hospital. Infection has gone completely and oral antibiotics to be continued at home. Very difficult to give her the antibiotics though as it needs to be 2 hours after food or an hour before! So it’s a matter of starving my baby for some time to give her the antibiotics 😩 x