Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

mastitis - not clearing after a day and a half and i really don't want to have to get ABs

19 replies

PinkTinsel · 26/12/2006 13:53

my boob has been complety blocked on one side since xmas eve and since yesterday morning i have been feeling really fluey and have a vivid red band up that side of my boob. there ane lumps going from my aereola all the way up and ds doesn't seem able to suck them out. i've tried expressing (lots!) and just spent an hour with the hot shower head aimed at it whle massaging it and theres no sign of the lumps even softening.

what have i not tried? my doc isn't there for a few days and i'm not sure i'm entitled to out of hours doc callouts on the medical card.... besides i really don't want to have to take ABs if i can be avoided as many of them make me violently ill.

OP posts:

flack · 26/12/2006 14:48

Can you get to a walk in Centre or A+E?
I'm very anti-antiBs, too. But this sounds pretty bad already and you do not want it to progress to nightmare level (it can, pretty fast). Do you feel feverish? Have you tried cabbage leaves?

Orlando · 26/12/2006 14:55

Hot bath with hot flannel over the affected boob. Get lots of soap and persevere with massaging and 'squeezing' milk out, which will hurt like crazy (though the soap makes it a little less torturous) until eventually, if you're lucky, you'll get some yellower clots of milk and the pressure in your breast should ease.

It's a bit of a long shot, and might take a couple of attempts, but it's definitely worth a go (and worth an excuse to slope off for a bath!). I used to get mastitis all the time, and found myself able to treat it quite effectively in the end by this method! Take some paracetamol or whatever too. Hope you feel better soon!

Original poster

PinkTinsel · 26/12/2006 15:57

thanks girls, will give the bath a go after dinner and see does it help. didn't have much luck in the shower earlier but that said i was chickening out when it got really sore

i got mastitis a few times with dd but it was always pretty easy to clear so am panicing a wee bit!

flack, was feeling alot worse last night but not as fluey feeling today so hopefully my bodies fighting the infection..... definitely not going to a&e as it'd be a day long wait at this time of year and can't expose ds to that. will ring gp in the morning and beg to be seen if it hasn't improved. shops closed so no chance of cabbage leaves without an expedition to tesco, might send dp out later when the kids are down.

thanks for answering both of you

OP posts:

mears · 26/12/2006 16:28

Also take Brufen which will reduce inflammation (is OK to take despite what it says on the box). Mastitis is not always the result of infection but is inflammation due to engorgement and backed up milk pressure. Try and breast feed frequently on that side first and get the milk shifted.

Kristingle · 26/12/2006 16:34

I found expressing at the same time as doing breast compression helped. although very painful. best to do it 30 mins after taking the iboprofen. check you haven't got those wee white spots on the nipple that are blocked ducts

kellymom has lots of tips on mastitis here

Original poster

PinkTinsel · 26/12/2006 17:29

thanks mears, have been trying to feed from that side lots but ds gets cross after a few minutesand screams for the other side.

have been hand expressing lots though (all that precious milk down the sink, lol!)

it feels a little better since he had a good strong suck earlier so if i can just get him to do the same again i'd be happy. have considered getting toddler to try but she doesn't like bm anymore

OP posts:

Original poster

PinkTinsel · 26/12/2006 17:45

pmsl..... the kellymom website suggests bedrest for mastitis.... fat chance of that here!

OP posts:

Kristingle · 26/12/2006 20:53

how are you feeling now pinktinsel?

gingerninja · 26/12/2006 21:02

I developed mastitis on Thursday, went to the DR the next day and he prescribed AB's because I had awful fluey symptoms which he said was a sign of infection. By Sat pm the pain was gone and today there is very little sign left of it. I've also been massaging and expressing but couldn't touch it until the AB's had kicked in because the pain was too intense. I was a bit concerned about taking them but I didn't want to have to give up feeding and my worry was that if I couldn't unblock it or it got worse then I'd have to. I don't know if I did the wrong thing but things were back to normal very quickly and my DD is accepting that breast again after a couple of days of refussing it. Don't know if that helps

DimpledThighs · 26/12/2006 22:03

hope you are over it by now.

I used to have a hot bath and hot flannel ovr that area and express in the bath - I have ended up in hospital in the small hours to get AB.

Tread carefully as it can go downhill very quickly.

hunkermunker · 26/12/2006 22:05

Feed with your baby's chin pointed towards the lumpy part of your breast. This was the best way I found to get rid of the lumpiness. It sounds weird (and it involves some acrobatic feeding positions - I had to hover above DS2 as he lay on the bed and dangle norkishly into his mouth ) but it works.

Hope you're feeling better - I do sympathise.

NotQuiteCockney · 26/12/2006 22:07

I had quite a bit of success by feeding on the affected side with DS2's chin next to the lump, iyswim. It meant I had to feed lying down in bed, with him sitting on my head, but hey, anything to avoid ABs.

You're also meant to comb the breast with a wide-toothed comb, but I just used my fingers.

Original poster

PinkTinsel · 26/12/2006 23:57

cheers everyone... ds had anpther good go at it and it's feeling a bit softer and less engorged. the redness has gone down and i'm not feeling fluey anymore so hopefully if he does his usual all night feeding it should have gotton the last of it by morning.

thanks for all the sympathy and advice

OP posts:

hunkermunker · 27/12/2006 00:05

Glad to hear things are improving - it's horrible to have mastitis. Do give the chin-to-lump feeding a go - really, really works. I did it a couple of months ago when one side got a bit blocked and sore - worked in 10 minutes.

flack · 27/12/2006 00:05

that's fantastic, PinkT, I think you've had really good advice on this thread, crossing my fingers that it will just continue to get better.

Original poster

PinkTinsel · 27/12/2006 00:39

hunker, i'll give the chin to lump feeding a go in the morning as it would require me being upside down hanging over him and i'm a so tired at the minute i'm petrified i'll fall asleep and smother him or something!

thanks again all hopefully i'll be right as rain in the morning.

OP posts:

hunkermunker · 27/12/2006 00:47

That's exactly the position I had to be in...not my most ladylike hour - and yet, somehow, one of my most womanly

Original poster

PinkTinsel · 27/12/2006 00:52

pmsl i know exactly what you mean hunker, had to do it once with dd and i remember how awkward it was so definitley not to be attempted while still whoozy!

right, he's gone back to sleep so i can finally collapse into bed. night all!

OP posts:

DimpledThighs · 27/12/2006 09:34

hope you are feeling better today tinsel - it is one of the unsung burdens of motherhood!

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread