Painful breast during breastfeeding

[apotomak]

I have been fully breastfeeding for 15 weeks now and had no problems until now. I have noticed a red patch on one of my breasts that is a bit lumpy and it hurts. I've had it for a couple of days tried changing feeding positions, feeding more often, hot baths with a massage but nothing helps and it seems to be getting worse ... I'm starting to feel sick and got a bit higher than usual body temp. Any other advice for home remedies?

apotomak that sounds exactly like onset of mastitis - your body is telling you've got one humdinger of an infection there

your options are:
LOTS of hot cloths, hot as you can stand, on affected area; combing area using wide-tooth comb (everyone says this sounds daft but it does work)

if this doesn't work and quick, you will need antibiotics or you will become very ill

have a look on bfing threads, there's lots like this!

hth

fairly sure that ibuprofen is not recommended while bfing - I asked my pharmacist and she checked her book and said, hmmm, maybe one dose okay, that's all.

dunno why though.

huh, thanks stella, wish I'd known. (not for mastitis, for neck crick!) Sorry to hear combing hurt you. i didn't feel it but it did help.

Apotomak - I had mastitis when bfing ds, and had exactly the symptoms you describe. I left it at first and tried the combing/ hot flannels etc but the infection got worse and I had to take two lots of antibiotics and co-codamol in the end to clear it up and manage the pain. Don't suffer in silence! I'd DEFINITELY recommend (from my experience anyway) going to your GP so they can check you over. Hope it gets better soon, I sympathise greatly!! x