Can't take it anymore :( :(

[Rosebud1302]

Sorry I am desperate for advice here ladies :(

My DS is nearly 6 weeks old and is EBF. In the last few weeks I have been incredibly suddenly really awful flu like symptoms, sore breast and I can often feel a lump. I know this is a sign of a blocked duct and/or mastitis.

I honestly cannot explain how dreadful I feel right now. I'm on the sofa and can't physically get up. Shaking all over. Just want to cry constantly it's so awful. I managed to feed DS before it got too bad but it hasn't helped.

The most DS will go without food is around 4 hours. This has been the case for a week or so. How long should it take for my milk to adjust to this? I'm obviously incredibly reluctant to wake him up as he can be hard to settle again.

Surely it can't be normal to get it this bad every other day?! It's so sudden too literally minutes after starting to feel discomfort. I have spoken to the doctor who dismissed me as it "gets better" so isn't infected.

Desperate woe is me plea for advice as I can't cope with this for much longer!! :'(

Sorry for the rant :/

You need to get yourself some
Medical help ASAP, not to scare you at all. You need some antibiotics to help clear the mastitis up. Call 111 or go to your local walk in clinic.

It does get easier. I gave up breast feeding after a month because I was on my knees with it. People say the first 8 weeks are the worst. If you can push that far.....I couldn't. I was gutted to give up but I look back now and know it was the right decision. My baby girl
Got lots of mummy goodness at the most important time and now she is happy and growing fast.

Try putting a warm compress on your boobs, take paracetamol and drink plenty of water. I hope you feel better soon xx

Oh op I feel so awful for you reading this bless you
I second what previous poster said. Ring your GP first thing in the morning and get yourself an appointment at a time convenient for you and baby. There's one thing off the list.
Insist they swab your nipples for infection and give you something to help with the pain.
Can you express or give a formula top up if needed? You've done amazing so far.
Just make sure you're looking after yourself as much as that baby!
And try cabbage on the boob

Right now:
Warm shower
Hot water bottle on the boob
Dangle feeding

Asap:
Get to the gp to be checked for signs of infection.
Usually not an infection, just an immune response in which case antibiotics won't do anything to help and they rightly will not be prescribed.
It makes you incredibly poorly so don't minimise it.

Take paracetamol to relieve the fever, that’s was causing the shaking. I had this with DD and it was never full mastitis and would clear up the next feed/day.

Get in a hot hot shower, point the jet at your boob, as hot as you can stand it, and massage as hard as you can towards the nipple. Feed on that boob as much as possible, express from the other.

Cabbage leaves in the bra and hot water bottle overnight.

You do need to see a go in case it is full blown mastitis.

If you can keep going another week or 3 it settles down, but understand if you Chuck in the towel, it sucks.

Thanks everyone. So is it heat or cold I need to apply?? And are we fairly happy this period of awfulness is normal and should settle? Even if I go to gp short term. I really really don't want to give up bf but will have to if this is likely to continue :( feeling slightly better now he has fed but just know it will return.

Always best to feed through mastitis...have done at least 4 times!!!! Baby is best medicine but sounds like you need antibiotics x

You have mastitis, phone 111 and get an OOH gp appomintment, you do not want it to develop into an abscess. Do not ignore this.

Feed as much as you can
If it hurts too much pump pump pump
Hot water bottle if you like but I already used cold compresses also
Massage in hot shower
You’ll get through it, and if it’s too much don’t worry and bash yourself - formula is NOT the devil
Good luck !

Oh you poor poor thing. It is absolutely awful. Just listening to you brought it all back. Warm presses will be best, and some paracetamol. The shakes should ease once you have antibiotics. The flu symptoms are a classic sign. I would call and ask to see a dr this evening. It is only 8pm.

I did have full blown mastitis and it was agony. Absolute agony worse than the childbirth. Try to avoid at all costs the breasts becoming engorged which will make you feel even worse.

Do you have some bottled and formula just in case? And steriliser? You may be able to feed your way through it hopefully, but don't worry about that for now just see the dr.

Look after yourself lovely

No further advice but I wanted to say I hope you feel better soon, I really do!
Congratulations on your baby

Nurse here. I needed antibiotics for mastitis, raging temp and rigours. If you feel like this you need to be seen tonight. I bf for three months each time and then threw in the towel. It drained me. 16 years on, the 'guilt' is a distant memory. Look after yourself.

Find a better doctor.

You have mastitis. You need antibiotics.

You’ve had lots of good advice here already. I just wanted to reiterate that you’re doing an amazing job! BFing can be really hard and draining (and if you decide to stop it’s really ok!) Get to the Dr and be kind to yourself!

It will get better, but if you’ve already had enough then don’t feel you have to stick with it at all costs.

Thank you everyone for your kind words and good advice. He fed twice in fairly quick succession so that helped and the symptoms have pretty much gone. I know they will come back if I leave it too long though. I will contact the dr tomorrow but I am sure I will get the same answer as last time if I don't have constant or worsening symptoms.

Yes bf'ing is super tough and I don't think I had any idea!!! Thanks everyone for your support x

Well done you, keep massaging overnight if you can. If there is a lump keep working at it. Look closely at your nipple, you might see a little white dot called a bleb, you can remove this with a sterile needle and it sometimes helps (don't dig at it, just scratch it a bit).
Try and feed with babies chin pointing towards the lump even if you have to do some crazy position.

Still make an appointment to be seen.

You can get through this, but as others have said formula is not the devil.

I had mastitis twice (which resulted in me ending my breastfeeding journey after 11 days as I was just so ill) I had a sore breast, lump and a temperature over 39 degrees that caused rigors (the shivering you get). Over had sepsis before and can honestly say I felt worse with the mastitis! The first time I had oral antibiotics and ended up in a&e the next night on fluids and intravenous antibiotics.
I would say get seen ASAP, and also check your temp.
Feel better, you're doing amazing to keep going