Breastfeeding - pus coming from boob

[Raem1]

Hi everyone

I’ve had flu all week and my 1 year old has been looked after by grandparents so I could recover. I’ve used my elvies to empty my boobs but my right side has had a lump underneath my nipple for about 5 days now. I realised and started to try and work it out about 3 days ago. Some ‘old milk’ came out, I couldn’t get it all out so tried the next day, and the next and each time the same yellowy/green came out. I’ve since realised it’s pus and not milk..

It seems odd though, it’s not red/inflamed/hot to touch, like previous blocked ducts etc. it’s a little bit sore but not much. Anyone else experienced similar?

You say you’ve had flu…when I had mastitis after DD1 was born I thought I had flu because I felt so awful. I was freezing one minute, then hot the next and I felt so under the weather. If you’ve had pus come out of your breast, it might actually be mastitis or a breast abscess that’s making you ill. Please ring 111 and see if you can see someone, you might need antibiotics.

Will he feed from it? That was the most efficient way to deal with infection, much more so than expressing. And yes, second mastitis feeling like the flu. I couldn’t get out of bed and was hallucinating from the fever. That said, if you’ve gotten better without antibiotics, I would assume it’s viral and not bacterial, whatever it is. I did get a breast abscess from weaning (which is to an extent what you have been doing), so could be that. Some of them clear just with lots of feeding, some of them need antibiotics.

thank you for the replies. The flu definitely came first @MalleusMaleficarumm So lump first appeared after my first night off from baby - boobs got really full and I expressed in the morning then went back to bed. The blockage started then cause I remember having a sore spot that I struggled to get the pump to clear. It’s pretty much underneath my nipple.

I’ve had my fair share of blockages (this is baby no2) but never had an actual infection. Was a bit baffled at the lack of redness/heat etc because everything online suggests urgency for antibiotics.

I still feel rough as toast post flu but otherwise wondered if it might clear out on its own seeing as I’m already on day 3/4 of boob infection. @mindutopia how long has this taken you in your experience?

I will ring the docs in the morning, was just looking for experiences in the meantime.

I’ll keep baby on the breast to keep them empty too. Poor thing!

thank you!