Never thought I'd ask this but can you get mastitis BEFORE the baby arrives?!

[RooneyMara]

I've fed both children, the last for 4 1/2 years and used to get problems with my left boob, mainly when he was around a year old for some reason - it cleared up after that and kept going till he started school (unintentionally!!)

He stopped feeding at all almost a year ago. I'm due #3 in 10 days and my left boob feels really sore again. It is producing something, just a little, but could it be possible it's a blocked duct already??

I'm not sure what to do about it if so - I can't exactly latch the baby on to clear it. Any advice welcome!

Try reverse pressure massage (will try and find link for you later if you can't find one, but am on phone atm) and there's probably no harm in expressing a bit if you need to. Otherwise do the warm compress/cool compress thing, soak in a bath, stuff like that. Is there any redness or swelling? Can you take ibuprofen when pregnant? I don't think you can, can you?

Oh thankyou, that's great - I'll look it up. I think I have Kellymom bookmarked somewhere as well.

Not sure about ibuprofen, have been on nurofen last few days tbh as have the cold from hell, but not too frequently and I figured baby is big enough to handle it now!

Hope so anyway. I just thought, I might get ds2 to suck for a bit and see if that helps. I know what's happened, I've been wearing a bra at night, that was daft - but I had no idea I could get a blockage at this stage.

Thanks again.

this is exactly the stage in pregnancy that you shouldn't take ibuprofen/nurofen. It's related to possibly affecting the changes that happen in the baby's heart around the time of birth. Any of the anti-inflammatory drugs are the same. Paracetamol is fine . Can't help with your original problem I'm afraid...

Oh bum, well I didn't know that. Having taken it while breastfeeding I assumed it would be fine.

thankyou so much for telling me.

Ds2 had a quick go but said there was nothing coming out so gave up! Ouch.

You don't have to be pg or have a baby to get mastitus.

I know a childless lady to have it. She found it awful, but was certainly not bfing. I imagine its unlikely but no reason why you can't get it, if she did surely?

How are you doing now? I found a link and hope it helps - it fixed my sore boob just before christmas!

reverse pressure softening

Thankyou so much for the link. I'll bookmark it - I was really poorly yesterday and in bed all day, apart from going to OOH who prescribed some antibiotics - by that stage I was willing to try anything as temp wouldn't come down.

It's still sore but thank goodness temp is now down and I am out of bed - not sure what it was, the boob or this awful fluey thing, but still, hoping the baby will arrive within the week so I can get him sucking!

Not going to wear a bra AT ALL for the foreseeable, I can't go through this again!

Glad yours is better.

I never had mastitis till ds2 was about a year old, it is very odd.

Can highly recommend the bravado body silk bra btw, but stick to white or ivory as the colour ran in my coloured one - not good for a nursing bra!