Boob/mastitis advice!

[Mumwithrum]

Hi all, I'm 32 weeks pregnant and I've been suffering with a lump in my left breast for a few days now, by chance I spoke to my GP earlier and asked about it, since it isn't going away with the a warm bath and a massage (as per a Google search) and she prescribed with me some antibiotics for mastitis but this was only over the phone.

I've just had a bath again and it's started leaking. My question is, will any colostrum be wasted because of this leak? Like, is it pus or is it colostrum? I have no idea - FTM and so confused. Have I accidentally bought my milk in by trying to massage the lump away? Is that even possible?

I've had leaky boobs for weeks and I'm really concerned about wasting colostrum. I called my midwives on Friday and I'm waiting for someone to call me back still.

Any help or comments would be useful at this point

No you're not wasting colostrum. Colostrum will be there for your baby after birth until your milk comes in. I'm not sure about mastitis tho, are you in pain? Could it just be blocked milk ducts? With mastitis I think you get a fever and temperature and your quite sore. Is the lump getting smaller with the massage?

Oh and what colour is the fluid yellow or white? Don't be stressing yourself.

Mastitis usually makes you feel like you have flu and you get a red patch on your boob. Maybe it's a blocked duct but without infection? GP should see you in my opinion. You can't waste colostrum, you will keep making it so don't worry about that.

@mishmased Yes I'm in pain, I have antibiotics which I started taking earlier. I was just more worried that I was using up all my colostrum of that's what was coming out. The fluid is yellow - which I read colostrum was hench the stressful post and I do have fluey symptoms and a temperature (my throat is killing me!). I think the lump is getting smaller but I'm trying not to prod it so much.
@fruitpastille My GP is going to talk to me again tomorrow but still no face to face. I'm just glad I can't waste colostrum!

@Mumwithrum you poor thing! You can take some paracetamol with the antibiotic if you're not already taking some painkillers. Hopefully the antibiotic will kick in soon. Feel better.x

You can't waste the colostrum. Your body won't start the process for making proper breast milk until you have delivered your placenta and there as been a change in your hormones. from that point it will take a few days of feeding for the milk to change from colostrum to breast milk.

Definitely sounds like mastitis - you poor thing, it is utterly shit. I don’t know about before birth but the best thing for mine was getting the baby to feed and feed off the affected side to clear the ducts, so I’m going to guess that colostrum coming off is no bad thing. As others have said, your body will keep making it so don’t worry - it’s not a finite resource. Really hope you feel better soon.

Could it be Montgomery Tubercles? They're bumps/glands around the nipple that secrete an oily anti microbial substance that protect and lubricate the areola. I recently noticed these as my breasts felt tingly/sharp pains and thought it was colostrum leaking! Turns out that's what the bumps were.