Anyone who's had mastitis - please help!

[Jelly Bean]

This question hasn't come up in the searches I've made.

I've had mastitis for two days and the closest bloody appointment I've been able to make is for tomorrow. I managed to get one blooming doctor on the phone and she told me to nurse, nurse and nurse some more (which I've been doing). And I pump when LO's sleeping. But all I've gotten from the infected breast is a tiny bit of milk. I used to be able to get about 20 oz. from it a day!!

My questions are:

1) Is it a bad sign that I can't get more than a tiny bit of milk from that breast? I.e., is milk flow supposed to remain more or less the same during mastitis?

2) If it's normal to not get much or any milk at all from mastitis boob, will my milk likely come back after I'm healed??

Please, please help. I feel like a completely terrible mum and I hate having to give LO formula. Just to know that my milk might come back would be such a help.

 

[mommyof3co]

I really didn't have milk problems. Mine started with a clog and then got infected and I got really sick, like bad flu. I called my midwife and just by the symptoms they were able to call in a prescription, I would actually try calling after hours with the dr you gave birth with and see if they will call anything in. Nursing on that side lots is also good. I really don't know about the drop in milk...I had it with my oldest and was so sick I couldn't nurse it just hurt too bad and I had a high fever I was just miserable and so I asked his dad to just give him bottles, I din't know what I had until it was too late, I thought it was the flu. Well since he was so young and I just stopped nursing for a few days my milk did dry up and I wasn't able to get it going again even taking meds to make meproduce. But that's because I didn't nurse. I had it with Hayden and just kept nursing and after taking the meds and getting the infection cleared up everything went back to normal

 

[Mervs Mum]

Masistis is nasty BUT you will gte over it honey and your milk will be fine. Dont pay too much attention to the amount you pump - just nurse and pump like they said. This is the draw back of pumping - the temptation to over analyse amounts. Try not to do that right now hun.

Have you had your latch checked? Sometimes a slight change in positioning can help to stop mastitis.

Try not to let it get in you head. As awful as it is, it's definately something that can b over come fairly easily.

 

[mama2b]

omg i can't believe they won't give you an appointment !! That is really bad. I would call them back now and demand one if that doesn't work i would try nhs direct maybe they can suggest something or try and get you an appointment somewhere. You really should be seen asap.

Luckily when i had it i got an appointment the same day (they actually squeezed me in when i told them i was bf and thought it was mastitis) i was prescribed amoxycillin and it was better within 24 hours.

I really feel for you as it was bad enough having it for 24 hours but over 2 days, you must be in agony !

Seriously call them and take it to the top until you get an appointment, ask to speak to practice manager until you get an appointment

 

[Mervs Mum]

She's in Costa Rica hun

 

[thelilbump]

I got mastisis in the early stages but luckily i caught in just in time and didn't have to go to the doctors managed to get rid of it myself. As you i nursed and nursed from that side, massage your boob during feeding and having a hot shower whilst massaging any lumps out of your breast.

It's horrible the flu like symtoms aren't they? I had absolutly no idea what was happening to me and it hit so quick. We were at MIL's and luckily she knew what was wrong as i'd never heard of it before.

 

[charlieann]

can someone explain the symptoms to me as i think i have this after googling but not sure. last night i started shivering and got freezing cold. no matter how many layers i couldnt get warm this lasted about 5-6hrs. then i couldnt control body temp, too hot, too cold. my boobs feel full and sore, yet when i feed baby it doesnt seem like hes getting anything. i have been feeding him fine throught the day. im now sat here violently shivering again.
is this mastitis ssymptoms?

 

[DizzyMoo]

When i got mastitis with josh oh boy did it hurt, the flu symptoms were awful & i just felt down right shit tbh, I also got amoxicillin from the docs which within 2 days i felt a tiny bit better but that was enough to make me feel loads better if that makes sense. Oh my boobs were bright red, extremely painful, I was also bf so was finding it sooooo hard to carry on, I tried expressing & the pain was just unreal that i sat in a bath whilst the my mum poured warm water on my boobs & i expressed. When i saw the doc (male) he said they usually do have a look to check but he could tell with the way i spoke & held myself, he was really understanding & quite sympathetic & reassured me he really didnt need to look so i felt better for that too .

Charlieann it could be but the symptoms can also be related to other things hun, If your boobs are extremely painful, red or blotchy & your in the frame of mind that " anyone comes within 6 ft of your boobs & you will kill them " then yeh . But just flu like symptoms can be to do with other things they are a common symptom for so much stuff. If you worried just ring or go see your doc they will tell you x

 

[Jelly Bean]

Masistis is nasty BUT you will gte over it honey and your milk will be fine. Dont pay too much attention to the amount you pump - just nurse and pump like they said. This is the draw back of pumping - the temptation to over analyse amounts. Try not to do that right now hun.

Have you had your latch checked? Sometimes a slight change in positioning can help to stop mastitis.

Try not to let it get in you head. As awful as it is, it's definately something that can b over come fairly easily.

I can't believe what one doctor said to me in a rush over the phone! When I mentioned my milk being reduced, she said "it sounds like you're drying up. Take this and that medication"! I felt like it was the end of the world. Obviously am on medication in case she's right though...

The doctor today told me that it's normal for milk production to go way down, a part of me doesn't fully trust that advice since he's a man (which I know is stupid btw) and that my mastitis doesn't look bad. I am lumpy enough to warrant antibiotics, but I don't care!! As soon as I heard that BFing wasn't suddenly lost forever I could've walked through fire I had no idea it meant so much to me until now.

 

[Jelly Bean]

can someone explain the symptoms to me as i think i have this after googling but not sure. last night i started shivering and got freezing cold. no matter how many layers i couldnt get warm this lasted about 5-6hrs. then i couldnt control body temp, too hot, too cold. my boobs feel full and sore, yet when i feed baby it doesnt seem like hes getting anything. i have been feeding him fine throught the day. im now sat here violently shivering again.
is this mastitis ssymptoms?

Hon that is exactly what happened to me , best of luck

 

[Sarah88]

Where abouts is the lump hun? One thing that helps is by putting the bottom of bubs mouth (the jaw) on the part where the lump is. Having the action of the jaw helps massage the lump and the blocked milk out.

 

[CamoQueen]

Oh, hun, you have my sympathy! I haven't had mastitis but I've gotten clogged ducts a few times and it was awful. The last time the clog was at the nipple but couldn't be seen unless it was squeezed at the very tip (and a tiny white spot would show), so I had to get into a hot shower and compress it (which was really painful!) until the dried milk loosened. I have read that if the block is further in the breast, you can do a rolling massage on the breast frequently, along with applied heat to loosen the clog. Along with changing position, you can try feeding your baby by dangling the breast over his/her face and letting gravity pull the clog down. You just have to hunch over the baby, it's kind of awkward but it's helpful. Good luck!