I've got mastitis

[princess31]

After weeks of problems with my boobs and breastfeeding my worst fear has been realised. I was so worried about getting mastitis and now I have it. I have to say it is bloody horrible and can put you off breastfeeding for life but the best way to help is to feed even more to help clear the blockage. I have had a fever - like having flu, and to top it all off I've had a really bad reaction to the antibiotics (sickness and diarrhoea like you wouldn't believe). I just want it all to end and want to get him onto bottles as soon as possible. I'm just really worried about weaning him onto the bottle now in case it makes things worse but maybe now is a good time to start as I'm dehydrated and therefore probably not producing as much milk anyway.

Any advice?

 

[Vickie]

Sorry no advice, hope someone can give you some help.

 

[Samantha675]

I have had 3 boughts of mastitis so far, once before Bren's birth, so I totally know how much it sucks. Here is what my MW has me do, and it really does work.

Tends to occur ehwn you are not getting enough water or food or rest.
Begins with a clogged duct. The position in which babies most commonly nurse cradled across mom's chest causes the baby to compress the more medial milk ducts betwen the tougue an dpalate. The lateral ducts don't get to express milk as regularly, so they're the ones that get clogged more often. So every so often plip the pattern and nurse with baby's feet extending away from mom's body. AND make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids.

Progression:
a sore spot in the breast
a corresponding red spot on the skin of the breast
development of a lump which is hot, hard and red
flu-type sysmtoms - body aches, headache, nausea and fatigue
fever
chills and sweats.

A breast infection can make you REALLY sick, so don't fool aound. The good news is the that the flu like sypmtoms won't set in unil days after the initial sore spot. Catch it early and take a day or tow off to take care of yourself.

Treating:

-DO NOTHING, but go directly to bed with your baby and stay there. Cancel everything else, this is imperative.
-Nurse on the affected breast frequently. If baby doesn't feel like nursing a lot, pump.
-Drain the affected area better. One way of doing this is to position the baby so his chin "points" to the area of hardness. Thus, if the blocked duct is in the outside lower area of your breast, the football position would be best.
-Keep heat on the infected area.
-Frequently massage the lump in the direction of the nipple to break it down. This will be very painful, but is very effective in breaking loose the clogged spot. I find doing this isn the shower or bath is best.
-Take a dropper of echinacea and godenseal every 4 hourse. Mix it with juice if you don't like the taste.
-Take 2 ibuprofen every 4 hourse to reduce infectious properties
-eat lots of nutrient rich foods, but stay away from wheat, meat, dairy and sugar when fighting any infection.


I also double up on my Vitamin C. I don't do goldenseal, I use grapefruit seed oil and I do 3 of these 'shots' a day.

I hope you get to feeling better. Like I said I have had 3 rounds with this, and each time I have done these steps and kept it from going into a full blown infection.