Mastitis...again?!

[Salt Air]

So, I had mastitis within the first week of nursing - LO had a tongue tie & wasn't latching properly. He had this snipped, & after recovering from that & other initial problems everything has been going great from about 6/7 weeks. I now love BFing & certainly not planning on stopping soon.

But last week I got mastitis again. Had a fever/temp, felt sick, really hard sore red boob. My GP prescribed a strong dose of ABs. It was a weeks course which ends tomorrow. The mastitis symptoms cleared up within a couple of days (although I've been enjoying the delightful side effects of the antibiotics!)

Suddenly this afternoon the same boob has gone really hard & a bit sore again Flynn's just had his bedtime feed from it & it's softer but still tender & I can still feel a harder lumpy area. It can't have returned before I've even finished my antibiotics can it?! I really don't want to go through it again!

I'm sat in the bath with a hot flannel pressed on it, praying I don't wake up with a fever in the night again

I have no idea why it's happening, any ideas?! Last week the GP said its 'probably just bad luck' since I've got to 4 & a half months with no problems, but if its returning again am I doing something wrong? Help!

 

[laodicean]

I'm potentially going to be saying something unpopular here, but I hate that GPs throw antibiotics and offer no advice to mums about what to do next time. I'd actually put money on most of the mums who see GPs and get given antibiotics not even needing them to be honest.

'-itis' just means inflammation, and lots of things cause inflammation, of which bacteria is significant contributor. BUT the mastitis seen in breastfeeding mums is due to blocked milk ducts, and the initial inflammation is actually caused by milk leaking out of the ducts and into the surrounding tissue where it isn't meant to be. That's what also causes the symptoms of fever and joint pains - your immune system mounting a response to protein (your milk) being in the wrong place (your blood stream).

Bacteria can and do quickly take over blocked ducts if you don't deal with them, and in that instance what you need is antibiotics. But the best thing to do is treat the blocked ducts by having the baby regularly feed on the breast once you notice the redness and swelling, and getting in a warm bath and massaging the breast tissue till the lumps get smaller and go away. Take paracetamol and ibuprofen (if you can take it), because they'll help with the pain and swelling. And don't take any more antibiotics just yet - if you had an infection then the ones you are taking at the moment will be dealing with it. However, if the symptoms get worse go back to the GP because you may need a longer course.

As for what's causing it, if your LO is anything like mine they're probably getting quite distractable during feedings now, and they might not be draining the breast properly, leading to the blocked ducts. To prevent it from happening, I'd advise feeling your breasts every day in the shower for lumps, and if you find any massage them away.

Good luck!

 

[laodicean]

The Kellymom article is actually very good for mastitis:

https://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/mastitis/

 

[firsttime83]

I had mastitis about a week and a half ago and it was painful and horrible in one breast, but seemed to be starting in the other... which scared me. LO started feeding less and eating less often and I think this is what caused it. I actually found a white blister on one breast and was able to use a pin to have the milk begin to drain in a warm bath.

I also had been pumping and freezing extra supply. I think this was causing oversupply which is also a problem. I put cabbage on the really infected breast for about 20 mins 3 times that day, as recommended as a natural remedy. Not sure if this helped or it worked itself out but the cold cabbage felt pretty great.

Keep feeding on that side first, as others stated... I know it hurts, but I really think the body has a way of working these things out without antibiotics. I did see my GP that week for LO and told her about the infection, she said she would not prescribe anything unless it was an extreme exception and to keep doing what I was doing. Everything is back to "normal" now and BFing is easy like before.

 

[Salt Air]

Thanks so much for your replies ladies.

Laodicean our LOs look to be a very similar age, and you are right he does often get distracted during a feed. Some feeds are much shorter because of this, and so this could definitely be part of the problem. I really don't want to take more ABs if I don't have to so I'll try the things you suggested first & see how I get on. The kellymom article is great too
Firsttime83 thanks for your reply too, it's not oversupply I don't think, & he's certainly not feeding less (more if anything, in the night) but its good to hear you resolved it without meds. It's not too painful right now, but if it gets worse ill try the cabbage leaf trick!

 

[firsttime83]

Careful with the cabbage if it isn't oversupply... apparently it can lower your supply. Not sure how it all works, but I read that somewhere as well.

Hope you feel better soon. It is hard enough trying to take care of a child, let alone feeling under the weather and in pain

 

[MaisyMay]

oh hun I really feel for you! I had mastitis almost constantly for about six weeks when my ds was your lo's age. As soon as I got over one bout I'd get another hard and painful blocked duct and if I didn't manage to clear it in six hours I'd get the fever and the rest . I think my lo just wasn't draining my breasts properly. Hot water bottles before a feed was the only thing that helped me and I tried everything (also I don't know if you're expressing, but my breast pump almost always gave me blocked ducts and mastitis, I don't think the pump drained me properly either (I had so much milk at this time because of the three month growth spurt and lo had terrible colic and reflux, he wanted to be latched all the time cos it relieved his pain) Really hot water bottle (as hot as you can bare) hold it on the lump as long as you can and then feed lo in a position where you're kind of hanging over him. This was the only thing that worked, my blocked ducts were so stubborn. Good luck x x

 

[Salt Air]

Thanks MaisyMay, I'm not expressing but I do think now he might not be draining properly. He's often either distracted, or gets sleepy & slows right down, so I'm guessing that's it. It's not got any worse today so I shall keep on with hot compresses & massage & I'm changing positions during feeds where i can to keep him awake too. I'll have to try out leaning over him, although that doesn't sound massively comfortable!
Fingers crossed I can clear it up myself x

 

[MaisyMay]

Glad to hear it's not got any worse salt air. The leaning over is definitely not comfortable, but the RELIEF aaahhh it's bliss when you feel that duct start to clear and baby is gulping away cos it's all gushing through at once. I remember I had a terrible case of it on Christmas eve and I was feeding lo and saying to my dh "argh I know it's not going to clear, I'm going to be so ill tomorrow and be ill for ds' first Christmas" and then I felt it start to go and oh my God I cried with relief! Good luck with it I hope it passes soon, it really is horrible. My lo would get sleepy too, you've probably tried this, but I used to change ds' nappy before a feed, I think air flowing round his bits woke him up a bit x x