mastitis (New update post 15)

[WanaBaba]

Hi. On Tuesday we had a 20 hour drive to visit family and lo slept quite a lot so lo didn't want to feed as much so my boobs got pretty engorged. By early Wednesday morning while still in the car I started feeling really I'll, Achey fluey chills headache etc. Wednesday we got to England and I noticed my boob had a big red patch on the left side. Also the area is really hard and lumpy. So since then I've been putting hot flannels on it, hot showers while massaging the boob, feeding lo as much as possible from that boob, even tried combing the boob after reading online, well its now Friday and it's still red and hard and lumpy and now it hurts quite bad when lo feeds from that boob. But the flu symptoms have pretty much gone and the high temp has gone down but I do still have a headache just not as bad. I've been taking ibuprofen since Tues but havent had to take any since yesterday morning. Although might have to take some to try help with the pain I'm getting in my boob.
So what would you do, go to the hospital and probably get put on antibiotics or carry on trying to get rid of it yourself? I'm really not sure what to do for the best and I don't really want to go on antibiotics but I don't want to just leave it and it get any worse!
Help please! Tia x

 

[mara16jade]

Are your bbs full/engorged? Or do you think they're hard from an infection? If they're full and your lo just can't eat enough, then try pumping. If they're not full, then I'd probably go get antibiotics.

 

[staralfur]

I would go get the antibiotics.

 

[TwinMommy6]

I am just getting over mastitis I know it really stinks you should definitely get some antibiotics though in case there is an infection (I had one) and you don't want to get an abscess. Also what worked for me was a cold compress in between feedings it helped keep the swelling down and I massaged while LO fed.
Hope you're feeling better

 

[WanaBaba]

It's not engorgement as the rest of the boob is soft, it's just that one area that has a big hard lump. Plus it's red and sore in that area.
I went to the docs yesterday and got some antibiotics but haven't started them yet as it seems to be getting better in its own, the lump is still there but smaller and the pain when feeding has lessened.

 

[Ladybuggz]

Hey there,
I had a dreadful case of Mastitis that unfortunately led to me staying in hospital (having antibiotics via drip and syringing the breast). In hindsight, I should have gone to the doctors earlier and taken antibiotics sooner. If I were in your position I'd go to the doctors. Better to get the infection sorted now than wait until the entire breast is infected.

 

[WanaBaba]

I started the antibiotics a couple days ago but no improvement yet. I have been trying as hard as I can to get rid of the lump, hot showers, hot flannels, massaging, feeding in the cow position but it just will not budge and the pain whilst feeding is really bad I dread feeding on that side

 

[staralfur]

What kind of antibiotics are you on?

 

[TwinMommy6]

My antibiotics took nearly 48 hrs before I started feeling relief. ..hang in there girl! !

 

[WanaBaba]

I don't know what to do woke up this morning and the sore boob was aching like a throbbing sort of ache, so I pumped then just fed LO and OMG the pain was like nothing I've ever experienced before, I actually cried. After about five minutes I had to take her off and swap to the other boob. I just can not handle that sort of pain! Now I don't know what to do because there's no way I can feed from that side and I know you have to to make it better

On the end of that nipple there was a little yellowish scab that fell off yesterday and underneath there's a small puss coloured thing the size of a small spot. I don't know if it's another scab or not. It looks hard but now looks softer after feeding. Could this be anything?

The boob is now back to the throbbing ache

 

[TwinMommy6]

Do you have a pump? Also soak in a hot bath and completely submerge your breast and massage it under water don't be gentle I used my knuckles (hurts like hell) then pump or feed as soon as you get out. I also slept with cabbage leaves in my bra--I read that it worked and was desperate so I was willing to try anything....it took the blocked ducts out within 24 hours. I feel your pain I am seriously still on the mend from this. Oh I also used a hot water bottle right before pumping or feeding for about 15 min it really helped get the milk flow going.
You can do this....good luck

 

[sheldonsmommy]

The small area could be a bleb, kind of like a pimple that marks the end of the blocked duct. You can try putting a warm wet compress on the hard duct and on the nipple to soften them, then taking a sterile needle and very gently scraping the surface of the yellow area. If you can get it open, it might just allow the infection to drain.

Otherwise, you are absolutely doing everything right. The antibiotics takes a few days to take effect, but even after that I still had breast pain for a week (not as bad though). Really try to feed, baby is so much more efficient than your pump, tylenol or Advil may help

 

[Tulip]

If you are feeling worse than when the abx were prescribed you really must go back to the doctor.

I woke up one morning with mastitis and despite going straight to the GP for oral abx at 10am I was admitted to hospital that night as I deteriorated quickly and developed sepsis. Please be seen again xx

 

[tablefor4]

I got mastitis 3 days after my baby was born and then again 2 weeks later.
The first time, I went to the lactation consultant and they put me on the hospital grade super-duper breast pump. In fact they loaned it to me for 2 days while I cleared the infection. My breast was so engorged, it was impossible to feed for a day or so from that side. I did require antibiotics though as I started to get chills and headaches. It took about 2 days to be able to feed from that side again and about 4 days to feel normal again.

The second time, I picked up the antibiotics just in case, but gave it a few hours and a couple of feeds, hot and cold compresses, cabbage leaves and massage. It cleared on it's own.

However, as a PP noted, you DO NOT want to get a breast abscess as it will really mess up your breastfeeding plans, not to mention make you really ill. So if you have had a couple of good feeds, have tried the hot and cold compresses and massage, and the lump is still red and hard, definitely go and get it looked at again.

All the best.

 

[WanaBaba]

Just realised the update I wrote on here a few days ago musnt have uploaded!
After writing my last post I took a really long shower and took my comb in there, put the shower on as hot as I could possibly handle and massaged and combed my boob and eventually lots of milk came shooting out! Never seen so much milk come out haha. I then fed baby in cow position and it was pain free the next feed after that was also pain free. Was the best feeling in the world to be able to just feed my baby without worrying about pain etc. However the next feed the pain way back nowhere near as bad as the feed right before I unblocked it but still painful. And it still is now. I don't know if it has something to do with the yellow spot on my nipple which looks like it could be a really small scab. I'm not sure it's a milk blister/Bleb as its really tiny and isn't on the nipple it's sort of in the nipple doesn't stick out if that makes any sense. although sticks out a little after a feed.
I've noticed my other nipple becoming a little sore and it's because for some reason lo won't latch on well anymore and I have no idea why She Will latch on but then get fussy and slip off a bit so the latch is too shallow. Not sure what I can do about this?

 

[Lizzybee]

You could have a milk spot known as a bleb. Try hand expressing to see if milk comes out of it. This could also be a blocked duct. Hot compress on nipple ( as hot as you can bear) then feed immediately or pump. It takes a while but eventually is relieved. Took 2 weeks for my pain to go and about a month for the spot to finally vanish. However I didn't have a blocked duct. If you hand express you might get puss/ gunk coming out and then a lot of milk. You can also try popping with a pin but be careful you don't make infection worse.
With regard to the latch I was told to make LO come off and re latch properly and to do this over and over until he did it properly. It worked.