ok Mastitis sucks

[orangedaisy]

Woke up this morning for a 4 am feeding and was FREEZING in my 70 degree house, uncontrollable shaking from the chills. Almost 103 fever. Called in to my OB and they said I have mastitis. Cold and achey and want to sleep.. this sucks. And the antibiotics they prescribed aren't supposed to be taken within 1 hr before eating or 2 hours after eating. Pain in the butt.

 

[Cattia]

I had this a LOT with my older two, every time they would miss a feed it seemed like I would get it! I always managed to get rid of it without antibiotics. What I would do was get LO to feed on the affected side and as they fed, massage hard over the lump / swelling towards the nipple. I would then express and do the same action if they finished feeding, until I was sure the breast was empty. Next I would get in a very hot bath and carry on with the massaging, going over and over with my knuckles. It hurts A LOT but it does really help. After that I would lie down with a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel against the affected breast and then try to keep feeding on that side. This always worked for me and within a few hours, the pain and swelling would go and the fever would clear up. It's worth a try, at least until the antibiotics kick in. It's horrible and it makes you feel so ill