Red streaks on boob

[LionsandBears]

I'm weaning DS down to 3 feeds a day. The last couple of days my left boob has been painfully full. I know I have a blocked duct which I'm gently trying to ease. I just noticed what looks like red stretch marks. Is this mastitis or just skin stretching from being overfull?

[peanutter]

Is it hot to touch? Do you have any flu symptoms?

If not, I'd be leaning towards stretch marks.

I hope it's not mastitis

[OceanPrincess]

Oh no! Is it painful, hot to touch? Does the red mark run from outside of breast down towards the nipple? As in, the same direction milk would flow?

You can get mastitis without an infection apparently, but it is quite uncommon. Most mums get mastitis with an infection which leads to flu like symptoms, hot and cold flushes, fever, nausea. If you start to feel sick, you need ABs.

Keep up trying to clear the blockage. Express if you need to, to ease the discomfort. Hang in there.

[LionsandBears]

No flu symptoms, but it is hot, hard & painful to touch & they run towards the nipple. I now have an ice pack on it. Just fed bub & had him try to drain it.

I can't believe I'd get it now after avoiding it for 17 months

[AlligatorsMum]

I had a lump in mine once just after DS was sick at about 8mnths and didn't do a proper night feed. it was def red around the sore area.

I would think its possibly the start of it. Mine never eventuated into anything 'worse' (although the feeds for the next 24 hours felt like glass being pulled from inside my boob through my nipple!!) I think if you are on top of it now - hopefully you may be able to avoid it getting worse.

If you are dropping down feeds, its definitely a possibility to get mastitis tho.. so maybe hand express and massage the area.

[little_O]

Yep that's mastitis. You might have to keep him feeding off of there until it eases up. Also do the massage In the bath, helps unblock.

I hate mastitis.

[LionsandBears]

It seems to have eased. I have some homeopathic drops & had him start each feed on that side, even though he prefers the other side.

Thanks for the advice

[luna moth]

No flu symptoms, but it is hot, hard & painful to touch & they run towards the nipple. I now have an ice pack on it. Just fed bub & had him try to drain it.

I can't believe I'd get it now after avoiding it for 17 months

My first bout was 3 years 4 months into my breastfeeding journey. Youngest was 17 months old.I couldn't believe it either, but it was definitely brought on by stress (impending MIL visit, among other things!)