OUCH !! I think I have mastitis. Why cabbage leaves???

[Trillian]

Cold cabbage leaves can ease some of the sensation you feel from being full, but apparently they can have mixed results with milk supply - some stay the same and others notice less milk, but it is individual.

This is also quoted from Barb Glare from another thread:

Use cold packs (you can get specially shaped icepaks, or use a pack of peas wrapped in a handtowel, or you can wet a disposable nappy and freeze it or you can use cold cabbage leaves)

The idea of getting them to feed from the side with mastitis is to help clear the blockages by suckling, ideally with their chin positioned on the lumps as the sucking movement of the chin helps massage the lumps out. I would say (in my very limited knowledge of BF) that he refuses that side as there isn't as much coming out due to the blockages. Do you havea breastpump that you can use to try to express some milk off that breast? or you could jump in the shower and let the warm water do the trick too and also gently massage it in the shower. Or if you can't have a shower, use a cold compress (wet face washer) on it. I hope you can get relief before it does get worse.

Also, check out this thread on helping overcome common BF problems
ABA sugestions for the more common breastfeeding problems.