Mastitis? Are there varying levels of it??

Think I'm having a lightbulb moment ... well, maybe - I'm not sure. I could possibly, occasionally suffer from mastitis. I say "possibly" as I've never had it before and am onto my third BFd bub (the first two were each BFd approx 14 months). So I don't really know what mastitis is like.

About four times now in the past couple of months, I've woken up with a partially sore left breast with a hard ridge (for want of a better description) running horizontally below the nipple, and a second ridge running vertically down the left side of my breast. Both ridges are sore to the touch and it takes me most of the day of massaging the ridges while BFing to get rid of the soreness and the ridges. When it happens I try and keep the breast as drained as possible, and the hard lumpy ridges always disappear and stop being sore. Obviously they are blocked ducts, but could it be early signs of mastits??

I've never had any other signs of mastitis that I'm aware of though ... except for the past three days I've had an odd headachey/eye strain type feeling plus a few general aches - all of which I put down to a mild virus as DS2 and DS3 are getting over throat/ear infections. And then I woke during the night with the soreness and hard lump/ridges. The soreness etc is gone now.

So - does this sound like masitis? Or just blocked ducts? Whenever I experience soreness in this breast it is always in the same two spots, and as mentioned, with continual BFs and massage it all goes back to normal within a day. I've not felt particularly yucko with it, but then I've always taken action immediately to unblock the ducts and ease the soreness.

I thought you developed a temp with mastitis? Maybe cos you work on clearing the duct, it doesn't develop into it :)

Now that you mention it, I did run a temp but it was 48 hours ago and well before the breast soreness began. It would make sense that mastitis and temp go hand in hand though.

There are varying degrees I think and blocked ducts can def turn into Mastitis. If you have glands working over time to nab any infection that probably isnt helping.
I was told to start feeding from the side that was blocked (so you can be fully emptied) and to massage the lump/s while feeding- it can be sore but it really helps, and lots of water :) Hope it clears up for you fast. Full on mastitis is fever, shaking, cant think, cant do much at all. its awful.

LOL, Butterfly Dawn ... I've been at the "can't think" stage for years now let alone it accompanying mastitis :) Thanks though, I do wonder if I get the very beginning stages of it but as I do the massage/draining BFs from the minute I recognise the soreness I get "it" before "it" gets "me". It's just that until tonight, I had only ever thought of the soreness and lumps as being blocked ducts (... which of course, it could still just be). Hmmmm.

I've had blocked ducts over the years, to the point of shivering with a temp, but managed to feed/massage my way out of it. But then recently I got hit with full blown mastitis.. VERY different in my experience. This hit really really quickly. only a few hours from 'hmm... my boob feels sore' to shaking so hard with a temperature and vomiting. OMG I've never felt so sick in my life. I couldn't feed my way out of this one... she was so fussy on it (looking back I realise she couldn't get anything out!) I saw the dr and got antibiotics, jumped in the shower and hand expressed. Took ages to get anything at all out.. then finally I got all the gunk/pus out. Was so gross I nearly freaked out LOL. BUt I finally got milk flowing again and DD fed properly after that and it cleared up really quickly.

So yeah, there probably is varying degrees of it. What you're describing sounds to me like blocked ducts and you're managing to clear them before any inflammation/infection sets in.

There is varying degrees. I have had it where I have left quite meh, and then where I have had to be dragged to the hospital because I'm partially dead (not really but it feels like it!) with nurses fussing over heart monitors. Trust me you will know if you've got it!

I agree with Helle - you'll know. I've had times where I've had a bit of soreness and lumpiness which I've managed to get rid of to soreness accompanied by fever, headache and chills to being raced to hospital (almost needed the helicopter), spending four days on iv antibiotics there. And on that occasion, I went from feeling fine to having a temp over 40 within about ninety mins. So, yup, definitely differing degrees.

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I've had blocked ducts over the years, to the point of shivering with a temp, but managed to feed/massage my way out of it. But then recently I got hit with full blown mastitis.. VERY different in my experience. This hit really really quickly. only a few hours from 'hmm... my boob feels sore' to shaking so hard with a temperature and vomiting. OMG I've never felt so sick in my life. I couldn't feed my way out of this one... she was so fussy on it (looking back I realise she couldn't get anything out!) I saw the dr and got antibiotics, jumped in the shower and hand expressed. Took ages to get anything at all out.. then finally I got all the gunk/pus out. Was so gross I nearly freaked out LOL. BUt I finally got milk flowing again and DD fed properly after that and it cleared up really quickly.

So yeah, there probably is varying degrees of it. What you're describing sounds to me like blocked ducts and you're managing to clear them before any inflammation/infection sets in.

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I agree with this. I've always had an oversupply so have been prone to blocked ducts when ds missed a feed. But a few months ago I got mastitis and I can tell you now, that's a whole different kettle of fish.

Fever, rigors (shivering etc), feeling faint, vomiting, tired, too unwell to do anything, aches all over. I got these symptoms shortly after a blocked duct. By the next day had redness all around the area that was tender and swollen.

I was on antibiotics, and hand expressed and massaged. DS didn't want to feed off the affected side. I had to express until all the pus came out. Then I felt better after 24hrs.

Hi,

Mastitis isn’t usually an infection (but can be) . It’s all in the name Mast (breast) stasis (Milk being static - not moving)
So, the drill is, whenever you feel uncomfortably full, lumpy, hot, move that milk! Pick up your baby and feed (even if she’s asleep!) When we talk about “feeding to need” we mean there need OR your need. Or if baby is really full or asleep express. Put an icepack on the effected area and take some nurofen (it’s an anti-inflamatory as well.) In most cases you will be able to get through without the need for antibiotics - even if you feel a little feversish. If symptoms worsen see your doctor and he will probably prescribe antibiotics which are file to use when breastfeeding and effective

There is no mistaking full blown mastitis vs blocked duct. Mine hit in the middle of the night so I may have missed the window to clear duct before it turned to infection.
My question is how can I distinguish a lump or blocked duct in first few weeks where boobs are ridiculously hard and lumpy feeling anyway?? :(

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Hi,

Mastitis isn’t usually an infection (but can be) . It’s all in the name Mast (breast) stasis (Milk being static - not moving)

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Sorry that's not correct, it actually stands for inflammation of the breast, itis is inflammation.

Mummajj: i would try not to distinguish as no matter what you will want the hardness and lumps to move on down. thankfully with a newborn they feed often and i have found that in the really early weeks that i have had to hand express and massage the lumps out. they become blocked so quickly when your milk comes in and you so dont want to have to deal with mastitis on top of everything else xx

AndiE: sounds like blocked ducts...hope you are able to massage them out! i second the cold packs on the boobs. that really helps relieve the soreness for me (oversupply galore in my house lol).

Mastitis is an inflammation, yeah, which may or may not be accompanied by an infection.

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Mastitis is an inflammation, yeah, which may or may not be accompanied by an infection.

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Correct

All good information - thanks everyone.

Looks like I had - have - a virus unconnected to the blocked ducts. Mastitis sounds awful - I've certainly never experienced anything like what some of you have described. Guess it just goes to show that each breastfeeding journey can be a bit different. As I said, this is my third spell breastfeeding a bub and I've never had the soreness and "hardness" I've experienced on and off lately. Anyway, sounds like I'm tackling it the right way - my first instinct when I feel sore and hard (not engorged hard, though - different sensation) is to feed, feed, feed and massage. I can't imagine not getting rid of the milk asap, so thank god DS3 is a good feeder.

Cheers all :)

Possibly got my latin/greek roots mixed up, but the first stage is milk stasis - and relieving the stasis will bring relief.

That's ok Barb that makes total sense :)