2nd round of Mastitis in 3 weeks!!?!?

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to share my situation and hopefully gain some advice.

I have just had my first baby, Ari, 3 wks and 3 days ago. in this turbulent time I have had problems with Ari's attachment. Many lactation consultants have assisted me with the latching and positioning and all agree this is correct, however it still hurt and my nipple would be flattened! this lead to me suffering cracked, bruised, bleeding nipples and thus a bout of mastitis early on. I resorted to using nipple shields as I was in so much pain with my feeds. shortly after the first lot of mastitis, whereby I thought I had Dracula for a baby at one of our nights feeds as all that was coming out was blood!, I rushed out and bought some formula to comp him whilst I recovered. soon after Ari began refusing the breast. there could be a number of reasons for this, I had a fairly traumatic birth and have not been emotionally sound, Ari was 10.1 pounds and is a hungry boy and the bottle was nice and easy also he has a little tongue tie which I?m told may make things difficult.
I attempted many times to have him continue feeding but it appears that he is more stubborn than I! so I bought myself a breast pump to express. I was (admittedly) only expressing when my breasts felt heavy, this may have only been 3 times in a day as Ari is mainly having formula for every feed. which brings me up to now, on my second course of antibiotics for Mastitis. this second bout has been not as painful in the breast but horrible with fever and achiness. the infection has both times been in my right breast and for the past 2 days I have been expressing out of one particular duct a long sticky thread (obviously what is blocking it!)

my problem is that for mine and Ari's emotional well being I am not offering the breast anymore, will I continue to get mastitis with just expressing? can I avoid it? should I be using an electric pump? are there any remedies anyone knows of that may assist?

This is all so new and upsetting any advice would be so appreciated

Heya Brandnewworld,

I had mastitis while breastfeeding DD and the best thing to help with that was to continue breastfeeding.

Not sure about expressing milk.

Also, massaging your breasts in the shower with warm water helps as well. You need to rub your breasts round and round and towards your areola in circular motions (as I recall, bad memory).

I think the other ladies would be of better help, but just wanted to give you a big MASSIVE HUG!

Hi,

BIG hugs for you :hug: :hug: :hug: I just had mastitis, I hope you don't get it again, it sucks BIG TIME! I think you're doing such a wonderful thing for your DD, expressing for her :hug:

Can't really help with the 'thread' you are expressing, but I hope it clears up for you soon.

WRT expressing, make sure that when you position the pump you change WHERE it is multiple times during an expressing session. I have been expressing since 2 weeks and I know that if I don't reposition and make sure I drain the breast evenly I will get a lump (I think I got complacent which caused the mastitis). A manual pump is fine I would say (I have both and can't imagine trying my electric while having mastitis OUCH!).
Try and express at the same time/time intervals each day, that should also help with supply *I think*.

Have you tried massaging with a warm/hot compress, or bathing your breast in warm water, before expressing to help with let down? That may help...?

thanks ladies,

yeah i have tried all the methods suggested, hot compresses, warm showers, even pumping in the shower. and yes i am changing positioning during the pump, i find that helps with the draining too. hopefully i've just had my bad luck and it'll not happen again. although in the time since posting i have been reading about why my nipples may be itchy and it would appear i have thrush also! GREAT!

does anyone know if i can give it to the baby via expressing, you know through the bottle?