Mastitis HELP

Went to Dr yesterday & got keflex for the mastitis in my right breast. I'm using bheat packs and resting lots (have been in bed all day).

But I'm feeling AWFUL!! Have been taking panadol every 6 hours, but it wears off after b5 hours and my temp goes back up to 38.6. I'm concerned about taking it more often than this because it would exceed daily recommended dose (8 in 24 hours).

Also, friend suggested to me that by feeding non both sided, I may not be draining each boob fully. So I tried leaving him on one boob for longer, and after an hour or so, he was content. I have a ;arge supply and I think I have been producing more milk than he needs (and I guess that by only doing one side, it will reduce my supply a bit). But, my concern is that by only feeding one side, I will not be feeding often enough from the mastitis side.

oh mastitis is awful :(

Can you express on the sore side? A gentle, gentle massage in the shower may help. Nureophen may also help the temps and the pain.

Have you got someone to help you? I've had it twice and I just went to bed with DD and my DH did all the nappies etc

Hi EZZ

I totally know what you're talking about as I too have mastitis atm. Have been taking Keflex for a week now with no improvement. I have been feeding from the sore side too and OMG its painful. I'm going to try and just feed from that side as of tomorrow and express from the good side to keep my supply going.
Hang in there hun and I hope it gets better for you(and me) very soon.

I too know the pain of mastitis so I totally sympathise.. Thankfully I only had it for a maximum of 48 hours.. I can't quite remember what I did but I also had an oversupply and a lazy baby to boot :) I was expressing and feeding.. Expressing and feeding from the same side would just create more so thats no good for now..

I hope it clears up soon... :hugs:

I've got it too! Just wanted to say, I feel your pain!!! :crying:

Celsie. xoxox

HI,

sounds like a couple of you will be heading back to the dr. You should be able to take a stronger anaeilgaesic if you need it. It is common to have more milk than your baby can drink at this age, if you find you are feeling full and baby is asleep or wan't take any more, express a bit, just util you are confortble. An icepack or cold cabbage leaves on your breasts feel great and are very soothing. And rest - you are not well!
I would feed baby on one side for a "longish" time (don't you love how specific we are - not!) 20-30 mins and then, after a burp, offer the other side.
Barb

HI,

I just wanted to give you my sympathy. I know how it feels...... hope it settles down soon...

Thanks everyone for your support - and I can't believe how many of us have it at the same time!!

Fever has gone, lumps and pain still there. How long does it take to totally clear up?

Hi EZZ,I have a seemingly unknown tidbit that helps prevent mastitis or at least it did for me, I got sore but it never developed. My midwife said to me when ever I got sore place bubs chin on that area and let him suck as thats the strongest point of sucking. A number of mornings my man would wake up with me in strange positions as I lay over bub trying to get the chin positioned right so it may be a litlle strange however it seemed to work and he never refused the offer even if it wasn't a due feed.. I hope this helps for prventing future pain.:pray:

I feel so sorry for you all, having had it twice with DS. Hope you are feeling better soon.

I had the same advice as angelwildfire given to me by my ABA member for DD, and I managed to stop it becoming full blown mastitis with heat packs, feeding twice from the one side (but you have to watch the other side doesn't start getting sore too) and resting. Lucky for me the pain was in the bottom of my breast so no acrobatics required.

Angel - I've changed his feeding position this week for exactly that reason. I had 2 lumpy areas - one at the bottom of my breast, and one at the side. The one at the side is easy, but I'm not sure how to position him to drain the bottom of my breast.

Molly - How did you position bubs?

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Angel - I've changed his feeding position this week for exactly that reason. I had 2 lumpy areas - one at the bottom of my breast, and one at the side. The one at the side is easy, but I'm not sure how to position him to drain the bottom of my breast.

Molly - How did you position bubs?

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Laying bubs on the bed helps with the bottom of the breast, also straddling bubs accross your lap and holding head and supporting back or the football hold.. It just epends where exactly the lumpy part is..I used the bed heaps laying bub down and then just positioning myself around him to get the chin right, sometimes it was pretty funny..:lol: I so hope this helps:D

Angel - When you say straddling across lap, do you mean bubs is sitting upright?

I can hardly feel the lumps at all today - but boob is still red & sore - is this what normally happens? My antibiotics runs out tomorrow (5 days), so I've filled the repeat - I don't want to stop taking them until I'm all better

hope you feel better soon Ezz

Hey Ezz,
Yeah it sounds a little strange but whatever works n helps your boobies feel better. Mine did stay red for a bit but it did go.. You will now know the signs to look out for. Hot showers help relieve and help to destress.
Let me know how it goes.
Warmth and hugs to you and Bubs

How are you feeling today?

Oh so much better!!! Still a bit painful to feed on that side - but I think that's largely due to the cracked nipple rather than the mastitis. Still sticking with the antibiotics for another 4 days - just to make sure it's all cleared up. Trying to have a bath each day to really soak my boobs & massage them - to check for any lumps. I don't want to go through that again!!

Thanks everyone for your support :)

Glad things are improving.

So glad you are feeling much better. Better to finish off the antibiotics for sure.
It is good you are checking your boobs, as I have heard once you have it you can be more susceptible to getting it again, however I was getting it when DD was one month old I think and haven't had any problems in the four months since.
Hope the cracked nipple heals soon too and you can enjoy breastfeeding again!!

Angel - Tried feeding him sitting up - he kept choking on the milk. So I tried feeding him lying down and that seemed to work better for us.

Thanks Molly :)

Hey Ezz,
How are the boobs going? are you still using the nipple shield? How's the chin positioning going? :lol: I remember at one point it felt like I was feeding all the time as everytime I was too full or in a little pain I would wake my little man up and let him relieve me...Sometimes it still feels like all I do is feed he still loves his boob..:)

No - stopped nipple shield as I don't think boob was draining properly with it on. Still have the lump - despite positioning his chin that way. Going to physio this afternoon to get ultrasound on the lump. Hopefully that will do the trick!

Oh Ezz, :( I'm sorry that didn't do the trick, hope the ultra sound is positive. Hope the two of you are enjoying each other despite the set backs.. He is adorable by the way.
Angel:hug:

Angel - I think he's pretty cute too! (He smiled for the first time today :)). 2 lots of ultrasound & massage seems to have done the trick - physio was great! Will definitely go back to her if I have a troublesome blocked duct again.

Hey Ezz sooo glad it got fixed and that you found someone you like and trust..
He is very very cute just adorable, believe me I know cute as my little man is one of the really cute ones and I'm not just biased. It gets so much better with the smiles and all the great noises they come out with. My man has learnt to clap and he jibbers away like mad.Its so much fun

Hi guys. I posted re mastitis too and i think some of you responded to that so thanks! Ezz can you fill me in on what the physio did? Thankfully my latest bout seems to have cleared up now and I've had help with attachment, but would love to know what you found out via the physio so I can keep it in mind too because I so don't want to go through it a third time!

The physio used ultrasound to break up the lump & taught me how to massage my boobs properly to get rid of lumps.
LC helped me with knowing how long to keep feeding on each side etc.

I'm so excited - I've been mastitis-free for a week now!

Glad you are feeling better Ezz

Thanks Louise :)

Lewis' Mummy - Should also mention that I check for lumps at end of each feed & massage out (and massage under my boob a couple of times during a feed because I'm prone to lumps there). I also try to feed without a bra as much as possible.

Thanks and good to hear you're getting over it - doesn't it feel great when the symptoms, fevers etc go away! I've only got 1 more day on the antibiotics. Spent yesterday at a breast feeding day clinic and know that I'm doing everything I can to avoid another bout, but like they said, nothing will guarantee it, I just have to stay relaxed and remember I'm doing all I can - if it comes again (God help me!) at least I'll know it's not because of anything I'm doing wrong. I also massage it out, during and after a feed, use heat packs, express a little off if he's sleeping longer etc. The midwife/LC who helped me yesterday reminded me that after mastitis the breast starts all over again like when the milk first came in, so the skin, nipple etc are all sensitive again and the supply takes a while to settle down matching demand again. So fingers crossed we can all have plain sailing from here on in!