Mastitis

F

firsttimemom

Registered User
My baby is 4 weeks old, so far breastfeeding is good except for sore nipples here and there. I have sore nipples on left breast for few days now, i know it might be poor latch lying down. Last night, i had chills, fever like symptoms, then i realized it's not only sore nipple but sore breast, so painful that i didn't BF the whole night, this morning i pump for the first time but didn't get much on that breast.

I'm researching and it could be mastitis. What should i do? i read i should empty the breast, should i pump after baby feed, i'm worried the more milk flow or engorge if i do that.

Heat - i'm doing it now.

BF often - i'm doing it to the affected breast even if it hurts badly.

Rest - this one is difficult as i still lack sleep.

Should i see doctor or call lactation consultant, any referrals?

Lastly, can you pls give me some wordds of encouragement to hold on and continue BF, i know there are numerous benefits, no doubt about it, i BF my elder son for 12 months. But sometimes you just want to cry and give in to formula.

Thanks.
 
hi crystal,

sorry to hear that you are having some difficulties.. i won't say 'give in' to formula, if it makes you feel better, it's okay to formula feed. you could breastfeed and formula feed ,i think that's alright, that's what i do.
as for hanging on to breastfeeding.. keep surfing more info on breastfeeding the , benefits.. and read it over and over again.. that helps me in carrying on breastfeeding till now, bb is 8 months old now.
the benefit of breastfeeding.. is you'll enjoy it.. don't be too hard on yourself. rest well..
 
Hi Crystal

I cant offer to much advice but just wanted to say hang on in there.
I have heard that Mrs Chee is a wonderful lactation consultant and has solved many of my friends BF problems. Sorry I dont have her contact details but I am sure if you search on this site you will find her. I would see someone, even if it is to answer your questions and put your mind at rest.

Try not to worry, rest as much as you can (easier said than done I know), and your doing a wonderful job!
 
Mrs. Chee's no. is 94176366, she's really good & will be able to help you. Keep up the good work!
 
Crystal88, your ducts are getting clogged which may be the reason the milk is not coming out when pumping. I have been weaning my baby and facing something similar to you. If my breast becomes too hard or starts hurting (not only the breast but also my hands), I know that 1st 1-2 oz would be very hard work. I have to massage really hard and it is painful. Once the breast again becomes soft, then the milk flow is much easier.

Power on through this problem! It really does get easier as you know already with your older child. You can also contact Yvonne Heavyside, a lactation consultant, if you'd like. When my baby was newborn, I also used an Indian massage lady- she would not only do regular post natal massage but also massage out my breasts for any blocked ducts. She would find lumps which I never knew existed. Hang in there!!
 
Crystal - hang it there. I know it's horrible - I had recurrant masistis on and off with my second one from 6 weeks old to 3 months. There were times literally when I wanted to chop my boobs off, but with support I made it through and he's now 1 year old and still breast feeding without needing any formula.
The second doctor I went to actually prescribed me vitamins and gave me a big telling off about getting more rest (ie nap whenever you can and forget housework). That seemed to be the ticket that finally got rid of it. I do have the number of a lactation counsellor in TST, Kowloon if you need it - I never used her in the end, but she was recommended to be my the doc. Please PM me if you want her number.
Good luck!
 
Mastitis to me is the worst thing about having babies! I get it every time. If you do have it, (and it's so easy to know as the symptoms are a dead giveaway, you feel like death, have a fever etc) you need to get onto antibiotics straight away or you could end up with breast abcesses and that normally (always?) requires surgery.

I just had very bad mastitis and had to take two lots of antibiotics and have a lactation consultant come to massage the infected breast which had ducts that were so blocked no milk was coming out. Anyway, it's all better now and we're still breastfeeding. I think it came about after two bad nights in a row where i fed lying down but was so tired i didn't get the baby latched on right. My advice, pay particular attention to latch when tired!
 
I had fever of 39 last night, took panadol and i'm okay now, no more fever nor flu symptoms.

Should i still see a GP for anti-biotic? or it will go off by itself? been nursing non-stop with heat compress, so far, better now. Not so sore breast, but i felt the lump now. Is there also a need to see a consultant for her to massage the breast or will the lump also goes off with frequent nursing? I had a bad experienced with one of the famous consultant with my first born, she massaged it hard that i end up pumping milk with blood! that was horrible. Wanfamily, yes, i'll get the contact if it's recommended by your doctor.

Aussiegal, you are right, i slept for 4 hours(2 hours each time) total one night and had this mastitis day after. I know i was so tired that baby just latch incorrectly so i had the sore nipples.
 
If you need pain relief, ibuprofen is better for mastitis/blocked ducts. It's an anti inflammatory so it can reduce the inflammation in the breast and help to un-block things. And it doesn't go into the milk either. That's the first "over the counter" thing you should use even before you go to the doctor. But with the fever and everything else, I think you should go see a doc and possibly get antibiotics!! See what they say at least. It can't hurt!!
 
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