mastitis X4...

[VTtoPSUmama]

Hi ladies,

I am really down because i have mastitis for the 4th time and my DS is 8 weeks old. I feel like i've been sick and not able to do anything forever. Just when i think i can start going to the gym or do things again, I get mastitis again. I have been drinking a cup of sage tea a day for a few weeks trying to lessen my production and i've taking lecithin. I pump whenever i'm starting to feel inflamation and/or engorgement, which is as soon as 45 min after he eats sometimes, so he sleeps for a 4 hour stretch at night but i have to get up and pump all the time, so i can only sleep 2 hours at the most. After all of that i still got mastitis again. So now another round of antibiotics and worrying if it is hurting DS and if we are going to get thrush. I used to want a large family but i would be terrified to Breast feed again. It has just been pain and misery since he was born. (I have vasospasms too). Any one else go through this? Any advice you have would be great.

thanks

[LibbyLou]

I don't have any first hand experience, but I couldn't read this and not reply. Huge s to you momma. What an incredible thing you are doing for your ds, breastfeeding despite being in so much pain.

There is some information about recurrent mastitis here. I've found a lot of great info on this site.

Also, it sounds like you're having some oversupply issues. Could the frequent pumping be contributing to that? The link above has some good info on dealing with oversupply.

[Pookietooth]

I think it sounds like that he may have latch issues. Not all lactation consultants are created equally. I would find a really good one to look at his latch to see what might be the trouble.
I used to get plugged ducts every time I wore my Bravado bra (finally threw it out when I realized it, when ds was 2). There is a homeopathic remedy that is supposed to help:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...tml#homeopathy

[completebeginnings]

Yes latch issues. Tongue tie. Wearing the wrong bra. Not getting enough rest. Pumping. I usually get it at least 6 times per baby and this is #4. I usually get it when other people around me are sick. I don't usually get really sick when nursing. I spend lots of time and energy taking care of those around me staying up late and not eating well and BAM it hits me. I find if I go to bed and stay there immediately with a hot pad and nurse with babys chin toward the sore spot I can usually get it taken care of in 24 hours and avoid antibiotics(taken it 4 times). Sorry you are dealing with this. No fun.

[boobs4milk]

hugs!!! i second the latch issues advice. i was getting horrible plugged ducts while pumping and i found out that i needed a larger front piece (the 'horn') to effectively remove the milk. fwiw, i have bf and had major issues this time but bf 4 other kids and have not had many. i think i had plugged ducts at first with #4 because i got engorged and grew 2 sizes over night. with #3, i ep'ed b/c he was a preemie. with #1 and #2 i got bad advice and weaned them early. but as far as recurrent issues, i've not had that but this is #5 and my worst bf experience! i'd still do it again

[zjande]

I don't have time to type much but I had to mention what saved me from extreme, chronic mastitis! Soy lecithin. I can't tell you how happy I am to have discovered it. It's been my miracle cure. I too got mastitis MANY times after every single baby. I was getting it once a week after my 4th baby & knew that that HAD to be terrible on my immune system, getting beat up like that every week. I don't take antibiotics for it, I just let the fever & pains run their course. Once the infection was coming weekly (imagine, a 103 degree fever about one day out of every week!), I discovered lecithin. It's just a vitamin/supplement that you buy at the store. I ordered a ton online so that I would never ever ever be without it again! Seriously, as long as I take 3600 mg per day, I don't get plugged ducts or mastitis. Period. If I forget a couple days, I get breast pains that lead to mastitis if I don't immed. start taking mega doses of lecithin.

I guess I did type a bunch. It has been such a miracle cure for me, I just had to share!

[zjande]

Geez, I have to apologize, I was being so super rushed that I missed that you already mentioned lecithin! Sorry about that. Are you taking at least 3600- 4800mg every day? Also, you may want to consider not taking the antibiotics as they are so harsh on your immune system. Instead you might want to work on taking some immune system boosters instead.
Good luck with everything! Mastitis hurts SO incredibly BAD! Oh, & good luck on having a large family as well.

[mrscompgeek]

Sorry mama! I had mastitis 2x in a weeks time and i can relate. Its painful and you feel soooo drained and tired. Not fun. I had it at 3 weeks pp so I was still recovering from my stitches and all plus this on top was not cool at all.
I started wearing loser bra's and havent had a problem since. I was able to just use lots of warm water on rags layed on my breast, warm baths with my breast in the water, tylenol and LOTS of nursing to get rid of it. I never had to use antibiodics thankfully!

[pjs]

Soaking a nb sposie with hot water can create a great heatpack. Mastitis is the worst. Hope it gets better for you.

[VTtoPSUmama]

thanks

Thanks so much ladies! I am in much better spirits now. It helped a lot to know that other women have had it a bunch too and survived. I realized that the antibiotics were causing me to have mouth ulcers and severe nipple pain(they get increasingly worse when i'm on them, stop when i'm off of them) so i took zjande's advice and started boosting my immunity instead. That made me feel a lot better right away. Then i got mastitis again a few days ago and just used echinacea, garlic, emergen c, rest, heat, and massage and it went away quickly on its own. Also we were going to see the LC again, but his latch seems to be better now! He does have a tongue tie but the LC didn't think it was bad enough for snipping when we saw her the first time. We did always have to work vigilantly with latching and he never latched correctly at night(side nursing when he was basically sleeping) but maybe he is growing out of it now. Also i did have huge oversupply issues but then i stopped pumping, and stopped letting him comfort suck for hours in his sleep after eating(cause someone told me than could increase supply too; he doesn't mind or notice if i take it out when he is asleep) and the oversupply stopped really quickly! All of your advice helped so much.

thanks again

maybe i can handle having a few more after all

[VTtoPSUmama]

thanks

Thanks so much ladies! I am in much better spirits now. It helped a lot to know that other women have had it a bunch too and survived. I realized that the antibiotics were causing me to have mouth ulcers and severe nipple pain(they get increasingly worse when i'm on them, stop when i'm off of them) so i took zjande's advice and started boosting my immunity instead. That made me feel a lot better right away. Then i got mastitis again a few days ago and just used echinacea, garlic, emergen c, rest, heat, and massage and it went away quickly on its own. Also we were going to see the LC again, but his latch seems to be better now! He does have a tongue tie but the LC didn't think it was bad enough for snipping when we saw her the first time. We did always have to work vigilantly with latching and he never latched correctly at night(side nursing when he was basically sleeping) but maybe he is growing out of it now. Also i did have huge oversupply issues but then i stopped pumping, and stopped letting him comfort suck for hours in his sleep after eating(cause someone told me than could increase supply too; he doesn't mind or notice if i take it out when he is asleep) and the oversupply stopped really quickly! All of your advice helped so much.

thanks again

maybe i can handle having a few more after all

[Serenyd]

Originally Posted by VTtoPSUmama

Thanks so much ladies! I am in much better spirits now. It helped a lot to know that other women have had it a bunch too and survived. I realized that the antibiotics were causing me to have mouth ulcers and severe nipple pain(they get increasingly worse when i'm on them, stop when i'm off of them) so i took zjande's advice and started boosting my immunity instead. That made me feel a lot better right away. Then i got mastitis again a few days ago and just used echinacea, garlic, emergen c, rest, heat, and massage and it went away quickly on its own. Also we were going to see the LC again, but his latch seems to be better now! He does have a tongue tie but the LC didn't think it was bad enough for snipping when we saw her the first time. We did always have to work vigilantly with latching and he never latched correctly at night(side nursing when he was basically sleeping) but maybe he is growing out of it now. Also i did have huge oversupply issues but then i stopped pumping, and stopped letting him comfort suck for hours in his sleep after eating(cause someone told me than could increase supply too; he doesn't mind or notice if i take it out when he is asleep) and the oversupply stopped really quickly! All of your advice helped so much.

thanks again

maybe i can handle having a few more after all

Glad to hear it worked out for you! So thankful I have MDC mamas to talk to, when the doctors fail to help! I've never had oversupply issues or mastitis, but my first son had a tongue-tie and his latch improved so much by 3 months! Good for you for hanging in there and not giving up!