11 days postpartum with mastitis...please help!

[miggymama]

This is my 3rd child and never going through this with my other 2 I was completely caught off guard! It started 3 days ago and was so bad that my lactation consultant said to do the antibiotics...which I hate but I will do anything to not lose my milk. I have been on the antibiotics since yesterday morning. I still have a fever that comes on strong at night. My breast is still very hard and not draining well. My daughter is so young that she isn't doing a great job of draining that side. I have tried pumping(with a hospital grade pump) to no avail. I literally get 2 drops out. I have been doing all the hot baths and massage. I am very scared that this isn't going to clear up. Anyone out there have similar situation? Please share! Can I do anymore? I am so tired and I just so frustrated to be dealing with this right after I just went through delivery! How long did it take to soften breast up after starting antibiotics? Thank you for any help!!!!

[ewe+lamb]

It's ok - we can sort this out, try not to panic!

First of all the block is from the thick hind milk, so now we have to melt it down before doing anything else, take some hot compresses - small facecloths or whatever dampen them with very very very hot water - almost boiling but not quite - it needs to be as hot as you can stand but not so much so that you burn yourself, lay the cloth on the blocked area and leave until it cools down abit, then either nurse baby with the chin pointing at the affected area or massage gently, starting with the palm of your hand in firm but gentle circular movements working from just underneath the armpit down, do this as much as possible to keep the block from re-building up again and it should pass. The antibiotics will take away the fever but not the block so we need to work at that, I find that this seems to work for the majority of mothers. Good luck and post to see how you are getting on.

[aylaanne]

I had mastitis in the first two weeks with my son, and it was terrible, so I feel your pain. I agree to keep on keeping on. If your partner is available, have them massage that breast while you're nursing and pumping, it might be easier for them to get to the spot.

Another thing that worked for me whenever I got lumpy was "combing." In a hot shower, take a wide-toothed comb and after soaping up your breast, comb the lump from armpit to areola. Yes, you're not supposed to wash your nipples, but it's more important to get the milk out than to have the breast unwashed.

You are doing a GREAT job mama. Nursing is hard, and mastitis just makes everything harder. Keep on keeping on and good luck!

[miggymama]

I have done the hot water thing all day and night!

I have doing the hot bath/shower thing all night. Then nursing on infected side(I haven't tried doing the chin near infected site) and then switching to the other side. I then pump on both side with my breasts suspended to let gravity help too! I only get a few drops out of infected side. At this point it seems like I need to get it drained by a needle...I don't know! I just feel desperate for some relief! I won't give up but this is just the pits!!!! My fever is better but the breast is still so engorged and painful.

[sierramv]

I had mastitis with my third as well, but not my first two. Ewe&Lamb did a good job of describing how to relieve it. The key for me was hot compress and massage, I will say when I started to massage the lump it hurt unbelievably, but you HAVE to work it out. Either while nursing or pumping, and massage it very firmly. My breast just got harder and harder until I started to massage it, very firmly. Hang in there mama!

[mouey77]

Yes! I got it almost immediately after my second was born. You can overcome this! It was tough because I kept getting mastitis (had it 9 times total in the year and a half of BFing), but my DD had bad reflux and food intolerances and just didn't do a good job of draining my breasts when she fed. Lots of hot compresses helped, BFing on the sore side as much as possible, and lots of rest. I also started taking lecithin supplements which you can read about on kellymom.com, and that seemed to help with plugged ducts. Hang in there!

[ewe+lamb]

OK so the baths aren't working - the water isn't hot enough - please please try the hot compresses - I really mean as hot as you can stand and get the baby to nurse - the chin works the affected area - even if you have to do some gymnastics to get into the correct position you really need to work this out. Please try the hot compresses - I was constantly getting mastitis and really it was the only thing that ever worked.

[MindfulBirth]

to add to the already good advice... ask the Lactation Consultant to check the flanges on your pump to make sure you have the right size - you may need larger or smaller ones than what was supplied.

I'm assuming that the LC already checked to make sure your baby is getting a proper latch. Let her stay on as long as she wants. Is she sleepy at the breast? Change her diaper and strip off her clothes to wake her up.

If you are starting to feel engorged, fill a sink or large plastic tub with warm water and just plop your breast into the water. Use your hands to massage, as described previously, while your breasts are submerged.

Take your antibiotics - they are OK to use during breastfeeding. Be sure to also take PRObiotics (yogurt is good, or you can buy acidopholus in powdered form) to avoid tummy problems or thrush.

Get lots of rest. Easier said than done, I know, but it is important to your healing.

[bean-e]

Hi mama,

I am also dealing with mastitis right now, but my dd is 7 months old so she has a nice strong suck so it's a bit easier.

Have you tried taking lots of echinacea, vitamin c and phytolacca (works for me every time I have a blocked duct). And will you husband help to suck it out...? Will you let him suck it out? Good luck and take care.

[Altair]

Some different advice-- I'm a pumping during work mom, so I've dealt with MANY bad plugged ducts.

First, be rough on your nipple with a washcloth. ALMOST EVERY plug I've had has a white spot hidden just slightly below the nipple surface that needs to come out. In the bathtub (after soaking in hot epsom salt water for awhile boobs down), I scrub the nipple, then disinfect my fingernails or a tweezer/pin and pinch my nipple. whereever there is a white spot but no milk, I scrape a little.

NOTE: This is terribly unconventional advice, and many people will say it will cause an infection but it is the ONLY thing that works for me.

Then start to press on the hard spots and see if you get a stream of milk yet. If not, scrub/scrap a little more (not to the point of pain). If I do this for awhile and it doesn't work, I either suck the nipple HARD myself or tell my partner to suck HARD until he tastes milk.

Then I put on the pump at the highest suction, lean over, and massage the heck out of my breasts until they are drained.

For me, I have to deal with the issue from the nipple AND the breast tissue, not just the breast tissue.

I use a lot of bactroban ointment or All Purpose Nipple Ointment after so that no bacteria gets in.

[ladyleah]

Any update mamma? I have a babe in my arms so I can't type much. If you find my older posts you can read about my experience with mastitis 9 days pp.

I had a plugged duct a few weeks ago and I leaned over a bowl of HOT water with my breast dangling in for 10 minutes, then I nursed and then I pumped..and I massaggggggged the heck out of the breast even though it hurt like hell..and that pulled out the clog I guess because I felt better.

Hang in there!!