plugged duct....so sore

[colomamato4]

It started 8 days ago with a really bad and sore lump in my right breast. I thought it was gone, because I nursed literally that entire day and took a hot bath with baby (13 months old) and she loves nursing in the bath and it felt better after a day. So now yesterday, the same area is really sore again, a hard spot and it is red. I tried the same techniques, hot bath, hot shower, nursing a lot on the bad side and it just won't go away. Yesterday I felt really yucky and had a slight fever (99.9), so I think it's turning into mastitis. Ugh!

Any other remedies you mamas can recommend? I called my midwife, but she is a homebirth midwife and cannot prescribe antibiotics. If I go to my regular dr today and get antibiotics, would that make it go away or do I just keep nursing and pumping and taking hot baths and showers? We are having a blizzard right now and the older kids are home and I just don't want to lug everybody out to go to the dr. Are antibiotics really necessary? I dont think I have a fever today, but definately don't feel very good.

[newgirlintown]

Raw garlic! I just beat mastitis with this. You can look at Kellymom or other sites, but what I did was crush two cloves and then chop into smallish pieces, let sit for about 10 minutes (to let the potent part become potent), then swallow the pieces like pills. Then two hours later I do this again. I did this for a day and a half, and by the time my doctor was ready to see me, he said, "oh, it isn't mastitis, your blood tests showed no bacteria", but I knew I had it (I had a 38.5C fever) and beat it! I also took 3000mg of vitamin C in 3, 1000mg doses throughout the day. Be careful, it can give you the runs. 

Despite the infection being gone, I still have a small plugged duct, but I get really stubborn ones. Other things I do are: hot water bottle, dangle feeding (this really works for me, I guess the gravity helps), massage, soaking the breast in epsom salt baths, and taking a shower and using the shower head's massage setting on the plug. I have to do these things for several days before the plug goes away. I also take lecithin now because it seems like I might have a problem with reoccuring plugs, but I don't know if it helps for a one time infection. 

Good luck, you can beat this! 

[colomamato4]

Thank you, newgirlintown!!! Just the home remedy I was looking for! Do you think a 2 week old garlic sitting in my fridge would be okay? And yes, I practically live at the kellymom site and I only read about some homeopathic remedies and the typical hot shower, nurse constantly, etc.  Fever did come back today. My DH did drive me to urgent care as it's just up the road this morning and he did prescribe antibiotic, but I really really don't even want to take it for fear of thrush.

The one problem I'm having is that my toddler is too busy for nursing sessions that last longer than 30 seconds today! Pumping just doesn't really drain as well, but I think I'll have to try it if I cant get her to nurse. Oh and I feel so sick, my other kids are totally insupervised today! Lots of movies! :)

[newgirlintown]

Ooh, well, glad you are taking care of it. My plug was a bit red again yesterday...these things can be stubborn, you just have to do everything in your power! 

I think old garlic probably works fine. As long as you haven't taken from the bulb already? I've read in the past that that kind of breaks the freshness seal. Though I went out and bought some fresh garlic just because there is a green grocer across the street from me. 

Yeah, draining is really important. My prob is that one boob produces almost all my milk, and I always get plugged up on that side, so if I "empty" it, with the pump, and she wants to eat again...I'm screwed. (she doesn't take milk from anything but the boob) Anyway, my point is that even with me not totally draining it all the time, but still doing the other measures, especially hand expressing a bit in the shower, I've beat it! I hope it works for you, but good that if you get really sick you have the antibiotics just in case!

Good luck!