plugged duct or mastitis or ???? (x-posted)

[mamajennifer]

I need opinions please.

Night before last I noticed some pain in my left breast. I assumed at first that I just needed to nurse the baby on that side (he generally nurses on one side per feeding) which has happened before.

Well, lots of nursing on that side has not helped, the pain has gotten more severe and become localized right below the nipple, and as of a few hours ago, I have some nasty thick yellow/bloody discharge from a couple of ?ducts? (what do you call the actual openings in the nipple anyway?).

I looked at kellymom and dr.sears sites but based on my symptoms I can't tell if this is just a plugged duct or if it's mastitis, or something else. I do not have a fever, I'm just getting over an unrelated stomache flu, so I don't know if the aches and pains I have are from that or not.

Basically, I just want to know if I really need to be concerned about this. I'd like to avoid antibiotics if at all possible, and I'm pretty sure if I were to call my dr., that's what I'd get, so I figured I'd ask you wise mommies first.

[gilamama]

if this does not go away, you NEED to be concerned about it. I had a similar thing a split nipple pain in my breast, then it developed into a major infection. I was running incredibly high fevers my breast was engorged and i didnt realize it was infected. i wanted to avoid antibiotics, i wish i had taken them right awy I was out of commission -literally in bed for a week and a half b/c the infection got so serious. THis probly wont hppen to you but nursing on that sidre was painful for 3 weeks. It was so not worth it. if you need antibiotics just take a probiotic with it. more than the dose on the package.

that being said, if you do hot soaks, then nurse/ express/ pump, then afterwards do cold soaks. and take ibuprofen. and when you nurse put the baby's (child's?) chin near the duct with the problem so the strongest suck is there to drain it. and also massage b4 nursing/ pumping aand also during if possible. purhaps you can avoid. Antibiotics.

BUT, if you need them take them. Your breasts are an important organ, you need them in working order. I hope you feel better.