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Mastitis???? This late on????

Hi all

I have been feeding my lo for 6.5 months now and apart from one v painful blocked duct for 70 hours I have got off lightly.

However last nigth my left boob started to feel funny - can't explain but it didn't feel engorged and it didn't feel like my blocked duct just kind of heavy and VERY sore to touch in one area. Then in the night I woke up absolutely freezing cold and ended up putting on socks trackie bums and a jumper before getting back into bed - I also had a raging headache which i ended up taking a paracetamol for cos I needed to get back to sleep, then the next time I woke up I was absolutely sweating - all night I had a raging thirst too. This morning my headache is still there (and I feel generally crappy although being up since 4.30am won't have helped) - I have taken my temp and it is just on the cool side my boob is still sore and where it is sore to touch there is a big red mark on it.

So could it be mastitis???? If so what do I do - I am still feeding lo from that side and will continue too but what else?

Any advice in general - all these things coul not be related of course and I may be jumping to conclusions but I value any opinions!

Replies

  • firstly yes it could be mastitis, and if you feel any worse, if your breast becomes engorged, if the red mark expands, if the pain gets any worse go to your local out of hours doctor to get them to prescribe anitbiotics. Tell them you are bf and you want a bf compatible anitb, as some will tell you to stop bf and give you the wrong anitbs to make you stop.

    paracetamol is good to help with the pain and the fever, the red mark and the soreness do sound like mastitis.

    You have to keep feeding from that side as well I'm afraid - and maybe express off between each feed as well if you can because mastitis is an overproduction cycle, which is then followed by an underproduction cycle - but if you dont feed it could (worst case scenario) lead to an abcess developing.

    Your body has got mixed signals about the amount of milk it needs to produce and is on overdrive, but you need to keep feeding/expressing until this settles, and then afterwards it will have signals that it doesnt need to produce any milk, and again you need to feed through this so that the right signals are sent to stimulate your supply again. This is nothing to do with you or your lo, but a minor chemical imbalance in your hormones that will right itself over 4-7 days.

    If you do express between feeds and find ther is no milk there then just keep feeding, and that should be enough.

    You can get it very late on - i got it just after i stopped feding ollie, even tho i had done it gradually.

    It is very painfull, and almost flu like with some of its symptoms. You need to rest, and drink plenty of fluids, and also eat well.

    I'll email you my number in case you want to talk/cry/rant about anything if you want?

    Hope you feel better soon

    xxxxx
  • Steph - As I keep telling my hubbie you are my breastfeeding GURU!!!! :lol: Thanks so much for replying. I am feeling like utter crap and am so cross at hubbie for not getting up to Max at all in the night but that's by the by! I will keep an eye on everything and hopefully it will all right itself soon.

    image
  • Guru? Have you heard you... *blushes*

    Just obsessed :lol:

    Tell hubby its his turn tonight, have a glass of wine and relax. image

    xxxx
  • If only that would work - he just NEVER hears Max at night!

    And as for your suggestion of plenty of rest - a fat chance of that too - hubby is sitting on the sofa reading his newspaper while I try and play with Max, fold nappies, empty the drier, fill the dishwasher etc etc and he seems to think there is nothing to do! We are supposed to be going to friends for dinner tonight but the way I am feeling we may not!
  • ah bugger.

    Why not leave lo with daddy, and go for a walk on your own.. I found hubby wouldnt do much if i was there but was an angel with Ollie when i wasnt.... just didnt want me to know... :lol:

    How are you feeling this morning?

    xxx
  • Hi there

    Didn't get on yesterda really as it wasa bit of a manic one!

    Anyway by last night my boob was feeling much better all redness is gone and although it is still a little sore it is nothing like it was and I feel tons better in myself - thanks for all the support as always!!!!
  • so glad you're feeling better.

    xxxxx
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