XP from BF Board: Don't know what's going on, need advice!

LunaBug924

I figure this board is a little more fast-paced so I'm hoping to get some quick responses.

For most of the day my left breast has been sore. Kind of feels bruised. Dd has been taking shorter feedings so I just assumed I was engorged. I always pump at night before bed. So I just finished pumping and tasted the milk and it tastes salty. The milk from the right is sweet like normal. I also am a little achy. I assumed it was just fatigue, but then I started thinking the two could be related. On a hunch, I took my temp and I do have a low grade fever.

I've never had mastitis or any other BFing related problem in the 6.5 months I've been nursing, so I'm at a loss. I have a call out to my LC and I guess I'll call my OB in the morning, but I'm hoping to get some insight from you ladies. Mainly I just don't know if I can feed her from this side, or should I just pump and feed from the right side? Is the milk I just pumped any good, or should I dump it? 

And of course this happens on a night that DH is working overnight.

rainbowsockmonkey

Sounds like mastitis to me (currently batteling it myself). Nurse and pump from that side as often as possible, even if you are sore. Call your doctor right away and get seen. You can take ibuprofen to helpwiththe pain and inflammation of it, but your Dr will prescribe antibiotics.

Junebug060609

Never had it myself (knock wood), but fever+soreness+achiness...that combo screams mastitis to me. Be careful, friends have had it go from mild to feeling horrendous like 'that'.

I am pretty sure the pp is right about feeding off that side, but I have no personal experience. In general though, if there is an issue/clog/etc nursing more helps clear the problem out.

rainbowsockmonkey

Junebug060609 said:

Never had it myself (knock wood), but fever+soreness+achiness...that combo screams mastitis to me. Be careful, friends have had it go from mild to feeling horrendous like 'that'. I am pretty sure the pp is right about feeding off that side, but I have no personal experience. In general though, if there is an issue/clog/etc nursing more helps clear the problem out.

I went from feeling fine, to feeling I got hit by a truck in under 4 hours with it this time.  

Katzalia

Chiming in to say I'm sorry, PPs are right, it sounds like classic mastitis. Go to the doctor tomorrow, don't wait. I went in on a Sunday to urgent care after my symptoms started on Saturday morning, and by Monday I felt like I'd been run over by a truck, despite being 24 hours into antibiotics.

Echoing PPs, nurse or pump on the affected side as much as possible. It helps to use a warm compress on it before nursing/pumping.

Eta: If your milk tastes salty on that side and your LO refuses to drink, you can pump but no need to dump. LO may take it from bottle.

DD refused that side for maybe four days, and wouldn't drink the pumped milk either. I wound up saving that milk to use for making DD's purees and cereal, which she happily ate.

frugalwife

I always get a low grade temp when I have a plugged duct as well as the bruised feeling. As soon as I work out the plugged duct my fever subsides and I don't have any more issues. It's never turned into mastitis for me.

Craved1

Hmm. After reading this it had me wondering. On Monday I was as a meeting and only able to pump during lunch. Got stuck carpooling in 2.5 hours of traffic. A 12 hr day for me. Both of my breasts felt engorged but my left breast felt really sore. I pumped as soon as I got home but only 3oz came out of my left breast about half what I got for my right. I felt like I was starting to get the flu,(really cold,slight fever, body aching) I took a hot shower & expressed as much as I could out of my left breast because it still felt full after pumping. I did take some TheraFlu before I went to bed with a warm compress in my beast thinking I had a clogged duct. The next morning I felt fine but since then I've still only been able to get half out of my left breast that I have been getting out of my right when I pump. Any thoughts ladies?

LunaBug924

Craved1 said:

Hmm. After reading this it had me wondering. On Monday I was as a meeting and only able to pump during lunch. Got stuck carpooling in 2.5 hours of traffic. A 12 hr day for me. Both of my breasts felt engorged but my left breast felt really sore. I pumped as soon as I got home but only 3oz came out of my left breast about half what I got for my right. I felt like I was starting to get the flu,(really cold,slight fever, body aching) I took a hot shower & expressed as much as I could out of my left breast because it still felt full after pumping. I did take some TheraFlu before I went to bed with a warm compress in my beast thinking I had a clogged duct. The next morning I felt fine but since then I've still only been able to get half out of my left breast that I have been getting out of my right when I pump. Any thoughts ladies?

Well I believe I definitely had mastitis. Luckily I ended up not needing antibiotics, but even after 2 days of pumping/nursing every 2 hours my supply has taken a huge hit. On both sides. All the soreness is gone and I feel completely fine. So my plan is to offer the boob a little more frequently for the next few days, make some lactation cookies, and power pump for a few nights. I will not let this end our journey!