mastitis sux!
orthomom
member
A few days ago I posted about a clogged duct. After 24 hours it seemed to clear and I was happy, but my nipple was cracked a little. Well yesterday I was out doing errands and all of a sudden started to feel bad...dizzy, headache, a little nauseated. By the time I got home I had chills, fever, and when I looked at my boob...HOLY SMOKES!!! Red streaking everywhere and red areas all around the areola. At least three separate red areas plus the streaking. Still my boob didn't hurt that much yet. Called OB and she called in antibiotics, but still feel pretty crappy. Better, but still crappy. NOW the boob hurts like hell to nurse on between the cracked nipple and the mastitis pain. I have been alternating pumping and nursing because I can't stand it to nurse every 2 hours on that side. The pumping hurts a little less since the nipple doesn't hurt with pumping. I did get a breast shield yesterday (before the mastitis set in...due to the cracked nipple) but it still hurts like hell to use it!
I have given LO occasional bottles (pumping to keep up) since this happens to correspond to her 3 week growth spurt...UGGHH! Right now I hate BFing!!! It was going so well until Monday, too. (Sigh!)
Re: mastitis sux!
Ugh - it DOES suck. If you don't feel much better by the 72 hour mark, call your doc again. My first round of antibiotics didn't work and I had to switch to another kind. Not all mastitis responds to the same drugs.
In the meantime, keep popping ibuprofen. It will really help with the inflammation and the fever. Feel better - I battled mastitis for about a month before I finally got completely better.
And you have probably heard this but it is true - BFing gets easier every day, and by 8 weeks (for me) things get great. Hang in there!
I am a runner, knitter, scientist, DE-IVF veteran, and stage III colon cancer survivor.
How do you know if you have the signs of mastitis?
My nipple has been hurting since last weekend. It stings when I feed and hurts even when I am not feeding. He nipple is pink too. I told my doctor at my post pardom appointment monday and she told me that the hurting and the stinging can be normal at times. My LO is 6 weeks old and is going through a growth spurt. Still, I don't think my breast should be hurting this much.... The other day it did look like I had a clogged duct, but that healed.
Shari, for me, the pain in my breast was intense and it was very, very red. At first my doc (on the phone) thought it sounded like just engorgement. But then I got a fever (102), chills, and literally couldn't get off the couch. I felt like had been hit by a truck. I sat in the shower in pain crying my eyes out. I could hardly move.
The pink and tender nipples could be normal - or (gosh I hope not) it could be thrush. You might want to go get looked at since thrush can be a beast to beat.
I am a runner, knitter, scientist, DE-IVF veteran, and stage III colon cancer survivor.