Community› The Bump Message Boards› Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding
New Discussion
Options

mastitis treatment

PB&Jelly025PB&Jelly025 member
in Breastfeeding
I am pretty sure I have a plogged duct/mastitis (body aches, chills, fever of 101, tender spot in right breast).  I would like to see if I can get rid of it without antibiotics (already did a round of antibiotics for mastitis 2 months ago when my baby was 2 weeks).  I am using kellymom as my guide for trying to work out the plogged duct on my own. https://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/mastitis/#antibiotics

I'm planning on waiting about 12-24 hours and if my symptoms don't improve, time to call the doctor.

I have a few questions:

1. Kellymom suggests frequent nursing (every 2 hours) - should I pump in the middle of the night? Should I worry about oversupply at all?  Also my baby usually only nurses on one side, I assume I should pump the infected when my baby doesn't nurse on that side?

2. I don't have any red streaks/ nor a triangle/pizza wedge mark on my breast (and I didn't 2 months ago either), but because I have a tender spot I assume that's the area I should focus on when massaging?  I guess I'm also a little worried I might have an infection in my left breast too because I've had a red/sore nipple on that side - could that be the cause instead of the tender spot on my right?


Thanks in advance.


BabyFruit Ticker
Image and video hosting by TinyPic
Report Reply to Post

Re: mastitis treatment

  • Options
    OntheWaterOntheWater member
    I would pump during the night if I were you. You can wean off the pumps after- a couple nights won't likely create a big over supply issue anyway. And I agree on pumping the non-nursed side.
    Try warm compresses and massage for the potential source areas (I would focus on both). Lanisol makes gel packs that you lightly microwave and they stay warm for 20 minutes. Those were helpful for me.
    Report Reply
  • Options
    BSnipes35BSnipes35 member
    I had mastitis several times with DS1, mostly from not pumping at night when he was STTN, and I never took antibiotics. I took ibuprofen for the pain and pumped like crazy. I used "hot hands" in my bra. Those things you open and squeeze to initiate the heat. Massage like crazy. And nurse on that breast when possible. It hurts, but it's better to get it out. I thought I was getting it a week ago with DS 2, and after nursing and then pumping, I did end up with a bit of an oversupply. But block feeding afterwards evened it out after a couple of days. Good luck!
    IAmPregnant Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • Options
    Nechie122Nechie122 member
    OK, there's a difference between clogged ducts and mastitis. Clogged ducts can be painful but mastitis is nothing to mess around with. It's like a UTI: left untreated it can progress quickly and even cause an abscess. Antibiotics are compatible with BFing.

    When I had mastitis, I felt like I had been hit by a truck. My fever spiked so high one night, DH (a doctor) thought we would have to go to the ER. The redness came the next morning and the pain -- I was desperate. There's no way I could have gotten though that without antibiotics.

    I find it hard to believe someone could be that sick and NOT seek treatment.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • Options
    jezabellajezabella member
    Yes if you have the body aches chills etc. I would recommend antiobiotics because it is an infection.  You will need to do all of that stuff in addition to the antibiotics.  Mine took 3 weeks of antibiotics to get rid of and was awful.  Nursing that breast is better than pumping because baby can drain it much better than a pump, and don't worry about oversupply you can deal with that after the mastitis is gone.  Every 2 hours nurse or pump if you can (hard to maintain that for long though!), heat before (I used a heating pad) and a cool compress after.  Massage that spot towards nipple while nursing on that.  You should be able to feel the lump and notice it going down as you are doing this.
    Report Reply
  • Options
    PB&Jelly025PB&Jelly025 member
    Thanks everyone!  It's nice to hear some personal experiences about applying heat, massaging, etc.  I did end up calling the doctor for antibiotics that same day and already feeling better.  I was surprised it happened again and definitely didn't want it to progress to an abscess!  I'm planning on going to a breastfeeding support group this week to get some support there as well.  

    BabyFruit Ticker
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Report Reply
  • Options
    scamberlous3000scamberlous3000 member
    I know this sounds weird, but I ate four cloves of raw garlic (a natural antibiotic) and nursed, nursed, nursed, and I felt better the next day and was symptom free two days later. Just cut the garlic up into small pieces and swallow it like pills. It reaaly did work like a charm!

    Lilypie Premature Baby tickers

    BFP #1: Mother's Day 5/13/12...m/c Memorial Day Weekend 5/26/12 

    BFP #2: 2/16/13...Owen Ray born 6 weeks early 9/9/13

    photo e0fadb54-1cd9-4c5f-8086-5e25d4789dbe_zps5ef23e41.jpg
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"