Mastitis - Raleigh, NC

I had it and had to be treated medically for it. My doctor had me on a prescription but I also put cabbage leaves on my breasts and that seemed to help relieve some pain. Hope you get better quickly.

Treating mastitis is much like treating engorgement only more urgent. Try these suggestions in addition to those listed under engorgement.

Rest, rest, rest. Mastitis is an illness, so take a medical leave from all responsibilities other than breastfeeding. Take your baby to bed with you and nurse. Rest relieves stress and replenishes your immune system.

Alternate warm and cold compresses on your breasts. Cold compresses relieve pain; warmth increases circulation, which mobilizes infection-fighters in the inflamed area. Lean over a basin of warm water, stand in a warm shower, or soak in a warm bath. Warm water or a warm, wet towel is more effective than the dry heat of a heating pad. For cold compresses, use crushed ice in plastic bags or bags of frozen vegetables, covered with a thin dishtowel to protect your skin.

Gently massage the area of tenderness. This increases circulation, helps to loosen any plugged ducts in the area, and mobilizes local immune factors. Try doing this while soaking the breast in a warm shower or bath.

Breastfeed frequently on the affected side. If it hurts to nurse the baby, start the feeding on the breast that is not sore, and switch to the sore side after your milk lets down. Breastfeeding is usually more comfortable when the milk is flowing. It's important to empty the inflamed breast. As in other parts of the body, fluid that is trapped can get infected. Your baby can empty your breast more efficiently than a breast pump. However, if your baby is not nursing well, you may have to use a breast pump or hand expression to get the milk out.

Vary the baby's position at the breast, so that all the ducts are emptied.

Take analgesics for fever and pain. Acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen are safe to take while breastfeeding. Unrelieved pain not only decreases your ability to produce milk, but suppresses your body's ability to fight infection.

Drink lots of fluids, as you would if you had the flu. Fever and inflammation increase your need for fluids.

Boost your immune system with good nutrition.

Sleep without a bra. At other times, wear a looser fitting bra that does not put pressure on the affected area. Or if possible, go without a bra.

Don't quit nursing at this point. Weaning increases the risk of a breast infection turning into a breast abscess that requires surgical draining. Continuing to nurse your baby is the best treatment for engorgement, mastitis and breast infections.

If baby refuses to nurse on the affected breast, it may be because inflammation of the milk glands increases the sodium content of your milk, giving it a salty taste. Most babies either don't notice or don't mind, and go right on nursing. Some may object to the change and fuss or refuse to nurse from that side. Try starting the feeding on the unaffected side and finishing on the salty side. As the inflammation subsides, your milk will soon return to its usual taste.
DO YOU NEED ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENT?
You can experience the pain and inflammation of mastitis without necessarily having a bacterial infection. Yet it is often difficult to tell whether mastitis has become a breast infection. Consult your healthcare provider as soon as you suspect mastitis. In our medical practice, we operate on the principle of better to treat mastitis earlier than later. Mothers who are given antibiotics too late in the course of mastitis are more likely to wean their babies from the breast, to have a more severe infection, and to have the infection recur.

The following guidelines can help you both determine whether or not you need an antibiotic.

You may not need an antibiotic in the following situations:

You do not have a history of frequent episodes of mastitis.
You don't feel that sick.
You have not gotten progressively sicker over the last few hours.
Your fever is not rising.
The breast pain and tenderness is not increasing.
You can easily correct whatever factors may have set you up for engorgement in the first place.
Signs suggesting you do need antibiotic treatment:

A history of frequent mastitis
A fever that is rising.
You are feeling progressively sicker as the hours go by.
Your nipples are cracked, which allows bacteria to get into your breast tissue more easily.
Which antibiotics are best? The type of bacteria involved in mastitis is usually staphylococcus, and the two safest and most effective classes of antibiotics against this organism are cloxacillins and cephalosporins. Other frequently prescribed antibiotics are Augmentin or erythromycin. All of these antibiotics are safe to take while breastfeeding. Even though you will feel better after a few days of taking antibiotics, be sure to complete the full course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor (usually ten days); otherwise you run the risk of the mastitis returning. If you don't feel better after two or three days on antibiotics, call your doctor. He or she may wish to prescribe a different medication.

taken from here:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T022200.asp
which is an amazing site!

I suggest ibuprofen. Check with your doctor because you may have an infection that could require antibiotics. Don't wait too long, I had a situation that landed me in the hospital with a breast abcess that required surgery when my daughter was 4 weeks old. Not the place I wanted to be when she was such a newborn - or ever really!

Oh and don't give up nursing. I was able to continue inspite of it all. She's now 6 months and we are still nursing!

E., stand in the shower, HOT HOT HOT and just let the water run. That will relieve some pain. You do need to call your doctor though. You really don't want an infection.......

Definately go to your doctor. You can take all the pain medications you want, but it's an infection and needs to be treated with antibiotics. Also, like said before, DO NOT STOP NURSING. It will hurt like heck, but keep nursing. The worse thing you can do is stop nursing on the infected breast.
Take tylenol for your fever, and rest, but do make a visit to your doctor or at least call to see if he can call in a prescription for you, because you need to get this treated. Sorry! I've been there, so I know how you feel!!

Cabbage Leaves. YES - cabbage leaves do wonders! Put the leaves on the inflamed breast and it will draw out the infection. The coolness of the leaves feels great too. Change them frequently ( when they loose there stiffness). It also works well on sore backs after delivery. ALSO, have your baby nurse with their nose pointing toward the spot of infection. It helps too. If none of this works, go to the doctor. If you have it, there is a good chance that the baby will get it too. They will have a red rash on their bums that will have seem to come from nowhere. Usually my doctor gives meds for mom and baby. Let us know the outcome!

A. N

I had it!! The only way you'll know for sure is to schedule a quick appointment with your OB (they'll fit you in that day if they suspect mastisis) and have them take a look at your breasts. It's not much fun to have but the good news is the fever and aches go away fairly fast once you begin medication. It won't go away on it's own though, so schedule an appointment and get it checked...that will at least give you some peace of mind!

OOF! How awful! Go to the doc! You need to be on antibiotics! My girlfriend didn't jump on hers early enough and spent time in the hospital! I know that it's so painful, but you have to keep expressing milk from that breast!

I'm flinching in pain just remembering how bad it hurt! I feel for ya girl. Make sure to go to the doc and get antibiotics to kick this quickly!

I feel like I am the queen of mastitis! I seem to get it often! If I feel it coming (sore lump in the breast) I massage it like crazy, and most times, that will stop the onset of mastitis, for me. But this last time, I was like you, with the high fever, aches and pains, and had to go to the doc. for antibiotics. DONT STOP NURSING!! Keep the infected breast empty. Lots of fluid, water...rest...at this point for you, I highly suggest a trip to the doc!!!

You can take tylenol (acetaminophen) or advil/motrin (ibuprofen) for the fever. If suspect mastitis you need to see a doctor right away. They will want to prescribe antibiotics. Call your GP and find out how they handle after hour/weekend care.

For more info on mastitis go to:

http://www.nursingmoms.org/pluggedductsinfectionsabscesse... or

http://www.questdiagnostics.com/kbase/topic/mini/hw98039/...

D.

Hi E.,

I hope you're feeling a bit better. I had mastitis the first week I was home from the hospital. My OB told me that basically I had overdone myself and need REST, REST, REST. In all honesty, I probably did. I had company, felt as if I had to entertain instead of let them care for me. I was given an antibiotic and it helped within 24 hours. I also did hot/cold compresses (a bag of frozen veggies works wonders). I hope you get to feeling better. Don't give up nursing because of it - it only makes your bond stronger!

S.

I had mastitis 2 months ago and I was in the same condition. My ob gave me an injection that helped along with a prescription. The biggest problem was my milk supply declined tremendously. I am unable to keep up and was forced to only nurse at night because of the low supply. My breast really look small and saggy now maybe I did something wrong. But, the injection helped and I was relieved in about an hour.

There are some herbs out there to help with that. Google search them, I think one of them is blessed thissel. Check it out.