mastitis - question re expressing

[amyw]

Hello

I've got mastitis.

Just diagnosed today and i think its in early stages as no temp.

I have started expressing every 2-3 hours to keep the affected boob drained - too painful to nurse. Do I need to keep expressing overnight as well? If i wait until the morning will it make it worse?

Thanks for any advice.

ps have read previous mastitis threads on here, very helpful!

[Saffron]

Yes, probably best if you can express a little from the affected breast overnight, but not as frequently b/c you need to get some good rest too. xx

[Fuschia]

If you are awake anyway...

If you find you suddenly start shivering, jump into a hit shower and massage the breast

I think nurofen is ok

Hope it doesn't take hold ... It's horrible

Hi saffron, what are you doing awake?

I got woken up by the bloody cat, the baby is fast asleep but I am wide awake now

Typical

[Saffron]

Agreed, ibuprofen is fine, better than paracetamol for this type of pain/inflammation.

(Insomnia. Sleep when the baby sleeps??? Ha! Little Saff is nearly two, and we still haven't managed to synch our sleep cycles. Sigh.)

[Fuschia]

Normally I am very in tune

Just worried about some work stuff ATM and totally wired :-(P

[Saffron]

Oh dear. Amyw, hope you're sleeping better than we are!

[amyw]

yes, got some sleep as husband did the bottle feeds! was very strange to not be the one feeding my baby. but nice for them. thanks for your replies.

[minder]

Hi Amy - if you have been diagnosed mastitis by your GP, then I would ask for antibiotic asap.

I didn't know anything about mastitis 15 years ago whilst trying to breastfeed my 2nd child.

Even any help with breastfeeding was scarce.

I had the temperature and other symptoms but didn't get much help from any agencies really until it got quite bad. I carried on and was offered drainage but at the last moment chickened out because didn't fancy having my boob lanced.

A lot has changed in 15 years and I don't want to worry you but I'm now left with a disfigured right boob.

15 years ago it was a bad time for me, but as you get older and used to imperfections, then it's not quite so bad.

[Fuschia]

Not all mastitis is actually an infection, though the hard lump sort (as opposed to thd huge engorged boobs with fever sort) that Amy seems to have, probably is an infection

Being offered antibiotics unnecessarily, as I once was, creates problems (baby got thrush)

[Fuschia]

But agreed that if they're needed, bake sure you get them

I had a terrible breast abcess with my twins, took 6 weeks if high dose drugs and was surgically drained twice

Really awful

Gps are not experts and even a and e gave me a dose if intravenous antibiotics but the wrong one (but referred me to the breast clinic who are great)

I think mastitis unless you are pretty sure it's mild and nurofen will sort it out, definitely requires seeing a dr right away