# Mastisis question



## minasmom (Jul 14, 2004)

I've just been told that I"m starting to develop Mastistis [by a call-in nurse program]. Luckily I don't have fever, but i'm seriously engorged on the right side and can't seem to get any relief. I've put warm compress, warm shower with massage and pumping ... I don't get any milk out. Hand expressing does nothing. DD is asleep, but when I nursed her about 2 hours ago, no relief. I know one of the big things to clearing this up is to empty the breast, but i just can't seem to do that at all! I'm in so much pain and discomfort! I'm going to a walk-in clinic tomorrow, but I need some relief now! Any have experience with Mastisis? How do you help the milk out when it just won't clear out????

thanks!

--Angela


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## lovetomom (May 21, 2003)

Mastitis sucks.
I had it enough to know. Try alternating hot and cold compresses for about 3 minutes each. Go for as long as you can. It should bring some sort of circulation to the area. After the hot, try squeezing out the milk. Drink lots of water and sleep. And breathe...thinking positive thoughts (if you can!).
Good luck,


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## lilylove (Apr 10, 2003)

Lots of water, rest and cabbage leaves. Put a cabbage leaf on your breast and leave it there untill it's wilted, then replace it. There is also a cream out called CaboCreme. I haven't tried it, so don't know if it works, but it's supposed to ease the pain. Good luck


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## treemom2 (Oct 1, 2003)

I agree with pp, Mastitis sucks and is incredible painful--I'm sorry you are going through this right now. What I have done when I've had mastitis, I take off my bra and shirt and take my baby to bed with me to nurse as he wants. I would always offer the infected breast first so he was more hungry. I also found that a heating pad worked better for me than the warm wet compresses and I would keep the heating pad on as much as possible--even when nursing. Also, if you can stand it, massaging the breast before, after, and during feeding will also help. I found I was getting mastitis and clogged ducts a lot with DS and found that it was related to the bra I was wearing and I wasn't drinking enough water. Also, check out this site for some more info:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/mastitis.html

Good luck mama, I didn't use antibiotics when I had it, but it did clear up in about two days with a little residual tenderness for a couple days after that. Hang in there


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## ZeldasMom (Sep 25, 2004)

I had the most luck with warm, moist heat by laying in the tub and submerging as much of the breast as possible in the water, then doing gentle pressure massage.

If I get mastitus again I will definitely take antibiotics ASAP. My bout with mastitus was the sickest I've ever been in my life, and was way worse than going through labor (and I had an unmedicated birth). I do not mean to scare you though! I know plenty of people do not get it that bad!

Lots of good advice in pp. Get your baby to nurse as much as possible while gently applying pressure to your breast (I say gently because I remember it hurt!).


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## abclan (Apr 18, 2005)

Yup - no fun at all.
When you've got engorgment with a brewing infection, homeopathic phytolacca can really help. I have also used a hebal Mastitis tincture I purchased throught Cascade Health Products at www.cascade1.com - they also have a herbal compress and a bunch of other great stuff for all possible female troubles. My midwife suggests 1,000mg of vit C every hour for 10 hours to head off infection - I've had success with this only before fever sets in. You can also use tylenol for pain. Once the fever comes on, the only thing that works for me is antibiotics. I also spend a lot of time crying in the bath tub
. . .but I don't know if that works for eveyone.
I'm recovering from my 3rd bout of mastitis in three months and I can feel you pain. Best of luck!


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## LoveChild421 (Sep 10, 2004)

definately keep a check on your temperature- mine got up to 105 very quickly. using a heating pad non-stop and hot showers was the only thing that helped me unclog the ducts.


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## Earthy~Mama (Apr 13, 2005)

You already got all the advice I would have given ya so I won't repeat. I do hope you feel better soon.


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## anastasia51 (Apr 30, 2005)

My little girl's 5 weeks today. Had mastitis, with temperature and feeling yucky, about 2 weeks ago. The health visitor wanted me on antibiotics which I really didn't want to take with such a little baby and because I felt like I was improving not getting worse. What worked for me was

getting a really hot bath and pouring water over the swollen area from a jug/bottle/shower head, and gently expressing in the bath.

feeding Sophia on that side while it was soft from the bath and the milk had already started to flow, it was easier to feed lying on the bed for me.

sitting with an ice pack on the area, but not too soon after a bath or before a feed.

gently rubbing Hypericum and Calendula cream (homeopathic) on the red part.

taking homeopathic remedies (belladonna and bryonia, but silica is also meant to be good) 200c once a day for two days, then 6c four times a day for a week. But if you were going to use any of these check out in a book or with someone who knows more about it than me. Also was taking vitamin C.

Get as much rest as you can. All I did for a couple of days was feed the baby and sleep, left everything else to her dad and my mum. Was SO glad for the help, it's a really unpleasant experience and I could totally understand why people with less support give up on breast feeding.

Get well soon
Anna


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## mamangazelle (Apr 25, 2003)

Sorry you're going through this.

I have had to deal with mastitis 4 times: 2 times it resolved by itself, 2 times I had to take antibiotics.

First, if after 24-48 hours (max!) you are not getting better, go to a doc and take antibiotics. The worst time, I stayed home for more than 48 hours, and ended up getting an IV with antibiotics and a 18 hours hospital stay. Not funny.
If you are not able to get anything out and your baby isn't able either (mine refused to nurse from this side because it was completely plugged) for a long period, you might need to see a doc.

Rest a lot
Eat lots of garlic
Drink a lot
Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) if needed for the pain. I don't like taking meds, but when I had mastitis, the pain in my joints was unbearable, I was feeling cold, so cold it was keeping me awake, and Tylenol was able to take the edge off (let me sleep 1 hour







)

Good luck!


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