Recurring Mastitis

woops.. was supposed to post this in the baby forum

The reason that I got it a few times (I think it was 4 times in total) was when DD had slept in and I had too much milk. The only thing I could do was either not wear my maternity bra to bed, or loosen it a bit. I think the tightness from the bra was what caused the mastitis (could be wrong here).

The first two times I got mastitis, I had the fever and chills, no energy etc.
Then I learned to recognise the symptoms, and I would take 1000g vitamin C daily (talked to LLL), massage the lump in the shower, and use a hot compress like a wheat pack or hot water bottle. I didn't get a fever the other times. I didn't end up having any antibiotics.

I had 9 days in hospital with it when I was breastfeeding Maya, it progressed so quickly - I woke up in the morning with a red lump, by lunchtime my temp was up and I felt pretty crappy and by mid afternoon I was in hospital hallucinating from fever and having IV antibiotics pumped into me. I ended up seeing a breast specialist coz they weren't happy with how long it took to improve.

Is it worth you asking for a referral to a breast specialist? They might be able to pinpoint what's causing it if you are doing all the usual stuff like emptying the breast, not wearing a tight bra etc.

I had it 5 times in the 3 months that I b/fed for, the first one I got despite being on antibiotics as a precautionary measure (my boobs were really engorged and had started to get blocked ducts).

Mostly what I have read up on says that latching is wrong and that the boobs aren't being emptied efficiently enough, I would highly recommend seeing a lactation consultant to get on top of it. The only small break I got from infections was when I expressed full time, I managed to go four weeks without and infection but then when I did get that last one I nearly ended up in hospital (had to beg gp not to admit me and promise to take myself if it got worse blah blah blah) and the gp strongly advised me to stop for my own health as he wasn't happy with the number of antibiotics I had had.

What I would do at the first sign would be hot flannels or a hot shower and to massage any sore or lumpy areas, this I believed did stop some blocked ducts turning into infections, although massaging them does hurt like a mother.

Really really wished I had seen an LC but as my midwife said he was latching fine I didn't, and I didn't look into all until many months after i had stopped feeding.