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AnaB
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| Posted: July 15 2005 at 7:45am | IP Logged
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 Hi Ladies,
I'm still nursing my 19 month old about 3 times a day. I've NEVER had mastitis with any of my children until 3 weeks ago. I had done Walk Away the Pounds using my arms alot and wearing a really tight sports bra from my bc days. I think that did it. I was red but felt no plugged ducts. She's also been nursing more aggressively which my lactation consultant says is typical for her age. So, I've had some cracks again.
I took some antibiotics and finished the whole course and now I have mastitis again! Tuesday I scrubbed and mopped the house and then Wed. I went for my yearly GYN complete with a bre*st exam. Maybe that did it. I do have some lumps. I started with chills and pain Wed. afternoon and have been taking garlic, advil, soya lecithin and extra Vit. C. This morning I've had a fever that I'm hoping is now starting to break. I feel awful and lightheaded and achy. The baby won't let me lay down and I have company coming for lunch.
Are there any remedies that you have found helpful? I am nursing more often. I haven't been too good at doing the warm, moist compresses. I'm hoping to get a shower this morning and I'll make sure to let the hot water hit me. I'm just praying to make it through this day. Is there anything else I should be doing? Thanks so much!
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His By Grace, AnaB blessed WIFE to Jeff and mama to 4 blessings!
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: July 15 2005 at 8:02am | IP Logged
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Try homeopathic phytolacca decandra. Works for me everytime! The other thing that offers nearly instant relief is to tuck a couple of green cabbage leaves inside your bra  . Really, it's worth a try!
Hope you're feeling better soon.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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AnaB
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Hi Elizabeth!
Three weeks ago I got some phytolacca decandra. I used it along with antibiotics. I've been using it again. Do you take 3 or 5 pellets? I'm concerned that I've had a lump or plugged duct for 3 days now. Should I start antibiotics again? I have a friend who never uses antibiotics for mastitis, but I just don't want it to get worse.
Thanks for your reply.
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His By Grace, AnaB blessed WIFE to Jeff and mama to 4 blessings!
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Elizabeth
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I would take five every hour and use compresses and gentle massage and nurse and nurse and nurse and use cabbage and rest and drink plenty of water. Phew! If it's not better by about four today, call your doctor. You don't want to be stuck over the weekend without an easy access to antibiotics. Or call the doctor now and have the prescription waiting if you decide you need it. The problem with two courses of antibiotics like that is that you'll seet yourself up for yeast overgrowth.
And Ana, look at your signature line--Are you really Mom to Jeff? 
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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jdostalik
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Ana,
You said you have taken Advil, but I take prescription strength ibuprofen (1200 mg, that's four pills!,) when I notice the first signs of a breast infection and that usually nips it in the bud along with lots of water and REST!!. Might be worth a try? Prayers for rest for you after your lunch! As you know, rest, plenty of water are the keys along with all the other wonderful advice given already...I'm writing a note about the phytolacca decandra--hadn't ever heard of it, though, I have a friend who swore by cabbage leaves!
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wife to Bill, mom to six here on earth and eight in heaven.
Let the Little Ones Come
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AnaB
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| Posted: July 15 2005 at 9:03am | IP Logged
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Oh Elizabeth! I have been meaning to change my signature line! Sometimes it feels like I'm mom to everybody! I was taking 5 pellets 3xs a day. So, I'll up that dose!
I did cancel lunch and my dh is going to try to get home a little earlier to make sure I can lay down. He's going to buy me some cabbage. I'm going to call the Dr. to make sure I've got antibiotics for the weekend. I'm so scared of thrush and yeast. I took alot of acidophilus 3 weeks ago and that helped.
Jennifer, I've been really thirsty (probably the fever) so I'll keep on drinking. It just so happens that Amelia is extra fussy today and wants Mommy to be "up, up!" alot. I can't wait for nap time!
Thanks for the suggestions and the sympathy! It means alot.
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Mary Chris
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For compresses I would take a disposable diaper, get it wet and pop it in the microwave, it works great! Just put it in for about 30 second intervals until it is the right temp.
For cracks I fill a bowl with warm salt water, lean over it and soak, then use some lansinoh.
And remember videos are for days like today .
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MaryM
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A good indicator of when to get the antibiotics is if after about 24 hours of aggressive home treatment the symptoms are the same or worse. Recurrent mastitis is often a sign that the body didn't actually ever recover from the original infection. Sometimes physicians prescribe antibiotics that are not likely to be specific to the most common bacteria of breast infections (Staphylcoccus aureus or Eschericha coli). Typically a penicillinase-resistent penicillin such as cloxocillin or dicloxacillin or cephalosprin such as cephalexin would be directed at those.
It really does help to keep a compress on the affected area as much as possible. It doesn't matter if it is dry heat or moist heat. Some women find more relief from cool compresses, or alternating between them. In addition to Mary Chris' suggestion another easy warm compress is dry rice in a small sock (tie a knot in the end) and heat in microwave. It retains heat well. Easy cold compress is the chilled cabbage leaves or a pack of frozen peas.
It can be helpful to massage the area where the lumps are and gently hand express the congested areato get that plug moving. When you are actually getting something from the affected area the milk will look thicker and possibly off-color. It will also have a higher sodium content so will be slightly salty. It helps to know you are actually working the right area and having some effect. In addition to the "nurse, nurse, nurse" suggestion is really can be helpful to vary the nursing position to maximize milk removal from the affected area of the breast. The little one's suck is strongest and most efficient where the lower jaw and tongue are. So position your little one so that lower lip/chin are where the lump is. Sometimes it means getting a little creative (like nursing lying down with a baby's feet going toward the head of the bed if the lump is in the upper section of the breast). Leaning over a baby who is lying down can also be used to get different angles you normally wouldn't be able to.
If it's gotten to the achy, flu-like symptom stage you'll likely feel pretty wiped out for several days even though you'll be feeling better. The breasts can feel very bruised and tender for a few days following the plug passing. Hope you're feeling better, Ana.
PS I have more info about preventing recurrance, but will have to post later.
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AnaB
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Thank you Mary! I went ahead and ordered the refill for my antibiotics. They are the right ones for staph aureus. I did finish the course last time, but now I really fear thrush and yeast.
I thought I could just get by on the phytolacca decandra which is helping, but I'm still achy, lumpy, and wiped out. I'm going to jump in the shower soon and try to massage and express. Amelia, this last nursing, wasn't real interested in nursing on the lumpy side. She kinda chewed on me, opening a crack, but wouldn't really nurse. I can't tell if it's because the flow is impeded by the duct or if it's a little engorged and not comfortable. Thank you for your suggestions. I"m trying them all!
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MaryM
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| Posted: July 15 2005 at 3:29pm | IP Logged
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AnaB wrote:
| I thought I could just get by on the phytolacca decandra which is helping, but I'm still achy, lumpy, and wiped out. |
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If you are seeing improvement it is making a difference. That is why I also mentioned that even as you get better you will feel wiped out and tender on that breast for several days (that's even if you do use the antibiotic).
Might want to try to encourage nursing while she is sleepy or just waking up - she might not fight you so much on that side. As I mentioned there is also a salty taste to milk from the affected duct and sometimes that is what a little one reacts to by refusal to nurse on that side.
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ALmom
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| Posted: July 15 2005 at 3:48pm | IP Logged
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If it is thrush/yeast, we know a pediatrician that ordered medicated cream for the baby that the mother put on her breast - cured both with one medication and was administered while nursing.
I typically have a day of flu-like symptoms when I overdo it and REST is really important as is the hot compresses (rice in a sock doesn't have to be re-heated as often and can get really hot). I go to bed and stay there with baby for a day - nursing. But not sure what to do if baby won't let you lay down.
Janet
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MaryM
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AnaB wrote:
| ... but now I really fear thrush and yeast. |
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The antibiotic can increase the risk of that, but that doesn't mean all women taking an antibiotic will develop thrush. If one is prone to yeast infections she is more at risk. If you do end up taking the antibiotic, in general it can help to try to minimize the risk a bit by taking acidophilus and watching diet to avoid foods that candida thrive on.
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AnaB
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Hi Mary,
I was taking acidophilus an hour after each antibiotic dose and then some more during the afternoon. I also give some to Amelia. I think that really helped prevent thrush that last bout.
I took a long, hot shower and did alot of massage. I tried to pump in the shower with a hand pump but was unsuccessful. I was able to manually express a little bit and I think that helped. What I can feel is a lump towards the top and one towards the lower side of my left bre*st.
I could tell my fever started to rise again around 2pm so I took some more Advil. I'm trying to continue with the homeopathic every hour. At what point should I just start taking the antibiotic?
All my nursing (R.N. and breastfeeding) knowledge goes out the window at times like this.
You mentioned you had some info on preventing mastitis. Would you mind sharing that? This is my 4th child and she is 19months old and it's NOW that I get mastitis! That's so weird to me!
My dh is thinking I should just wean, but this isn't the best time! I need to get through this. Until now, nursing has been a really nice bonding time and a great way to get her to sleep, but since she turned 18 months old and started getting more emotional, she's really attached to nursing. She usually nurses 3xs a day. I don't mind to continue, but these bouts of mastitis are really wearing me out! I really don't know how to wean her when she relies on nursing to go to sleep.
Thanks for your concern and advice ladies; I'm trying to follow it all!
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His By Grace, AnaB blessed WIFE to Jeff and mama to 4 blessings!
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mi4ol
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| Posted: July 15 2005 at 6:21pm | IP Logged
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You are getting lots of wonderful advice. I had rather frequent problems but learned to catch the clogs early before mastitis sank in. But every once in a while it gets me... even after nearly 10 years of nursing experience. Ditto much of the above- moist heat, phytolacca (30c, 3-5grains/pellets, you cannot OD on homeopathy. In acute cases it's OK to take a dose every 10 min. You may want to take several doses in an hour, soak in tub and express away... keep at it until you feel a noticible difference- then nurse immediately), lots of fluids and plenty of rest, and the lansinoh, too. I never got much relief from heating pads- I felt more relief from a soak in the tub. It's also easier to express the clogged area in a tub. No matter how bad it got I never used antibiotics. Clearing the area is critical. You can really get some off-color thick goo in your situation. Slow down- and don't wean! That's the last thing you and your child need at this age. She's much too young for that. If this doesn't clear this weekend, instead of going to more antibiotics and MD's that rarely know much about such things I strongly suggest you make an appointment with a naturopath/homeopath. Good luck!!
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AnaB
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| Posted: July 15 2005 at 6:47pm | IP Logged
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How do I find a homeopath? I've always wanted to see one. THanks.
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mi4ol
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Check out www.homeopathic.com and follow the links to finding a homeopath. Also, check your yellow pages, with your insurance, with friends, also, vitamin/whole foods stores often know people to recommend.
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Do whatever He tell you. John 2:5b
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Elizabeth
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Wow! What wealth of good advice you've gotten! Don't wean. That's not a decision to be made when you're tired and feverish. I get mastitis in toddler years. Often it is when traveling. I'll let down and let down but not nurse because we're in the car. Or it's when we've been on the go more than usual. Both the infrequency of nursing and the fatigue play into blocked ducts becoming a big deal. Ask your dh for his support in getting through this and be specific about what you need. YOu're getting a very clear message to rest.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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MaryM
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AnaB wrote:
| I tried to pump in the shower with a hand pump but was unsuccessful. |
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That isn't surprising. The pump is just not going to be very effective in getting a plugged area flowing. A pump can't compress the area in the way that actually gets things moving easily and pushes at the plug. That's why manual compression/expression is going to yield better results (as will a baby if you can get her to nurse on that side). It can take some practice to actually be able to manipulate the plugged area to get flow. Keep at it - trying whatever pressure and technique got some results for you this afternoon. You really want to be able to see some "goo" as Debbie described it coming from a duct or ducts affects. Some like Debbie have found better results working on it while soaking in a tub, for others like myself, I almost always just did hand expression just over a sink without soaking and it worked well for me. It just shows that different people find different ways work for them. Keep experimenting.
AnaB wrote:
| At what point should I just start taking the antibiotic? |
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As I had mentioned a commonly mentioned recommendation is the 24 hours after really starting the home treatment. So in your case would that be tomorrow morning? Will your daughter nurse at night? - that sleepy time is often the best time to encourage a reluctant nurser so that could be encouraged to help and see where you are in the morning. Fact is after the treatments of today and a night of sleep you may feel a lot different tomorrow (not 100% obviously but at least improved). There is no set time for deciding if/when to take the antibiotic. You have to make that decision based on how you feel the other treatment is going and your personal thoughts on the options. I have had numerous breast infections in my 15 or so years of nursing - some minor and easily halted - others that did get to the stage you are at. They all did clear without antibiotics - but I could tell that there was improvement going on from the treatment within that 24-36 hour time frame.
The one thing you want to avoid is having it develop into a breast abscess. That is rare and as long as it is improving and one is getting milk flowing you are working to prevent that.
AnaB wrote:
| You mentioned you had some info on preventing mastitis. Would you mind sharing that? This is my 4th child and she is 19months old and it's NOW that I get mastitis! That's so weird to me! |
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That's not necessarily weird. What you shared earlier about the exercise and too small bra and then the cleaning, etc right before this second bout sound like risk factors. Stress/fatigue and a weakened immune system can make mothers prone to a breast infection as can shortened or irregular breastfeeding patterns which often happen with toddlers and in larger families because we have lots to do. (It's much easier to focus on our first ones and nursing without being so busy).
Suggestions for prevention:
-Don't wear anything that is too tight across or around the breast or puts pressure on a single area. (Bathing suits can be another culprit, as can the straps of a purse, diaper bag, baby carrier. )
-Keep your immune system strong. Some recommend supplemental Vit. C and E. If you are feeling run-down or unusually tired a medical checkup with blood count can be done. Anemia can contribute to repeated mastitis and additional iron might help.
-Avoid fatigue - ha, hard one for busy moms!
-Avoid excessive upper arm exercise.
-Diet - eliminate saturated fats from diet. Add a lecithin supplement daily (I've seen a couple variations listed on the dosage). Many women with recurrent mastitis have been helped by this.
As Debbie mentioned a huge factor is being able to catch them early and prevent them from even getting past the tender area stage. When a nursing mother feels any tenderness on the breast or a lump even without the tenderness if she gets right on it (frequent removal of milk through nursing or expressing, compresses or soaking, and rest) it rarely progresses past that point. Unfortunately, it takes some experience to know when you are getting one. Now you have that experience so you'll be very aware next time (if there is a next time) and hopefully it won't be a problem.
If there is a recurrence again after complete course it usually means it's the wrong antibiotic for this bacteria and milk can be cultured. In rare cases it could also mean that a baby was carrying an infection in her mouth and reinfecting mother.
AnaB wrote:
| My dh is thinking I should just wean |
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Even if you did decide that you wanted to wean, the time right after a breast infection would not be a good time to do that. You are already susceptible and making changes in nursing pattern right now could bring on another one. Best to wait and recover fully before making a decision like that.
Check out Dr. Jack Newman's site for info on breast infections/plugs. Good info in general. I like his description of what to expect in the course of a breast infection as it runs it's course. Also, he recommends a therapeutic ultrasound treatment for plugs that recur or won’t start to clear up in 48 hours. A friend of mine who was having a horrible time with recurrence of a plug which would develop into mastitis and at her wits end ready to wean (and she was a big breastfeeding advocate) had the treatment and no problem after that.
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Mary Chris
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It has been a few years since I have been heavy on breastfeeding it is coming back in fuzzy bits...
I remember someone talking about having their husband help with the massaging because she would stop the pressure whenever it would feel tender. He would massage a little deeper.
Praying that you are able to rest this weekend and work through this.
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AnaB
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| Posted: July 16 2005 at 11:56am | IP Logged
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Well, no fever this morning, PTL!!! BUT the lumps are still there and a bit tender. Amelia nursed this morning for quite a while but didn't clear the lumps. I'm continuing with all the home treatments. Anemia may be a factor for me as I tend to get that often. I'll keep trying.
It has been more than 48 with this lump, I may call the doctor Mon. am about an ultrasound, but the earliest I may be able to have one is Mon.
I do covet your prayers that this doesn't develop complications. Thank you so much for your words of wisdom and experience ladies.
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Topic: Need help with mastitis!
