Diaper Swappers

belle7611 · 03-25-2012, 11:22 PM

Has anyone had mastitis? Any tips to share for recovering? (physically and milk supply wise). I woke up at 1am yesterday (24 hrs ago) to feed my 6 mo old dd and after feeding her still felt uncomfortably full. Then pumped and still was in pain. When I got up with her at 6:30am I had chills, sweats, aches. Went to urgent care at 10am and 1 hr after getting home my DH took me to ER. I was shaking violently and was having trouble breathing. By the time we got to ER 3 miles away I was going in and out of consciousness and they rushed me in. The infection got into my blood stream and spread that quickly. Once I regained consciousness about 5 hrs later they told me I could stay in hospital for 3 days on IV antibiotics or go home and be on oral antibiotic for 10 days, having to pump and dump. I chose to go home. I'm now pumping every 3 hrs round the clock but am still in pain and worried about my milk supply recovering. Any help would be appreciated. TIA.

lifesaturtle · 03-26-2012, 12:01 AM

I have had it twice and that hasn't happened to be. I had a high fever, chills, aches, sweats, and a migraine. I felt like death. I just nursed constantly on that side first even if my son wasn't due to eat yet and then I would pump to get anything left, out. I stayed hydrated as well and made sure to take my antibiotics and Tylenol for pain and fever. The antibiotics and tylenol together helped by night time once started the antibiotics.

iceeholic · 03-26-2012, 12:22 AM

Pumping instead of nursing is hard because the pumps don't seem to be as efficient at getting all the milk. This is what worked for me, but it doesn't mean it would work for you. I slept on a heating pad with a towel on it so it would catch the milk that leaked. I pumped like crazy and I nursed as often as the baby would latch on and if they were latched on to the non affected side, I would pump the affected side while nursing. I also took warm baths or showers and expressed milk while doing that. I know you said they told you to pump and dump, so I wonder if you need to pump more often. Also after you take the meds and are clear to start nursing again, you could try mothers milk teas. They seem to help with supply.

mamIIboys · 03-26-2012, 08:47 AM

It seems odd to me that they said to pump & dump. Is it because of the type of antibiotics they put you on? Usually you can BF with Mastitis & it's actually recommended as baby drains the breast better than pumping does (at least for most). Heat, massaging from effected area towards nipple, warms showers or compresses & keeping the breast drained are important. I'd double check with doc to see if you can nurse. If so make sure to have baby latch with chin pointed towards effected area to help drain that part completely. Once better, take a couple days to spend as much time nursing & having skin to skin contact with baby to help milk supply.

doulamomma · 03-26-2012, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mamIIboys

It seems odd to me that they said to pump & dump. Is it because of the type of antibiotics they put you on? Usually you can BF with Mastitis & it's actually recommended as baby drains the breast better than pumping does (at least for most). Heat, massaging from effected area towards nipple, warms showers or compresses & keeping the breast drained are important. I'd double check with doc to see if you can nurse. If so make sure to have baby latch with chin pointed towards effected area to help drain that part completely. Once better, take a couple days to spend as much time nursing & having skin to skin contact with baby to help milk supply.

lol. this is exactly what I was going to say

Connor · 03-26-2012, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mamIIboys

It seems odd to me that they said to pump & dump. Is it because of the type of antibiotics they put you on? Usually you can BF with Mastitis & it's actually recommended as baby drains the breast better than pumping does (at least for most). Heat, massaging from effected area towards nipple, warms showers or compresses & keeping the breast drained are important. I'd double check with doc to see if you can nurse. If so make sure to have baby latch with chin pointed towards effected area to help drain that part completely. Once better, take a couple days to spend as much time nursing & having skin to skin contact with baby to help milk supply.

Another one that agrees with this!

Antibiotics should not be an issue with nursing. Most docs haven't done the research to know if it's safe for breastfeeding, so they just say it isn't. Most meds are safe for bf. If you give me the name of the med I can look it up in my Hale's book. (It lists EVERY medication and rates how safe it is for bf.)

greencrunchymama · 03-26-2012, 03:16 PM

Oh gosh! I am so sorry

I don't have any advice to offer, just hugs.

belle7611 · 03-28-2012, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mamIIboys

It seems odd to me that they said to pump & dump. Is it because of the type of antibiotics they put you on? Usually you can BF with Mastitis & it's actually recommended as baby drains the breast better than pumping does (at least for most). Heat, massaging from effected area towards nipple, warms showers or compresses & keeping the breast drained are important. I'd double check with doc to see if you can nurse. If so make sure to have baby latch with chin pointed towards effected area to help drain that part completely. Once better, take a couple days to spend as much time nursing & having skin to skin contact with baby to help milk supply.

All of you that agreed with this were totally right! Monday morning I called my LC and OB and both told me that I absolutely could bf on the rx they gave me! Ignorant ER docs!! I then looked it up on LactMed myself and even the iPhone app knew it was safe! (how hard would it have been for the ER to do the same?!!). Im on dicloxicillan. I also went in to see my OB who gave me some more advice and orders to stay home at least until a follow up with her Wednesday afternoon. She also prescribed me a second antibiotic, bactrim, that kills staph in case I was exposed in the hospital in my weakened state. She was very concerned with the severity of my reaction. So I'm taking probiotics and eating yogurt to hopefully prevent a yeast infection or thrush.

Phew, this has been really taxing on all of us. Thank goodness my mom just came in town and has been a HUGE help. I was able to mostly clear my breast yesterday and now am going to start working on building my supply back up. I'll start drinking mothers milk tea today and will def do skin to skin with the baby.

Thanks so much for your help and support mamas. ((((hugs))))

juliasmom · 03-28-2012, 01:44 PM

I have never been sicker than I felt when I had mastitis! It comes on and gets BAD so fast!! Sleep, drink tons of water, take ibuprofen to help inflammation, probiotics for Momma and Baby and keep the milk flowing in that breast. If there is still a clog be very proactive in clearing it with massage and pumping. I usually ended up with oversupply problems after mastitis and clogs from all the extra expressing.

What antibiotic did they put you on Momma? Sometimes Drs seem to be a little over-zealous with the pump and dump advice. Check into it and call your OB about it, because nursing is the best way to clear any clogs and keep your supply up.

ETA: Should've read the update before posting! Glad you got the pump and dump advice revoked and I hope you are on the mend!

porky · 03-28-2012, 02:07 PM

I had it with my last one and was so sick. But I immediately took Vitamin c almost every hour for about 6 hrs, drank water, did a couple charcoal poultice and put warm rice sock over breast, stayed in bed all evening and the next day, and I fought it off. But I did have an Rx from dr just in case.

03-25-2012, 11:22 PM	#1
belle7611 Registered Users Join Date: May 2011 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 325 Ratings: 28 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Mastitis anyone? Has anyone had mastitis? Any tips to share for recovering? (physically and milk supply wise). I woke up at 1am yesterday (24 hrs ago) to feed my 6 mo old dd and after feeding her still felt uncomfortably full. Then pumped and still was in pain. When I got up with her at 6:30am I had chills, sweats, aches. Went to urgent care at 10am and 1 hr after getting home my DH took me to ER. I was shaking violently and was having trouble breathing. By the time we got to ER 3 miles away I was going in and out of consciousness and they rushed me in. The infection got into my blood stream and spread that quickly. Once I regained consciousness about 5 hrs later they told me I could stay in hospital for 3 days on IV antibiotics or go home and be on oral antibiotic for 10 days, having to pump and dump. I chose to go home. I'm now pumping every 3 hrs round the clock but am still in pain and worried about my milk supply recovering. Any help would be appreciated. TIA.

03-26-2012, 12:22 AM	#3
iceeholic Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 236 Ratings: 4 Feedback: 100%	Re: Mastitis anyone? Pumping instead of nursing is hard because the pumps don't seem to be as efficient at getting all the milk. This is what worked for me, but it doesn't mean it would work for you. I slept on a heating pad with a towel on it so it would catch the milk that leaked. I pumped like crazy and I nursed as often as the baby would latch on and if they were latched on to the non affected side, I would pump the affected side while nursing. I also took warm baths or showers and expressed milk while doing that. I know you said they told you to pump and dump, so I wonder if you need to pump more often. Also after you take the meds and are clear to start nursing again, you could try mothers milk teas. They seem to help with supply.

03-26-2012, 08:47 AM	#4
mamIIboys Registered Users Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 504 Ratings: 33 Feedback: 100%	Re: Mastitis anyone? It seems odd to me that they said to pump & dump. Is it because of the type of antibiotics they put you on? Usually you can BF with Mastitis & it's actually recommended as baby drains the breast better than pumping does (at least for most). Heat, massaging from effected area towards nipple, warms showers or compresses & keeping the breast drained are important. I'd double check with doc to see if you can nurse. If so make sure to have baby latch with chin pointed towards effected area to help drain that part completely. Once better, take a couple days to spend as much time nursing & having skin to skin contact with baby to help milk supply. __________________ Genesee married to DH Jon 06/00 , DS1 05/03, DS2 10/06 , DD 10/11

03-26-2012, 03:16 PM	#7
greencrunchymama Registered Users Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 4,341 Ratings: 42 Feedback: 100%	Re: Mastitis anyone? Oh gosh! I am so sorry I don't have any advice to offer, just hugs.

03-28-2012, 01:44 PM	#9
juliasmom Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: florida Posts: 2,062 Ratings: 28 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Mastitis anyone? I have never been sicker than I felt when I had mastitis! It comes on and gets BAD so fast!! Sleep, drink tons of water, take ibuprofen to help inflammation, probiotics for Momma and Baby and keep the milk flowing in that breast. If there is still a clog be very proactive in clearing it with massage and pumping. I usually ended up with oversupply problems after mastitis and clogs from all the extra expressing. What antibiotic did they put you on Momma? Sometimes Drs seem to be a little over-zealous with the pump and dump advice. Check into it and call your OB about it, because nursing is the best way to clear any clogs and keep your supply up. ETA: Should've read the update before posting! Glad you got the pump and dump advice revoked and I hope you are on the mend! __________________ Kim wife to Kyle and mommy to Julia 2/15/2010 and Clara 5/7/2012 Last edited by juliasmom; 03-28-2012 at 01:46 PM.