Mastitis

Poor thing! Try massaging and hand expressing in the warm shower. It helped me. Pumping and BFing as much as possible with the massage to break the blocked ducts. But don’t cope with the pain, better see the GP as you might need to take antibiotics. Hope you feel better soon!!!!

BF as much as possible but it's not always easy if you're engorged and baby can find it difficult to latch. Pumping can actually make it worse because it can over stimulate your boob to make more milk. Hand expressing in the shower is more gentle. Make sure you massage for a good 5 mins gentle before you try and hand express, otherwise it can be very painful. If you can't hand express (I found it difficult) use a Hakka Cabbage leaves were a lifesaver for me. Pop the Cabbage in the fridge and replace them every few hours. Cold Cabbage leaves 🤌🏾 Make sure you go see your GP as may need antibiotics. And check out your local BF clinics to speak to a lactation consultant that can help with specific BF Advice. I found them more helpful than the GP

@Anna I’ve still been feeding on that side but it hurts 😩 thank you I’ll try that

@Rae thanks so much! really helpful

Agree with massage in the shower! Helped me so much! I also used a hot water bottle and then would hand express and push down in the direction of the lump. For some reason hand expressing worked so much better than pumping/feeding for me. If you start getting flu symptoms go to the doctor, I had a fever/chills/headache and needed antibiotics to clear it. Hopefully you feel better soon! xxx

I used a nipple sheild to cope with feeding on that side. As others have said if you have a large lump or fever etc go to GP. I ended up with an abscess and never got the fever until after they drained it for the first time. Ibuprofen, cabbage leaves, cooling pads help better than heat pads. Hope you feel better soon, it's horrific xx

Ibuprofen, and go to the GP to get antibiotics. The latest IBCLC is ice - not hot pack. The ducts are inflamed and swollen hence the milk is “blocked” - ice and ibuprofen will help to alleviate the inflammation, and also help with pain. You don’t have to use hot packs before feeds. I had mastisis 3 times in 4 months and would sleep with ice packs on my boobs at night and wake bub up to feed every few hours, then feed normally during the day. Sometimes it takes a few days for it to clear. Usually it goes away in its own with lots of ice, ibuprofen and antibiotics. Hope you feel better soon!

@Kiaan I second this, using warmth made mine worse and ended up getting mastitis 2 times. This is exactly what helped me was cold compress, massage but do it lightly. The consultant told me to massage as if you were petting a cat, ibuprofen and you can hand express or I used a haka in the shower

1. Use (or order) a Haaka and fill it up with warm water and salt. Put it over the affected breast with the suction and hot water over affected area. Leave it there for 10 minutes. 2. ⁠Go in the shower and massage your breast from the clogged duct down to the nipple. Try moving the boob like how it would move if your were jumping (around in circles). This helps to move any stale milk. Give yourself a drainage massage (look it up online) by lightly stroking your breasts towards the lymph nodes above your clavicle and in your armpits to help drain swelling. Massage your boob throughout the day with castor oil - but make sure to wash it all away! It’s a laxative and you don’t want baby eating it Apply ice or cold packs to the area for 10 minutes at a time, repeating every 30 minutes. breastfeed and/or pump OFTEN. Like every 2 hours.

Take 500 mg of Vitamin C supplements per day, and increase your intake of citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, green peppers, and broccoli. grate a cold, raw potato and place it over the affected area to help reduce inflammation and infection. Take sunflower lecithin remember: LOTS of water and hydrating liquids