Mastitis

try pumping out the milk every 4 hours and apply ice packs in regular intervals once you finish pumping. don’t miss out on your pumping session if your LO is not completely emptying your breasts.

@Kavitha thank you! I will definitely not miss a session. I'm still getting in the groove of getting a pumping system going. Usually pump every 3-4 hours. But will definitely make sure to keep up with it and add ice to the mix

Don't forget to eat and drink a lot. Rest is also very important. Take some medication like paracetamol and ibuprofen. Ibuprofen works agains the infection and reduces the swelling. Use a lot of ice after your feeding en Gentle(!) Massage the sore spots while feeding/pumping. Sometimes it's to painfull to touch by hand of massage with fingers. Use a bottle, put some nice warm water in it, close it, en roll it against the sore spot to the nipple (massaging the blocked milkcanal right to the nippel to evacuate). Use only warmth right before feeding,pumping. After it cold ice packs. When the ice pack is turning warm, use another cold one. Don't overstimulate your breasts by pumping more, just do wat you normal would do. Try to empty your breast with the feeding,pumping. When you are pumping,feeding on the painfull side, try to hold on. The first minutes are reaaaaaly hurting but it will get better. If not, go to your doctor asap. Good luck! 🍀

Take Ibuprofen to reduce the swelling. The latest advice is ice but I found heat worked better for me. I’d hold it on before pumping. Is there a lump? Hand expressing in the shower helped move any blockages. Hope you’re feeling better asap. Try not to wear a tight fitting bra or lie on that side in bed as that can make it worse. X

Are you going to feed your baby breast milk? If so, you should be pumping more often than that

Ibuprofen really helps, I don’t like to take it often at all but for mastitis it’s worth it for sure. DO NOT massage firmly although you’ll read this a lot, it is outdated advice! That’s what a La Leche League advisor told me last week on the phone! Use cold compress instead if heat. In fact, the La leche league website is best advice so look there ☺️ good luck, it really hurts but managed well it will pass quickly!

At this early on you should be pumping every 2-3 hours if your pumping to feed your LO take ibuprofen and warm compresses or shower to help

In the very beginning your supply is not yet regulated well, maybe the boob is just sore and full. You can also just hand express, I never owned a pump. When you pump wrong you get yourself mastitis! It is too early to get a pumping schedule!!! You are supposed to start after six weeks when your milk supply of stable and breastfeeding works.

What my Health Visitor advised me to do was put baby on the boob to feed. It is going to hurt like a bitch you would cry. Then take paracetamol and ibuprofen. So take paracetamol then after two hours ibuprofen then after another two hours paracetamol (you keep going like that to ease the pain). Use ice packs on the boob too. I was fine the next day.

Do you have a Hakka? I’ve also heard Epsom salts in there helps but not tried it personally. I’m sure you can google it! X

Thanks everyone! Ill have to try all these. I had to pump early because of a few different reasons out of my control. I do a mix of breast feeding and pumping.

Do you have a fever? Is your boob red hot? If so, get to a doctor and get antibiotics. Mastitis moves really fast, don't want to alarm you but it can put you in hospital. Best to hit it with antibiotics. If you don't have a fever, can wait and see.

@Ella no fever. Boob is warm at some points but not all the time. I just had antibiotics, finished yesterday, for a sinus infection.

Might need a different AB but you can ask OB about it

Is the boob visibly red?