First bout with Mastitis

[@llli*joyofmamahood]

Hi Ladies,

My dd and I have been happily breastfeeding for 14 months now, and I have just had my first Mastitis infection. I've heard that it usually only occurs when the infant is 6 weeks and younger which makes me wonder, what's the deal? Why now?

I don't know if any of you have this experience, but I have a dumb boob. It doesn't produce as much milk, it's always getting plugged ducts, and now the infection.

I don't want to have reoccuring infections. What can I do to help prevent it? Everything I've been reading in books are suggestions for moms and babies that are early in their breastfeeding days. Any suggestions would be so appreciated!

Joy

[@llli*danlynclark]

I had mastitis when my son was 11 months old. I don't think its that uncommon of an occurance at an older age of the nursling, because it can be triggered (blocked duct leading to mastitis) by a slow down in nursing/emptying the breast. Which does happen at that older age when they are more established on solids and not as dependant on the breast.

Make sure you are drinking lots of fluids. As painful as it is, you need to empty the breast and clear the blockages. Massage, warm packs before nursing can increase the flow. Massage the blockage during nursing aswell. It makes my eyes water thinking about how much that HURTS though.

Are you on antibiotics for the infection? If so, be sure you are also taking a probiotic or at least some good quality yogurt to avoid yeast.

I only had it once, it never reoccured, and I didn't actively do anything to prevent it either except maintain my fluid intake and avoid bras or anything putting pressure on the breasts.

Lyn

[@llli*jcdandfamily]

I had mastitis when DS was about 7 weeks, but in his second year I got close a couple of times. DS became a very sporatic nursling and I got plugged ducts frequently. If I started feeling "yucky" (kind of sick to my stomach, headache, just feeling off) with a plugged duct, I rested all day long while working to clear the clog. I was able to avoid mastitis that way.

[@llli*joyofmamahood]

Wow! Thanks for the input! I feel better already!
I have had plugged ducts before, they just never led to full blown mastitis. I'll have to be super vigilent in the future and take more steps to clear them before they get infected ...

So, as there are less frequent nursings (which there certainly are, sometimes 5 or 6 hours in between), does just drinking more water help keep the ducts from plugging?

[@llli*danlynclark]

Some people have had success taking a soy lecithin supplement to prevent blocked ducts. It didn't work for us because my son reacted to it through my milk and vomited.

Here is a link from Dr Jack Newman regarding recurrent blocked ducts:

http://www.drjacknewman.com/index.ph...140&Itemid=216


Lyn

[carpentergirl]

I got mastitis late in the game as well.

The Lethicin is a good suggestion if you are finding that you are getting reoccurring blocks. Is this the case? Due to some women having allergies to soy (lethicin is associated with soy) it would be wise to run any supplement by your Dr before you take it.

When trying to breastfeed-away a blocked duct or mastitis, the best way to do this is orient baby's chin towards the mass. The massaging action of the mandible works out the blockage.


If I ever got mastitis or a blocked duct again here is what I would use as a check list for myself:

1. Has my baby been biting me?
2. Am I carrying anything heavy on one side or another? A bag, a purse, a baby carrier.
3. What positions am I nursing in, do I need to switch it up more regularly?
4. What sort of bra am I wearing?
5. Am I nursing frequently enough?
6. Have I had any type of nipple trauma lately?
7. Is my diet rich in saturated fats?
__________________

[@llli*jcdandfamily]

I personally had to express milk if DS was distracted and not nursing often enough. If I let myself get engorged, I almost always got a plugged duct.

[@llli*joyofmamahood]

pointing her chin towards the lump seems to work well with us too. As does a warm washcloth on the area. I'm a little alarmed today though ... the lumps still aren't gone. It's been at least 3 days since they've been plugged, a day since I've started antibiotics, when should I worry about an abcess?

What do you do when your lo is only nursing once or twice a day? Do you just dry up at that point?

THis info is so good ladies! Thanks!

[@llli*danlynclark]

The antibiotics did not help with my blocked duct. I had to work that out on my own. But it greatly helped with the pain, redness, and other flu-like symptoms.

When you are in the shower really work at massaging the blockage. Have you tried dangle nursing? Be on all-fours over your child and let gravity help while you nurse.

[carpentergirl]

You shouldn't dry up for some time, many women who fully wean have the ability to produce milk weeks after they have ceased nursing. You still bf right?
Can you do some massage in the shower?

Give the ABX a few more days before you start to worry any more than you are now mama. After one day you can still expect some of the blockage to be present.

Oh man! Lynn! HAHAHA the dangle nurse position! I forgot that one! It totally worked for me!