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Second bout of mastitis -- what can I do about this?
DS will be five weeks old on Friday. I had one bout of mastitis,
beginning when he was 9 days old. I had a second bout (different breast) beginning this past Saturday, when he was 29 days old. First, since it's a different breast this time, am I safe to assume this is an entirely different infection, or could it be the same one? I was on an antibiotic for 10 days with the first instance. Second, what can I do to prevent this, other than making sure his latch is good and my breasts are drained? I never had mastitis with DD, but now I've had two instances, both with pretty significant fevers/chills, and this one with really quite severe pain, and a much, much bigger, more pronounced, and harder red area. I'm also experiencing a slower recovery. Thanks for the help. -Carlye DS 6-2-06 DD 9-29-04 |
#2
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Second bout of mastitis -- what can I do about this?
There are lots of things that can help...
1) Don't wear underwired bras, or bras that are too small (go braless often) 2) Don't let yourself get engorged. If you feel full and baby doesn't want to nurse, pump a little to relieve any engorgement. Actually - here is a really good resource... http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...-mastitis.html hth CY "Carlye" wrote in message oups.com... DS will be five weeks old on Friday. I had one bout of mastitis, beginning when he was 9 days old. I had a second bout (different breast) beginning this past Saturday, when he was 29 days old. First, since it's a different breast this time, am I safe to assume this is an entirely different infection, or could it be the same one? I was on an antibiotic for 10 days with the first instance. Second, what can I do to prevent this, other than making sure his latch is good and my breasts are drained? I never had mastitis with DD, but now I've had two instances, both with pretty significant fevers/chills, and this one with really quite severe pain, and a much, much bigger, more pronounced, and harder red area. I'm also experiencing a slower recovery. Thanks for the help. -Carlye DS 6-2-06 DD 9-29-04 |
#3
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Second bout of mastitis -- what can I do about this?
In article .com,
"Carlye" wrote: Second, what can I do to prevent this, other than making sure his latch is good and my breasts are drained? I think in the first place, I'd be a bit suspicious of his latch. Are you in pain/discomfort at any time when he's feeding? Secondly, I'd suspect that your bra is not a good fit. Did you buy it before or after your milk came in? Most of us can survive on a 'best guess' bra, but perhaps you can't, this time. It can be expensive to get one fitted, but department stores may offer free fittings if you are lucky. Thirdly, you might want to try lecithin supplements -- some people swear by them. Just as a tail-end question: are you very engorged, or still oversupplied with milk? I've had this and will advise if you need it. -- Chookie -- Sydney, Australia (Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply) "Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled." Kerry Cue |
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Second bout of mastitis -- what can I do about this?
Chookie wrote:
I think in the first place, I'd be a bit suspicious of his latch. Are you in pain/discomfort at any time when he's feeding? No pain or discomfort whatsoever. In fact, even with the mastitis, breastfeeding is more comfortable than pumping. Secondly, I'd suspect that your bra is not a good fit. Did you buy it before or after your milk came in? Most of us can survive on a 'best guess' bra, but perhaps you can't, this time. It can be expensive to get one fitted, but department stores may offer free fittings if you are lucky. I bought some of my bras before, some after. I have stopped using any underwire bras and am now opting for cupless "sports bra" type nursing bras. I don't -think- that's the problem. Actually, I wonder if the problem could be as simple as one night of not getting to breastfeed as much as usual and having to sleep on my opposite side? DS was hospitalized Friday night and I didn't have my pump with me, plus in order to sleep next to him in the hospital I had to sleep on the opposite side, which is usually the more engorged side. Could this do it? Thirdly, you might want to try lecithin supplements -- some people swear by them. I will try this. Just as a tail-end question: are you very engorged, or still oversupplied with milk? I've had this and will advise if you need it. I'm still somewhat oversupplied, but not too bad. I try to pump the excess and usually get no more than 10 extra ounces a day, usually less. Granted, I just let myself be a little overinflated at night -- I don't get up to pump in the night. Thanks for your help!! -Carlye DS 6-2-06 DD 9-29-04 |
#5
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Second bout of mastitis -- what can I do about this?
"Carlye" wrote and I snipped:
Actually, I wonder if the problem could be as simple as one night of not getting to breastfeed as much as usual and having to sleep on my opposite side? DS was hospitalized Friday night and I didn't have my pump with me, plus in order to sleep next to him in the hospital I had to sleep on the opposite side, which is usually the more engorged side. Could this do it? Yes, definitely. Hope DS is okay! -Patty, mom of 1+2 |
#6
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Second bout of mastitis -- what can I do about this?
Sorry if this is a repeat of info already passed on, but there is
a link between anemia and recurrent mastitis. If you think you may be a little anemic, you could try to eat more iron-rich foods and supplement with a tablespoon or 2 per day of blackstrap molasses (that helped me reduce fatigue from borderline anemia.) -kim "Carlye" wrote in message ps.com... Chookie wrote: I think in the first place, I'd be a bit suspicious of his latch. Are you in pain/discomfort at any time when he's feeding? No pain or discomfort whatsoever. In fact, even with the mastitis, breastfeeding is more comfortable than pumping. Secondly, I'd suspect that your bra is not a good fit. Did you buy it before or after your milk came in? Most of us can survive on a 'best guess' bra, but perhaps you can't, this time. It can be expensive to get one fitted, but department stores may offer free fittings if you are lucky. I bought some of my bras before, some after. I have stopped using any underwire bras and am now opting for cupless "sports bra" type nursing bras. I don't -think- that's the problem. Actually, I wonder if the problem could be as simple as one night of not getting to breastfeed as much as usual and having to sleep on my opposite side? DS was hospitalized Friday night and I didn't have my pump with me, plus in order to sleep next to him in the hospital I had to sleep on the opposite side, which is usually the more engorged side. Could this do it? Thirdly, you might want to try lecithin supplements -- some people swear by them. I will try this. |
#7
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Second bout of mastitis -- what can I do about this?
PattyMomVA wrote:
"Carlye" wrote and I snipped: Actually, I wonder if the problem could be as simple as one night of not getting to breastfeed as much as usual and having to sleep on my opposite side? Yes, definitely. Hope DS is okay! Really? Gosh, I thought mastitis developed much more slowly and required a topical crack or blockage or something. You learn something new every day. :-) And thanks, we're pretty sure DS is fine. He has just had a cough since birth and now occasionally chokes and stops breathing for a few seconds. They're ruled out pretty much everything really, really bad, and we're down to thinking it's either a very obscure infection (he's gone through a course of amoxicillin, but they are going to try zithromax next) or atypical GERD, since he isn't "spitty." Still, it's never comforting to have -anything- wrong with one of your kids, and having him hospitalized, and now having him on an apnea monitor, has made it all the more scary. -Carlye DS 6-2-06 DD 9-29-04 |
#8
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Second bout of mastitis -- what can I do about this?
"Carlye" wrote and I snipped:
PattyMomVA wrote: "Carlye" wrote and I snipped: Actually, I wonder if the problem could be as simple as one night of not getting to breastfeed as much as usual and having to sleep on my opposite side? Yes, definitely. Hope DS is okay! Really? Gosh, I thought mastitis developed much more slowly and required a topical crack or blockage or something. You learn something new every day. :-) Kellymom says that milk statis/restricted milk flow is the primary cause of plugged ducts and mastitis. The site also says that mastitis can come on abruptly. http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/mastitis.html And thanks, we're pretty sure DS is fine. He has just had a cough since birth and now occasionally chokes and stops breathing for a few seconds. They're ruled out pretty much everything really, really bad, and we're down to thinking it's either a very obscure infection (he's gone through a course of amoxicillin, but they are going to try zithromax next) or atypical GERD, since he isn't "spitty." Still, it's never comforting to have -anything- wrong with one of your kids, and having him hospitalized, and now having him on an apnea monitor, has made it all the more scary. Yes, I'm sure it's scary. It sounds similar to the coughing/choking that DD had from about 7 to 9 months when she was diagnosed with hyper-reactive airways, a mild form of asthma. She would cough, cough, cough and then not be able to breathe in for a couple of seconds. Appropriate nebulizer treatments cleared it up, although we had repeat issues whenever she got congested over the next couple of years. It's awful when you know there's something going on with your baby, but the doctors can't tell you what it is. Take care, -Patty, mom of 1+2 |
#9
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Second bout of mastitis -- what can I do about this?
I bought some of my bras before, some after. I have stopped using any underwire bras and am now opting for cupless "sports bra" type nursing bras. I don't -think- that's the problem. hmm, it depends on your size, but I always find that kind of top squashes the breasts, perhaps in a more subtle way, but squashes non the less. Do you wear it at night, perhaps you could cut that out if you do. Actually, I wonder if the problem could be as simple as one night of not getting to breastfeed as much as usual and having to sleep on my opposite side? DS was hospitalized Friday night and I didn't have my pump with me, plus in order to sleep next to him in the hospital I had to sleep on the opposite side, which is usually the more engorged side. Could this do it? absolutely, which hopefully means this is a one off (or rather a two off!) Thirdly, you might want to try lecithin supplements -- some people swear by them. I will try this. if it's a blocked duct that turns into mastitis this has a good chance of helping, if not it probably doesn't have you had any blocked ducts at other times that have cleared without getting infected? Anne |
#10
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Second bout of mastitis -- what can I do about this?
Anne Rogers wrote:
hmm, it depends on your size, but I always find that kind of top squashes the breasts, perhaps in a more subtle way, but squashes non the less. Do you wear it at night, perhaps you could cut that out if you do. Well, this whole "go braless" thing has kind of made me wonder: exactly -how- does one go braless when breastfeeding? During the day, it's simply not an option -- I have to go to work, and I can't have "the girls" flopping and spraying about. Fortunately, the sports bras I mentioned are super comfy and squash very little. But even at night, I leak an awful lot. Even with towels or a blanket under me, I can soak through quite easily (and it's very unpleasant to sleep on a wet towel, too) . How does one manage without a bra to hold a nursing pad in place? have you had any blocked ducts at other times that have cleared without getting infected? I've never had anything wrong, other than cracks/scabs that never did anything but hurt, other than this mastitis, with either baby. I only breastfed DD for 11 months, but still -- 11 months and no problems is a far cry from four weeks and two infections! Thanks, Anne. -Carlye DS 6-2-06 DD 9-29-04 |
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