Claire
Mastitis is a breast infection. It may feel sore like a plugged duct. It may happen when you’re stressed or have changes in your usual routine. This may be when guests are visiting, during the holidays, or when you’re returning to work. It is not always easy to tell the difference between a breast infection and a plugged duct. They have similar symptoms, and both can get better within a day or two.
Mastitis typically develops when the milk is not properly removed from the breast. Milk stasis can lead to the milk ducts in the breasts becoming blocked, as the breast milk is not being properly and regularly expressed.
It has also been suggested that blocked milk ducts can occur as a result of pressure on the breast, such as tight-fitting clothing or an over-restrictive bra, although there is sparse evidence for this supposition.
Mastitis may occur when the baby is not appropriately attached to the breast while feeding when the baby has infrequent feeds or has problems suckling the milk out of the breast.
The presence of cracks or sores on the nipples increases the likelihood of infection. Tight clothing or ill-fitting bras may also cause problems as they compress the breasts.
Mastitis – Common Symptoms
Mastitis may include a number of symptoms, including:
- Flu-like symptoms like fever, chills, body aches, nausea, vomiting, or fatigue.
- Yellowish discharge from the nipple that looks like colostrum.
- Breasts that feel tender, warm, or hot to the touch.
- Painful, hard lump in the breast (usually begins as a clogged duct)
- Painful nursing
- Swelling
- Redness (or red streaks on breast)
- Tenderness
- General malaise, chills, aches
- Fever
Mastitis Treatment Options
What to do? Well, if you think you have Mastitis, ESPECIALLY if you have a fever already, it’s really important to call your midwife or OB! Mastitis can be easily treated with a prescription of antibiotics!
The same tips for plugged ducts may help with mastitis.
Take a hot shower or apply warm, moist cloths over your breast. Breastfeed frequently and use different positions. Empty the affected breast first. Wear a well-fitting, supportive bra that is not too tight. Consider trying a bra without an underwire. Apply heat, get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, and breastfeed often. In addition, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics.
⠀⠀
Rest LOTS, empty breasts LOTS, and hydrate LOTS too!
⠀⠀
Have you had mastitis? It SUCKS!
Originally posted 2021-03-02 07:05:22.
I suffered from Mastitis on 8th postpartum day. It was my worst nightmare. The excruciating pain and inflammation after every feed was unimaginable. It is really important to educate woman around the world on how to breastfeed. Because Mastitis thus really sucks😞
You forgot “feeling like you’ve been kicked in the boob and hit by a car at the same time”
I had baby in August and had mastitis three times in the first few weeks. It was terrible! This is baby number 4 and I’d never had it with the others. Baby had a lip and tongue tie and when we got those released nursing was 💯 better and no more mastitis 🙏🏼
never had it with my 1st, now 3rd time in 3 months with second- goes from nothing to high fever so fast! Ugh. going in for a workup later this week and lactation consult next wk
I got mastitis but not from nursing I am not a mother doctor had no idea how I got it we think it was a staph infection from a previous doctors appointment I’ve never been in more pain in my life took me days to tell my mom before I almost passed out at school ( I was only 16) running up the stairs and my boobs bouncing and the pain made me light headed I never want to go through that again
I don’t have a baby but I have all these symptoms before periods 😂
Please seek help even if you don’t have a fever! I didn’t present with a fever and ended up having to have the infection drained with a syringe
4year ago i’m got mastitis, and finally must to do small surgery 😭
Urgh it’s the worst 😩😩
Once at 3 months pp and just had it again at 21 months pp (still nursing!💪🏼). It is AWFUL. Thankfully antibiotics works fast and relief isn’t far away. Once you’ve had it you’re more prone as well.
I had it back in July, woke up with a fever and extreme body aches … Won’t lie I thought I had covid … But within of couple days on antibiotics felt back to normal. Crossing my fingers I don’t get it again!
I got mastitis at 4-5 weeks postpartum and it was HORRIBLE 😫😫😫 fever of 103 at its worst, aches, chills, headache, everything!!! What’s worst is once I went on antibiotics and it was finally gone, my milk supply plummeted!!! The worst…
I had this. Twice. The first time I had a 104.6 fever and my boob was so red and hot and tender to the touch. Literally nothing would make it go down. I had so many veins and it was so hot my skin started to peel. It was bad.
104 temp and 7 hrs in the ER for the DRs to tell me to take extra strength Tylenol until the fever is gone.
Mastitis is the devil in my life.. was on antibiotics by day 5 of my baby’s life. Turned into an abscess, had to have it excised, IVABs. Now at 4 weeks and 1 day old I am on day 3 of my second round of oral antibiotics 😩🙃 I feel so ready to throw in breastfeeding, it is the most miserable thing I’ve experienced, mastitis. I don’t know if I can deal with getting it again. I’m terrified every time I have a lumpy boob when I’m engorged. I just want to cry because I think I’m going to get it again 😭😭😭
You mean BOOB FLU. BEEN THERE DONE THAT 😭