Help! Major breast pain, feeling sick...?

You may have mastitis, but it's doubtful if your milk just came in last night. You are engorged, as you know and that's painful. With your second and subsequent babies, you produce more milk that's why you're worse than before. Take some Tylenol, or whatever the Dr. prescribed for you when he sent you home. Put cool compress on your breasts and nurse as often as you can, at LEAST every two hours if you can. Nurse on both sides for a while to take off some of the engorgement. You'll be OK, I felt the same way with all of my children (three). It takes a couple of days to regulate. Don't worry about schedules or getting your baby to sleep a long stretch, just nurse whenever the baby wants to, but don't go past 3 hours if at all possible for now. Hang in there, you'll be OK and once you feel better it'll be smooth sailing, or smooth nursing in this matter.:) Good luck and congratulations!

Sweetie, it sounds like you do have mastitis (I am just getting over it now.) It honestly is the worse thing I have gone through and I would gladly take on childbirth over mastitis any day. Mine lasted a whole week with temperatures of 103 and above and horrible breast pain. I started on antibiotics right away (I started feeling cold and sick) and the dr. sent in a prescription. I couldn't stop throwing up and I was on so many pain relievers to just bring down my high temps. Problem was the antibiotics didn't work and it continued to get worse and moved into an abscess (8 cm.) Get help as soon as you can, the quicker they put you on antibiotics the better. I'm on my 4th set of antibiotics for this so if symptoms don't get better, contact your doctor immediately, not all antibiotics with work for everyone. If it is mastitis, it most likely won't go away on it's own. If it's just a blocked milk duct, having your baby continue to nurse (do this also with mastitis) is the best to help it pass. But with a high temp, it's most likely not just a blocked milk duct. I'm sorry you are going through this. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

Sounds like you have mastitis caused by a blocked milk duct. You probably will need to get antibiotics. In the future when your breast isn't emptying, you can clear the duct by some massage (it hurts) and then put some hot compresses on the site of the pain. I've never had mastitis, but I used to get blocked ducts all the time. Good luck . . .PS your baby should nurse through the mastitis because it will help you heal faster. The milk won't hurt them.

It could be mastitis or even a uterine infection since its this soon after delivery. I mentioned the uterine infection since when I had one after the birth of my son it was flu like symptoms and a fever but it was also accompanied by a smell. Mastitis is no joke though, I had it in my left breast and it was disfiguring. It probably wont go away on its own without antibiotics...if youre worried about passing on something to your son stop breast feeding until you see the doctor although that can make mastitis worse unless you pump. If symptoms get worse I suggest a trip to the emergency room.

This may help, and it may not.

My nurse said to have the babies chin by where it hurts (where it is swollen) It did help. But I still had to have an antibiotic, to make sure it would clear up.

Hopefully you are just engorged. but that puts you at a higher risk take a warm shower and manually express some milk, then feed the baby in a position that will relieve where it hurts as above.

After my second baby, I had to express the excess milk while I was in the shower a few different times. Try this. You'll get back to normal soon. It took a few days for me. If you feel pain in particular parts of your breasts or underarm area, massage that area and let the milk come out (use a towel or cloth diaper). I did this as I was sitting or lying down. This helps too. Hang in there, it was different for me too than with my first baby.

Hope this helps.

As for feeling sick and having a temp, call the doctor. I've had three children and never felt sick. I can't remember how many days afterwards you are at risk of infection. I do remember having stomach pains though from my uterus shrinking.

As for your breasts, try expressing some milk to help with the engorgement. With my third I had to do that because I had way more milk than she needed.

Hi,

I used to work in OB/Gyn and although I'm not a nurse it sounds like it could be mastitis. I would recommend seeing your OB asap especially if your breasts are hot and/or red.

Hope this helps. Congrats! and good luck.

Jill

Oh, gosh, I'm sorry, but it DOES sound like mastitis...

I've heard peppermint (including over-indulging in Altoids) can decrease milk supply... maybe this would be a good thing for a little while, since you seem to have an over-abundance?

I've had a couple friends with mastitis, though -- knock wood -- it hasn't happened to me. I hope you get better soon!

Congratulations! It sounds like you are just badly engorged. I would make sure you aren't wearing any tight or restrictive clothing, make sure you are resting and drinking enough water, and nurse your baby frequently. It should subside within 24-48 hours.

This page has a lot of great info (seriously, check it out, it covers everything):

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/engorgemen...

Good luck!