Mastitis AKA Boob Flu
Mastitis is just another one of those wonderful things that to work throws at new mothers to mess with your already exhausted brain body and emotional integrity. Mastitis is an inflammation of a blocked milked duct that hasn’t cleared. This milk that’s gets blocked up behind the blocked duct can then get forced into nearby breast tissue causing the tissue to become inflamed sore and infected.
Causes of Mastitis
*Feeding your baby liquid gold and this is punishment for doing your best
*Poor attachment
*Too long between feeds – Your baby sleeping an extra hour or two to give you a break, but you can’t merely enjoy this instead you wake with engorged sore boobs.
* Stopping breastfeeding too quickly
* Or just being unfortunate enough to be prone to mastitis
Symptoms include
*Localized, don’t touch me or I’ll kill you breast tenderness – redness swelling
* Pain or burning while breastfeeding – in mum terms feeling like someone is stabbing you with needles while trying to feed your hungry little gremlin who when feeding feels like they have grown shark teeth
* Malaise – A general feeling of discomfort or illness – Thanks world just throw another shitty symptom at me why don’t you.
* Fever and flu-like symptoms – not man flu but proper body aches and chills nausea and inability to function, but you still need to function while caring for and feeding above said gremlin who is the only one allowed to begrudgingly touch your burning boobs round the clock.
Treatment
*Medication – Antibiotics and pain relief – Mastitis can come on and turn bacterial very quickly, so see your doctor as soon as you can. If you have had mastitis that needed medication within the first few months of breastfeeding, I’d recommend that you discuss keeping a scrip for an antibiotic treatment at home as you don’t want to start having symptoms late one evening on the weekend you can get onto of it quickly before it takes hold if you can’t get to your doctors quickly
*Feed more frequently – The last thing you want to do but one of the most effective ways to do
* Rest – Haha good luck with that one
* Use heat pack and cool pads alternately
* Gently massage your lumps towards the nipple while feeding (sometimes an electric toothbrush can help)
* Drink plenty of water.
* Cabbage leaves are often recommended and seem to help – don’t ask me how or why but maybe just to make you look stupid so you feel even worse
* Don’t put breast milk on it as seems to be recommended for everything baby-related for the first year. It doesn’t work.
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so presumably, mastitis should make you stronger as you feel like your close to death while going through it
Enjoy breastfeeding and finally YOU ARE AMAZING
