I’m around but right now I may be battling a case of mastitis what with the fever, body aches, fatigue and a boob that is apparently ON FIRE. So, you know, I’m busy with a crying, non sleeping child and I’m HOT but I’m cold and when is my doctor’s appointment again?
So, I thought you may want to look at a photo I took of Crooked Eyebrow’s daughter while I go and shoot myself in the face.
(UPDATED: IT’S MASTITIS. Antibiotics have begun…)
Oh no. Please let me know if I can do anything!!
Steph
I love this photo, it’s so her. Big eyes and tongue hangin out.
I hope your boob is better and soon. I wish I lived closer to help you. Thank you for taking this sweet ass photo of my baby.
I love you
xoxo
what a cute baby! i’m sorry your boob is on fire! i hope you feel better soon!
I just dealt with a lesser version of this (clogged duct), which in itself was an absolutely horrible 24 hours until we worked it out, so I understand. I hope you feel better soon.
ouch…i hope you feel better soon! sending lots of hugs to you!
oh man, i sure hope you start feeling better very soon
OHHHH OUCHEEE, 27 years ago I had a small breast infection while nursing my newborn. I was the sickest I have ever been! Fever and chills that made me bounce off the bed!!!
Get thee to some antibiotics! Get plenty of rest – You are ordered! kick up your feet and rest and love on that beautiful baby boy.
Get better soon….
TRICK…. I’ve had mastitis (sp?) so many many times…
HAVE THE BABY NURSE WITH HER CHIN NEAR THE LUMP. It works!!! If the lump is at the top of the breast then lay down and try weird ways of getting the babies chin directly from the lump. It’ll drain the clogged duct faster.
I fell you.
I have been going through the sane battles. I think three times since my almost 8 week old was born.
Whats helped me the most is warm washcloths, motrin, and drinking lots of water.
It will get better.
I seriously just got chills and instant boob pain reading your post. Call it clogged duct and mastitis flash backs. I battled both for 6 or the 10 months I nursed baby #3. Sooo painful and miserable. For clogged duct-try your best to unclog it. Have baby nurse in the area of clog. Warm compresses and let hot shower water run on it. I even squeezed and picked it to remove clog-with tears running down my face. Mine would be okay for a day or two and then return. It was just flat out miserable. Sounds like all your symptoms are mastitis and more than just a clog. Get to the Doc and don’t let it get any worse. You may need meds to clear it up. I have a very good friend that put it off and waited and waited and then needed surgery. The last thing anyone with a new born needs. Hang in there!!
Have a hot bath and hang for sore boob in the water then massage down as much milk as you can bear to. DON’T squeeze (you can make things worse by damaging ducts)! Just use the flat of your hand to push through the milk from the top of your breast tissue to the nipple. If you can actually feel a lumpy duct then massage in small gentle circles around that duct and encourage the milk to flow out. DO feed from the boob (painful as I know that is) and whilst doing so (with curled toes and tears probably) do the same as when in the bath ~ massage the milk out of the lump into Eli’s mouth.
I have a duct that repeatedly gets blocked when I am feeding ~ same duct, same boob, many times and this is how I cleared mine every time. It’s incredibly sore and you feel like … well really rough! But it is very often possible to clear it yourself. That said if things get worse DO head to the dr!!
Hope you are feeling better very soon.
Cx
Ouch! I remember those days…it really does feel like having the flue. And I hate to say it, but it’s usually because you’re doing too much. Sit down as much as possible, put your feet up, and drink Gatorade to get over it faster. And, yes, I *have* done this with three kids myself, so don’t even go down that road.
(In fact, I got the above advice from my friend who has 8 children.) Hope you are feeling better quickly!
Beautiful photo!
Not cool, boob. Not cool at all.
I hope it clears up soon and you feel 100% better!
I somehow manage to get mastitis every time I bring a baby home from the hospital. (Something about all the cracking and bleeding makes it easier for bacteria to get in. Go figure.) It’s absolutely the worst infection, way worse than any flu (in my opinion). If you haven’t already, call your OB and have them fax an antibiotic prescription to a local pharmacy.
Praying you feel better soon! Mastitis with a newborn is a double whammy. It shouldn’t be allowed. (Who do we talk to about that?)
*HUGS*
Now go get that cabbage leaf and call me in the morning…
Seriously. My friend swears the cabbage leaf, though stinky, draws it out when you put it in your bra. I don’t know if it really works, but it might be worth a try.
Sending prayers and good thoughts your way…
Oh no
I’m so sorry. I hope you’re better soon. ((((HUGS))))
I can feel the burn from here. Stay healthy and get yourself to the Dr. The big M is serious business.
Oh, mastitis is the worst. Be careful! Cabbage leaves really do help, btw.
That photo of Eden is amazing!
xoxo
Ow ow ow! I hope you feel better so soon!!!
Oh I am SO sorry to hear that! I had 4 cases of mastitis before my daughter was six weeks old. Well, technically 3 times but one was a DOUBLE infection and I am SO counting by the boob not by the “episode”. Much sympathy. Hot showers and massage help (of course for my double infection I was also sunburned – that did not go so well with hot showers!). Hope it is better FAST!
Super cute picture but OH NO for you…
I hope it resolves soon. And don’t shoot yourself in the face. That just won’t solve anything.
The cold / frozen cabbage leaves really do work. I didn’t believe it in breastfeeding class but when I got mastitis with my son, I tried it and it really does work. Green cabbage is better than purple for this for some reason.
Also worth a call to your OB though because they may want you to take antibiotics depending on your specific situation.
Hope you feel better soon.
That baby of yours is adorable. Congrats!
I love the photo but I am so sorry about the mastitis. I had it twice. It really, really sucks. I wish I could say something more. I will say….rest, rest and rest some more. You must, even if you don’t want to. It’s hard to do but it will help you to get better, faster.
Oh man! I JUST had mastitis for the very first time after nursing three children. I thought I was going to die! It began on a Friday night and I ended up in the ER for some antibiotics since I wasn’t going to make it until Monday. Once my frver spiked to 104 I knew I had to go…
Good luck and hang in there!
CE’s baby is getting so big. And she’s oh so very cute.
I hope your boobs are okay. I had mastitis with Troy and thrush (don’t get thrush, but you might from the meds they give you for the mastitis) and they both sucked.
Heaven help you. I had mastitis a few months ago. I thought I might die. I have not been that sick in years, maybe ever. Get yourself to the doctor for some antibiotics NOW!! Keep nursing. Start on that side each time even though it will make you want to jump off a cliff. It helps with the healing!!
You really need a break!!
Oh, no! I’ve been there … it is awful. You aren’t going to die, but man, it sure feels like it. I hope you’re feeling better even as I type this …
I hope you can get some rest and some peaceful, pain-free moments.
Feel better soon!!!
Ouch is right! I hope you feel better soon!
You’ve got a precious baby by the way. Stinking adorable.
Ouch!! I hope you feel better soon.
Oh honey, I’ve been there and it sucks. I’m SOOO sorry. Hope you got some good meds and fast!
Sweet Miss E… so beautiful!
Was going to tell you about the cabbage leaf trick but someone beat me to it. My neighbor tried it and it did help her. Hope you feel better soon !
Have your OB call in a script. They are usually very sympathetic to patients with mastitis. The quicker you are on that the quicker it will go away.
I’ve heard great things about cold cabbage leaves too!
I hope you get to feeling better.
I know it’s painful, and makes you not want to do anything… And I know not doing anything is not an option.
((hugs))
Aw, feel better!
ouch….that’s all i can say is ouch….and hope you feel better soon!
hope it gets better soon! great picture
Wow! I have been there before! Most pain of my entire life…I am writing just to say, please be careful, if the antibiotics don’t help within about 48 hours, PLEASE go back to your doctor. Mine was a horrible, horrible infection and I needed to have it drained which was again, awful. So please take care…don’t be brave and let it go.
I’m so so sorry! I’ve had three this year (and my baby is a year old!). I always forget with the antibiotics that it always seems to get worse before it gets better. Put your feet up and REST.
[...] Hi friends! I am going to keep this short and sweet since I’m not feeling too well tonight. [...]
Mastitis is the worst — the absolute worst. During the time that I have breastfed my 3 babes, I have had mastitis no less than 20 times. Totally not exaggerating. In my experience, the key is to get those antibiotics going the minute you sense the infection coming on — it greatly helps minimize the severity of the infection. Oh, the chills, the aches. Totally feeling for you. I wish you a good sleep and someone to help you out with your kiddos.
Cold cabbage leaves really do help!
I’ve never had mastitis, but my mom and sisters have.
Sucks.
Feel better soon.
Mastitis sucks. I had a constant battle with it during the first 6 weeks of my sons life, so much so that I had to have an ultrasound of my breast, and a cat scan of my incision, cause they couldn’t believe that I had a fever AGAIN! I saw the doctor 6 times in less than 6 weeks.
Yay for antibiotics…hope you are feeling soooo much better soon!
Hi Beth. Never posted here before but am a big fan of your website and your cause. LOVE the You Capture contest. Keep up the awesome work!
Hi Beth. Long-time reader, LOVE your blog and your cause. You Capture is awesome too. Keep up the good work!