Seeking Advice on How to Cure a Breast Infection

Hi, I had one and they recommended the heating pad, constant massage, and frequent pumping trying to empty the breat over and over. I took advil for the pain which helped and after about 3 days it got better.

I had several of them while I was breastfeeding my daughters. What the doctor told me to do was always start each feeding on the infected breast cause that will help draw it out. Also lots of massaging while in a hot shower helped too. Hope this helps you.

I had mastitis. It started with a little pain and I thought it was a clogged duct but within the next couple of days I got so sick I had a temp of 104 and was delerious. You need antibiotics to fix it or you could get very ill very fast.

I sent a response earlier that was wrong in the advice that I gave. I would like to thank Holly B for correcting me.For anyone that read my response I am very sorry that I was wrong and hope that I have not harmed anyone with my misinformation. I said to not breastfeed on the infected side and that was backwards. My doc had advised that I not do any feeding until I saw him later that day.I would like to say that I usually do make sure to get the facts before giving medical advice, I messed up this time and hope that in the future I can still be trusted because I really do care and want to help. Sincerly B.

Hi R.,

My best advice is to just wait it out. Drink lots of water, take something for pain if you need to (I used Ibuprofen) and rest if you can. The most important thing though is to keep nursing on the infected breast or breasts. It is painful but also the quickest way to relieve the infection. If it is in only one breast, I suggest favoring that breast when nursing as well. Continue the hot baths or shower and massage the breast outward as that should help also. I feel your pain (or have felt it!) and I hope you feel better soon. After reading other responses I just wanted to add that I had mastitis and did not take antibiotics to treat it (what I mentioned above got rid of it). It is a personal choice, I just don't like to take antibiotics.

E.

Go see a doctor! Mastitis is only cured by antibiotics!

Hi R.,

I have had this problem and I tried a few things before going to the doctor. One thing was pumping just a little to help the flow, or frozen pack on the breast for a few. It took a little while for it to get better for me. Good Luck, C.

URGH! I hate breast infections. I got them very frequently with my 2nd. Not sure why, but the more water I drank the less I clogged. Also figured out I was getting milk blisters on one breast. A telltale white spot, extremely sore to the touch, only on the spot, but felt better after nursing. The only thing that got rid of an infection was antibiotics. Once you have cleared the duct though it should subside after 12 - 24 hours. Mine took a while. Once the tissue swells it takes time to heal. Drink tons of water to flush out your system. At least 8 oz ever hour, more if you can. If it doesn't go away soon see your Dr.

You may need an antibiotic. See you doctor. Empty your breast each time. If you are still breast feeding, let your son nurse first, then pump it out. It's okay for them to nurse on a breast with an infection. Some antibiotics are safe during nursing too. Other than that, the heating pad, baths and hot towel compress massages are good.

Have you contacted the Laleche League? Sometimes they can be knowledgeable about things like this.

Have you tried putting cabbage leaves on your breasts? Although I've never had to use this remedy myself, I am told by friends that this works tremendously well. Apparently, you just rip the leaves off of the cabbage and put them in your bra until you see results.

This happened to me just recently. Yes, it is very painful, but I just made sure when I nursed my daughter that it was on that same breast, and that she "emptied" it completely after every feeding. It hurt so bad while she was nursing, but after 2 days it was healed. Goodluck, and keep the warm compresses on it.

MY FIRST BABY I BREAST FEED. MY DAUGHTER DID NOT LATCH ON RIGHT. SHE KEPT ON TEARING MY AREOLA IN HALF (OUCH!). I JUST USED BACTINE TO FLUSH IT AND THEN ANY OINTMENT. TRY TO KEEP IT DRY. IT WILL HEAL FASTER. TRY NOT TO WEAR A BRA. IF IT CONTINUES GO TO THE DR. YOU MAY NEED RX.

Hi R.,

That sounds like mastitis and it may be that you need to take a trip to your doctor to get some antibiotics. I had mastititis multiple times in the first couple months of breastfeeding my son and the antibiotics took care of it right away. You are still able to breast feed while on it. I applaud your efforts in self medicating and going the non-medicinal way but it looks like you may just need something stronger. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon! I know how painful it is!

A.

I had chronic mastitis for 6 weeks after my baby was born. I'd suggest antibiotics to get rid of your infection first, then there are many natural ways to avoid infections in the future. Keeping your breast as dry as possible (no wet breast pads)was a biggie for me. Also, taking soy lecithin helped me from getting new infections. Nurse from the sore breast first everytime you nurse to keep it unclogged. Take a look at this web site too. It was helpful for me when I was going through this. Much luck! http://www.llli.org/FAQ/mastitis.html

I had a breast infection (mastitis) with my first daughter and I was placed on antibiotics to help treat it. Because I waited so long to treat it, it became extremely painful and unfortunately caused me to stop breast feeding. I would make an appt with your doctor.

Hope this helps!

Hi R. :)
I saw your request on help with a breast infection and wanted to let you know about something I found that has helped me SOOO much. I'm so excited about it, I feel like telling the world but don't know of a way to do it other than finding the occasional person having the same problems I did with infections and clogged milk ducts. I've suffered terribly with them for 7 months until my chiropractor had an idea and wanted me to try out a natural colostrum tablet to see if it helped me in any way. I was shocked because it worked! The infection i had when i started it, was 3/4 gone the next day and gone entirely the day after that. I used to get one clogged duct every 2 weeks on average and when I started taking the tablets, they stopped. I got off of them twice (once to see what happened and once because I ran out) and both times one of my breasts started up again and when I took a couple tablets--the problem was gone the next day. :)
Anyway--just thought I'd let you know about it, cause I was worried that I would have to stop breastfeeding and now I feel confidant that I can continue until I'M ready and not because of my mishaving milk ducts lol
Here's the link to the tablets I use. They are organic and natural and of course, safe for nursing mommies. :)
http://www.cocoonnutrition.org/catalog/product_info.php/p...
Best of Wishes,
M.

I am hoping that by now you are feeling better... I suffered my fair share of clogged milk ducts but it sounds like you are doing all the right stuff. what you want to keep an eye out for is if you begin to feel sick to your stomach or get a fever, then you could be on the track to mastitis which needs antibiotics. Keep up with the heat, dont stop nursing on that breast, and keep massaging it.
Good luck to you!

I had a breast infection while I was breastfeeding my daghter whom is now 8. I had it so bad I was freezing even though I was infront of the heater and I had a temperature. The only thing that worked for me is to be put on antibiotics and the doctor also suggested I pump from that side but not nurse until the antibiotics were gone. I would call your doctor and see if you need to be put on antibiotics.

R., I read a lot of the responces and I would look into the cabage leaves before applying. I don't know what makes them effective, but I have always heard that cabbage leaves dry you out and if you want to continue breast feeding that will be a problem.

A nice hot shower and massage the affected area always helped me.

You need to get to the doctor right away. It sounds like you have mastitis (spelling?). You will need antibiotics for this and you will have to feed through it all. It will hurt like the dickens, but don't wait...get in now.

Good luck!

Hi R., I had a really bad breast infection and the thing that seemed to work was a very good breast pump, also the more you let your breast breathe, no bra, especially if your asleep, it helps to put a towel in case you leak, your doing the right things just keep on doing what your doing and don't give up!

are you sure its an infection? it could just be a clogged duct. i had that with both of my kids, and even though you feel like the clog is gone, it may still hurt for a couple of days. just keep doing what your doing with the hot water and massage. also, after you do that, puting a cold compress on it really helps. it helps the pain and helps to slow the flow of milk for a short while.

R.,

Visit www.kellymom.com

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/index.html

It will help you figure out if you've got a plugged duct or mastitis and give you info on what to do depending on what the problem is.

:-0Tera

As long as it is just a plugged milk duct (which it sounds like it is) continue to keep a hot pack on it and express milk from it every hour. If you have a breast pump I would suggest using that instead of manually expelling the milk. If, however, you start running a fever, have the shakes, cold sweats etc you no longer have a plugged duct but mastitis. Mastitis can only be cured with antibiotics so you will need to call your dr immediately. Hope this helps. I had a ton of problems with breastfeeding because I made so much milk and would get plugged mild ducts all the time (couple times a month). Sometimes it would get so plugged that it would take a couple of days of using a heat pack and pumping before the pain would go away completely. I ended up buying a pump and having to pump after breastfeeding then ended up exclusively pumping. If you have any further questions feel free to message me back. Good luck!

I had this same issue. Painful breast and hot to the touch....it made my whole body ache.

Here is the "cure" that worked for me. After nursing on the affected breast, saturate a breast pad with castor oil and apply then cover up for at least 3-4 hours. when ready to nurse on that breast again, remove pad and wash thoroughly before nursing. That's all it took for me. Worked like a charm.

Prevention - if you are prone to clogged ducts, I have heard to take lechithin supplements.

Hi. I have a 10 month old son and have had Mastitis 3 times since he was born. Do you have any other flu like symptoms? Fever? Chills? Is the area that is painful red? If so, you need to call your doctor ASAP so you can be put on antibiotics. If you don't have flu like symptoms and the area is not red, then in the next day or so the pain should go away if you got the duct un-clogged. Everytime I got mastitis after a day or so on the antibiotics I started feeling much better. Good luck!

Hi R.
I have had a clogged milk duct a couple of times. Keep up with the heating pad or a hot water bottle as often as you can especially before you nurse. Nurse your son often and each time you nurse start with the breast that is infected. Massage the area starting near your armpit and massage down towards the area out to the nipple. Get as much rest as you can and it should pass. I hope this helps.
S.