Dear Geraldine,
My baby is 2 weeks old and I am on my third course of antibiotics for mastitis! My husband says that I should give up breastfeeding as he can’t stand to see me is so much pain, but I really want to breastfeed my baby – my mother breastfed 4 of us for nearly 18months each! Please tell me what I should do as I can’t seem to shift this lump/mastitis and I can’t cope with the pain for much longer.
Poppy Gehl Surrey
Hi Poppy,
Your baby is still very young, which means that you are still very new to mothering. It is such a pity that you have discovered your first steps to mothering through a cloud of pain, but I am pretty sure that we can guide you all the way to the ‘silver lining’.
I just want to clarify that you are on your third course of antibiotics for one bout of mastitis which has not cleared?
There are a few of things I would need to know, for instance, does the lump in your breast get bigger and smaller during the day – say before feeds and after feeds? Is the mastitis/lump still in the same area in the breast or does it stay in one breast but move to different areas? Does your GP know that the antibiotics aren’t helping to clear the infection – or have you seen 3 different GPs?
If the lump or inflammation is variable during the day and is moving to different parts of the breast, it sounds like you are not draining the breast properly – so check your positioning and attachment. Make sure that you are drinking enough water to ensure your milk is not getting too sticky and leading to blockages and blocked pores.
If the lump/mastitis is still in the same area that it was when you originally went to the doctor, I would suggest that you ask to go for an ultra sound. Sometimes the inflamed area can close off and become a capsule – either containing milk or puss – due to the infection. If you have developed a capsule of fluid/abscess, you will need to have this drained before it is resolved and you can continue feeding.
I would also recommend that you have this checked out by a Breastfeeding Specialist for a second opinion, as I can only advice you on what you have told me.
Either way, it is possible to enjoy breastfeeding – pain free breastfeeding. To summarize, you either have recurring mastitis – due to poor drainage or possibly even over supply, or you have developed a fluid containing capsule which is preventing you from healing completely.
I hope this has given you some fresh insight. Please drop me a line and let me know how you get on.
Geraldine
