Could it be Mastitis? :-(

I need some advice - I'm in a lot of pain right now. I need to know if you think I'm developing a breast infection so I get it treated asap. My symptoms are -
Sudden onset of pain just yeserday;
Pain and sensitivity especially when breast is full;
Concentrated pain on the left side of left breast; other is fine;
Pain when removing milk, that becomes a little less painful when breast is close to empty;
Don't think I have a clog as I've had one before and this is different - i don't detect a lump, but am apprehensive to prod too much as it hurts to do so;
I am tired and drained as I express at 3 am, always seem to get to bed late, and am up early taking kids to school. I would say I average 5 hours sleep a day. I wonder if I have brought this on myself. I occasionally nap but then feel bad I have not done enough housework. 3 kids can create a very untidy house very quickly. Well I had a day off housework yesterday, and normally supportive and caring, my fiance had a go at me about the house. So now I am stressed out as we aren't talking right now - I got mad that he had a rant at me when I am trying my best. He is 100% pro breastfeeding but does that to me. I am juggling 3 kids, a pumping schedule, and he says ''well you're home all day!!...''
Sorry, I know I'm ranting. :-(

Any advice on how to 'survive' this (the infection, that is, lol) would be very helpful.

[tiredbuthappy]

oh no :(
your post made me weepy because i feel for you...

I personally would see a doctor if your symptoms haven't resolved by today. Or a LC. When I had mastitis, I called my dr and told him my LC said I had mastitis. He was willing to accept her diagnosis and prescribed me antibiotics by phone.
mastitis would be accompanied by fever (i think). when I had mastitis, it knocked me on my butt. It felt like the flu. Fever, body aches, exhaustion.  It may be a clog, which can quickly develop into mastitis, so we need to get it cleared. Since the pain is concentrated on 1 side, i would be inclined to say it's a clog, perhaps you can't feel it. Or it may be a partial clog, so there is some draining but not complete which is why you get some relief.

I know massage probably hurts, but if possible try to massage before and during a pump. You can take motrin to help with the pain. Try warm compresses or a hot shower before pumping. Pump as much as you can.

My trick for clearing clogs (worked every time last time I pumped once I discovered it) was to use the cheap manual pump that comes with the pump in style. The one that looks like a bicycle pump. That bugger can suc.k anything out! I also think it helped because you can control the suction and do long, hard pulls. I would never use it regularly to pump (ouch!) but anytime I felt a clog, I would pull it out and have success. This time around, I have only had 1 clog (knock on wood). Since I had recently discovered it, i tried using my other, gentler manual, the harmony. That was strong enough to get this clog out. I wouldn't turn up the electric pump, as that can hurt and be too fast.

[KATE535]

Thankyou for the supportive words, it means a lot :-)
I am very tender still but I think it's getting better (knock wood :-) ) you may be right - it is probably a clog. I forced myself the last few pumps to massage and compress the sore area and I think it has been working to relieve what was wrong. My fiance got the boys ready for school, made me a hot water bottle for my breast and generally pampered me this morning. What a difference in two days!! I was terrified of developing Mastitis - my sister said it's about 80% as painful as labour :-0 ... but she also said I'd be stricken with flu if I had it, but I wasn't.
Can't wait for a little lay-in tomorrow!! :-)

[Super_sally888]

Oh, you may want to try skipping the 3 am pumping so you can get some more sleep.  This does mimic what a baby does.  As they get older they stop drinking at night and go longer between feeds.

You may find you get extra in the morning, as a result, also helped by more rest.

You need to get a bit more rest as lack of rest can definitely contribute to mastitis.

[tiredbuthappy]

Not to contradict Sally, but definitely wait until this problem resolves to skip that pump. Many women find they get more clogs when they start skipping pumps. However, once this is clear, I am a big advocate of skipping pumps IF you make sure to totally empty each time. Otherwise, you may get more clogs. That would mean pumping longer each time. But to me, it's worth it! I pump 3 times/day- 50-60 minutes in the AM and PM, and 30 minutes during the day.

[KATE535]

I am still too set in habit to ditch the 3am yet. I even wake naturally around 3 and though tired I cannot sleep as it is on my mind I need to get up. It usually suits because I spend 30 - 40 mins pumping and take the feed straight up to baby at 4 am. She goes straight back to sleep and goes til 8 - 9 am without waking. She sleeps the night in that respect. She's been doing so since about 6 weeks old because of my routine to pump at 3am and feed her afterwards. If I skip the 3 am, I am also worried I will need to spend a long time pumping in the morning. That would be so inconveinient with how busy I am in the morning. I plan to stick at this bfeeding for a year (til she's 1).
I am going to start getting to bed earlier I think :-)

[nicole179]

i know this is kinda off topic from mastitis, but what do you have for a pump? just wondering because i pump exclusivly and am back to work, so i was worried that my breaks weren't going to be long enough to pump, but even after not pumping from 11p to 7a i am usually done in abotu 10 minutes.  i'd say that is a normal length pump session for me, unless i hook up in front of the tv at night and i might sit for 30 minutes just to give a boost in supply once in awhile.  i pump at 7a, 1130a, 2p, 7pm, 11p for about 10 minutes each, my son is 4 months now.  i am using a medela hospital pump at home a medela pump in style at work, they empty me right out, fast!

[tiredbuthappy]

Nicole- I use the pump in style advance. 10 minutes is a very short time to pump, especially with fewer pumps, but if it works for you and you have no supply issues or clogs, then I don't see why you can't continue. If you notice your number of ounces diminishing, then you can always lengthen the time. I just pumped 10 minutes and got 8 ounces (still going). i'm still trying to freeze a bag or 2 a day, and I am worried about what may happen to my supply if I cut back. However, since I'm only pumping 3 times (somedays i do throw in a little extra one), that wouldn't be enough. Plus, I would never turn the pump off while milk is still flowing, and it definitely is. 30 minutes would probably be sufficient, but I wouldn't have extra to freeze.

Kate- i actually did that for a while too. Then I decided that I was crazy =P  But if it works for you, then great! When I decided that I needed to sleep more, I would leave a bottle of expressed milk at room temp next to me when I went to bed and would feed it to her whenever she stirred in the night. I'm a very light sleeper, so she would never fully wake, just rouse enough for the feed. The milk has always been good. Last time my DD slept even longer stretches, and sometimes my milk would be out for 10-12 hours and it would still be good, especially since the room is cooler at night. One of the reasons I stopped waking, pumping, and feeding was because I was afraid I was training her to get up and eat during the night when it wasn't necessary.

[KATE535]

Unfortunately for me, the reason I never really get ahead of her is because one of my breasts has problems in producing milk - it has always performed badly at bfeeding. Even pumping the same time etc, as the other, it still struggles by comparison. I get at the most 2-3 ounces from it in the morning, but as low as 1 and half ounces at each pump the rest of the day- so my other breast (the one currently having problems) does all the work getting 4 ounces at each pump and 5 in the morning. She consumes all the milk and still occasionally requires a formular once every 48 hrs. 30 ounces a day aint bad though :-). I have inv. nipples so have never managed latching (except somehow succeeded for her first ever feed :-) I am pro-breastfeeding regardless and so pumping has been a must for me. But if righty were more normal like lefty I would be doing very well at getting ahead. My fiance says i'm still doing great under the circumstances - he's very proud :-) I envy you ladies pumping so much :P I'm still proud I'm doing quite well.
Hey, I just realised we are all proud pumpers on this post and here we are breastfeeding our babies despite problems with nursing. I think we deserve a pat on the back - pumping, breastfeeding, bottle sterilising, most would not be prepared to do all that work :-)

[KATE535]

btw, I use medela - it's cheaper original 'medela electric' one - don't have a manual, or a double pump. It takes me 15 mins each side to be fully drained.

[tiredbuthappy]

30 ounces a day is excellent, especially considering you have a milk dud.

I agree that it's very impressive that there are so many pumpers around here. I honestly could not have done it either time if DH wasn't supportive. He has to do so much more around the house because I am often tied to the pump. He also does a lot of the washing and such. I'm glad your fiance is so supportive as well. Obviously, i feel very strongly about breastmilk. Otherwise i would not be torturing myself daily and losing so much sleep to do this! I'm actually scared to stop pumping because my little one's reflux is so bad. Everything I read said breastmilk is the best thing for babies with reflux because it's easily digested and empties out of the stomach faster. Seems like my original goal of 6 months + has been extended since she is still having so many issues.

[nicole179]

so funny, my right has been a dud pretty much too!!  but then randomly 2 weeks ago it started keeping up with the left one! so now i get 4-5 oz on each side, i'm so happy!!!  on the weekends when i am not working i try to get one or two lounging 30 or 40 min pumps to give a boost, but then all of sudden it had the affect i was going for, boosting production.  in the past i would only see the left production boost, i just hope it stays flowing on both side now!!  point being it might come around!  it took my dud 4 months, have faith she may surprise you some day, lol

[KATE535]

That's good to hear! I hope that will happen to me some time too. That would really take me ahead of her with her feeds.

I'm pleased the clog (I think it definately was that) has cleared and expressing is pain-free once again.

Thanks for the tips and support ladies :-)