Extreme Breast pain

I am exclusively BFing Jesse and he is 8 days old now. I am in soooooo much pain. All of a sudden today, the top part of my breast started to hurt, so I was massaging it and trying to see if that would help. Then I did a hot compress, more massaging and nursed Jesse 3 times in a row to see if he could relieve it. Nothing! it has actually gotten worse. Now the pain is at the top part and on the side. I'm not engorged at all, it's mostly emptied out by Jesse. I think I am going to pump and nurse back and forth, maybe I can pump out the pain?? lol. I'm at such a loss and never had this with my first son. I tried to lay on my left side to nap and it hurts worse, and to even move my arm in that direction is excruciating. I am going to try to take a hot shower and then my midwife said to try putting a cabbage leaf in my bra? And try some sage tea. I will try it!
Also, my lower back is hurting again, my pelvis is sore and popping out of place, I have the chills a bit, but no fever, and my neck is sore. I am a little nauseous as well and can barely eat. I am not sleeping much anymore, I'm exhausted and now I am venting and complaining! Today is not my day. And after the little incident with Jesse choking and not breathing yesterday, I'm just on edge and freaked out. I just keep crying and although I feel okay to do things around the house, I have decided to stay in bed today.
Anyone have any advice or just encouraging words? I'm losing my mind and have no clue why.

[meiram]

Maybe mastitis?  Google that and see if the symptoms match what you are describing.  Make sure that you don't have a fever, and you should probably call your midwife/doctor again if you don't get relief soon.  Pain in a specific area of one breast does not sound normal to me.  Hope you feel better soon.

[chantal21]

Thanks for answering so quickly. I googled it and I do have most of the symptoms. If it doesn't let up by tonight, I am going to call my midiwfe. The aches and chills are common symptoms, and it is swollen as well. I am going to take some motrin and then try some things to relieve it. It is really painful. I was reading that it's best just to nurse as much as possible right now to relieve it. I hope it goes away soon.
I checked my temp, and no fever yet. I will check it again soon to make sure.

[mum2beagain]

Another quick tip try nursing him so that his nose is pointing at the sorest bit of your breast, for me it worked like a treat even though I sometimes had to lie or have the baby in an odd position to achieve it.

[chantal21]

Thanks. Actually my midwife had mentioned to make his chin point in the direction of the pain?? I would have to nurse upside down! LOL I have no clue.

I now have a fever...keeps going up then coming back down. I get the chills then I'm hot. This is nuts. If it's not any better by tomorrrow, I have to call my doc. I'm so frustrated. And it's just my left breast...I've been pumping my right breast and only nursing Jesse on the left at the moment since he seems to empty me better than my pump. I did try to pump once on the left side after he nursed, but I didn't get anything out.

[mum2beagain]

Chin, nose, it's all the same! Basically so the strongest part of the suck is directed at the sore bit. It really does sound like mastitis though, I'd get to the doc today if you can, especially as you now have a fever, you need antibiotics I would think.

[sweetangel7]

Hope you are feeling better...I wrote a long post about thrush but i must have forgot to hit post comment!!!!!!

Sounds like mastitis since you have the fever but please be wary of ductal thrush too!  I ihad it and it was excruciating!  If you need more thrush info I can send you some...wish my first post went through yesterday!!!!  I felt so bad for you!!!  I wrote immediately!  

Hang in there!

[chantal21]

Thanks girls. Mum2beagain...that would make sense!! =)

sweetangel, It's ok. I've had that happen before. My doc is going to treat it like it's mastitis and I am now on an antibiotic. I have a fever of almost 103 and my cheeks are extremely red, itchy, and hot. He said if the antibiotic doesn't clear it up, I would have to have it drained?!? oh my gosh, that sounds so scary. I hope this works!!!
He didn't mention thrush though. Wouldn't I have nipple pain if that was the case? Could you send me some info on it? My mom had it and she said it was extremely painful to nurse the entire time! I don't feel that way though. It relieves it when he nurses, but then builds back up a bit. It's only painful if I touch it. Hot showers feel good and hot compresses. I just hope it goes away soon. I just can't get a break!

[NicMom]

Chantal I had mastitis in both breasts and then after that cleared I got thrush so unfortunatly I can give advice on both. Thrush gives you a sharp pain in the nipple during and or after nursing. You know how mastitis hurts and aches, well thrush is a sharp OH MY GOD pain.

If it was thrush the baby would have it also so a quick check of his mouth should tell you if he does.

[chantal21]

Thanks Nicole! I am thinking it's not thrush then...no nipple pain whatsoever. Jesse's tongue looks a tad white though..I wonder if that's normal or not? It's not a lot just a little. I have to go back to see the doc on friday and Jesse will have his first appt. then, so I am hoping things clear up by then. Either way, I am on the antibiotic now and hoping it helps. I've just been breaking out in sweats lately which I think is lowering my fever now. I haven't felt this bad in 2 years.

[meiram]

Since you are now on an antibiotic, you might want to consider asking the doc about taking a probiotic.  I had to have an antibiotic after my c/s and both baby and I got a bad case of the runs.  His ped said that if I took a probiotic then ds would also get some from my b/m.  Of course, you will want to ask your own doc about this.  

[tiredbuthappy]

acidophilis to hopefully prevent thrush

[chantal21]

yea..both my midwife and doc said to start on a probiotic. My doc said to wait until closer to the 5th-7th day so the antibiotics do their job first...but does it really matter when u start it? my midwife suggested I also sprinkle a tiny bit on my finger and let Jesse have a tiny bit as well so he is not affected in a negative way. (I guess so it gets to him faster?) I suppose i could even pump and give him a bottle with a little bit of it as well.
I have to say...I feel so much better. my fever broke, just sweating a lot now...and the flu-like symptoms are just about gone, just have a very sore neck now. Breast is still a bit tender though, but not as bad when it first started.

[NicMom]

I'm glad to hear your feeling better!

[meiram]

I also heard that you can get the powdered form and put a little on your nipple when you nurse.  I didn't try it because the kind I got tasted nasty and I didn't want my son to have any negative associations with nursing.  Glad you are feeling better.  

[chantal21]

Thanks! Yes, I think the antibiotics are finally working! My breast isn't nearly as sore as it was. It's kinda itchy now where it was really hard and it's beginning to soften up now. I have the pro-biotics where you can open the capsule and it's powder inside. So what I did was put a tiny bit on my finger, gave it to Jesse, and then immediately nursed him. He was actually okay with it, thankfully. We'll see what the doc says on friday. Hopefully it's good news!!