milk ducts

Breast feeding a 5 week old baby. For the past 3 days the right breast is swollen to 10 times the size of the left breast. The color of the skin is deep purple. The emergency doctor has given antibiotic is this enough treatment and how long will it take for the antibiotics to work?

[tiredbuthappy]

you should start feeling some relief in a day or so. OUCH! you must be miserable. sounds like a very bad case of mastitis. make sure you keep emptying your breasts as much as possible. antibiotics should work, but you also have get those ducts unclogged if they are still clogged. warm compresses and massage in the shower may help. for me, the handheld pump from the hospital always sucked clogs out too. it's the same thing that came with the medela pump in style- looks like a bike pump. i have read that some women try nursing in different positions as well to help get the clogs out.
good luck and i hope you feel better soon.

[Fourpaws]

It took me about 3 days to get relief and about a week for the lumps to go away. I hope you feel better soon. I know how you feel. Just keep pumping & feeding!!