...And then she woke up with mastitis.

[rivka]

I woke up to feed the baby at 5am, and one of my breasts felt hugely, painfully engorged. I couldn't wait for her to go back to sleep after feeding, so that I could go downstairs and pump off the excess. But as I lay in bed encouraging her to quiet down, I started shivering - and then shaking, and then having my teeth chatter painfully. By the time she went back to sleep, I was shaking so badly that I could barely hold the pump. Michael piled blankets over me. They didn't help. He brought me some hot water to drink. That didn't help either. And for all that I felt so engorged, I was only able to pump about an ounce.

I tried to convince him that he should go to work and not worry about me. I pointed out that sleep deprivation led to problems regulating body temperature. For some reason, though, he was having none of it.

I got back in bed, still shivering so hard my muscles ached, and promptly threw up the small amount of water I had managed to drink. I took a couple more sips and threw them up too. My temperature was close to 100, and it wasn't even 8am. At that point, I didn't argue when Michael wanted to call the on-call midwife instead of waiting for the office to open.

The midwife confirmed what we'd both suspected: mastitis, or infected milk ducts. She called in a prescription for antibiotics and directed me to nurse as often as possible and to put hot compresses on my breast. Mercifully, once I started to warm up (huddled under a big pile of blankets), I was able to drink some water and keep it down - I had visions of going to the ER for IV fluids, and I didn't like them at all. Nursing doesn't really mix well with not drinking fluids. But I was able to drink some water, and then take my antibiotic and a fever reducer, and eventually I even felt like eating something.

Michael stayed home from work to take care of me and Alex, thank heaven. Also thank heaven, she's been unusually easy to care for today. She and I took a long nap curled up together on the couch, and now she's sleeping on her Papa's lap. I'm trying to nurse regularly, but I'm not doing anything else at all. Michael changes her and dresses her and brings me drinks, bless him.

I feel like death warmed over. I can't remember the last time I had a fever - I'd forgotten how awful and debilitating it feels. And the infected breast hurts like hell when I nurse. The midwife says I'll feel better in 24 to 48 hours. God, I hope so.

Comments

[fairoriana.livejournal.com]

Ow! I'm so sorry. I hope it clears up right quick!!!

[therealjae.livejournal.com]

Ow, ow, ow. That sounds *awful*. I'm glad it's something that can be easily cured with antibiotics. In the meantime, sleeeep.

*gentle forehead kiss*

-J

[oursin.livejournal.com]

Oh, how miserable - I do hope you feel better soon.

[ailsaek.livejournal.com]

Oh horrors. I hope the 24 to 48 hour estimate is accurate and you feel a lot better soon.

[eeyorerin]

Gracious. I hope you feel better. Glad that Michael's been able to take good care of both you and Alex.

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

Ow ow ow. Much sympathy.

[richtermom.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you're feeling so lousy, and I hope this blows over fast. However, on antibiotics they can get passed to the kid. It's not so much harmful as just treatable -- the antibiotics can give your baby diarhea and/or a yeast infection because of knocking stuff out of whack in her system. Check with your midwife if she'd recommend some active yeast cultures for you both -- a friend of mine was on antibiotics and her ped recommended putting in some acidophilus (sp?) into pumped breastmilk to counteract the antibiotics.

Squeaky ended up having thrush and bad diaper rashes a couple times when I had antibiotics, so if I knew then about the acidophilus stuff, I would have been on it hugely.

Good luck, though. I hope you feel better fast. Just concentrate on nursing and feeling better.

[tammylc.livejournal.com]

I second the suggestion on investigating acidophilus - the last thing you need is thrush on top of all of this!

I hope the antibiotics kick in asap and you feel better soon.

[ckd]

I hope you feel better soon. Kudos to Michael for taking such good care of you and Alex.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Oh you poor old thing!

Ow, ow. Sympathy.

If you have a hot water bottle, which you may not, being American, it can be very comforting both on the breast and at your feet for temperature regulation. If you don't have one, those chemical heating pads also work for a little while, though they need to be wrapped in something as they're too hot right away. Well, I suppose a hot water bottle would be too, unwrapped, but they have their own covers.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

Aww, sweetie, you're getting the full-on New Mother Experience, aren't you?

I vote for more of the blissful bonding stuff and less of the owie. Not that I get a vote, but still ...

[geekymary.livejournal.com]

I really know your pain. I had mastitis when Eddie was a few weeks old and I know how much it sucks. Which is to say, a lot.

If nursing hurts too much, pumping can be a little easier. Especially if you dial down the power on the pump.

Also, I found putting a really warm washcloth on my nipple before nursing/pumping helped a great deal.

I hope you're feeling better soon.

[windsea.livejournal.com]

Oh, hon, I'm *so* sorry. I had a bout of that too, and it was utterly, utterly miserable.

Thank god for modern antibiotics. It *will* pass. I'm so glad Michael's taking good care of you.

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

I pointed out that sleep deprivation led to problems regulating body temperature.

yes. but sleep dep does *not* lead to boob swelling.

feel better soon, you.

*Poor* Rivka! Sympathy...

[ailbhe]

Oh, dear, poor you! I'm glad you're doing nothing but nurse. I'm really glad you have someone to stay with you while you're sick; feverish and in charge of an infant is inadvisable if you can avoid it.

I repeat the advice to get chemical gel packs of hot, such as hiking pocketwarmers, because they last longer than compresses.

If you can bear it, it sometimes helps to massage the painful part of the breast outwards, towards the nipple. You'll be able to tell whether it's good pain or bad pain, like massage. And hot compresses while nursing helpa lot, too.

I only got mastitis once, and I've been nursing over a year now. And the only time Linnea had antibiotics, she had no bad side effects except mildly runny nappies. So chances are you'll be fine, once you've gotten over this bad bout.

And wait'll you see how pleased Alex is to get you back, once you're well again!

A.

[purplepaisley.livejournal.com]

Ouch! Yuck! So sorry you're dealing with this. Here's hoping you're feeling better tomorrow.

[edschweppe.livejournal.com]

Eeep!

Yayness for Michael, and healing hopes heading homeward...

[baratron.livejournal.com]

You know, this is a problem I've never had and never will have (I hope - I don't think you can get it unless you're breastfeeding an infant!), but my tits hurt just thinking about it. I imagine it is approximately 1 trillion times worse for you. So very gentle electronic *hug* token, to be dispensed when hugging is not actively painful.

[ex-helygen254.livejournal.com]

Ow. I hope you recover quickly.

[ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com]

Owowow! May you be well quickly.

[beckyzoole.livejournal.com]

Ouch ouch ouch!

You'll feel a lot better if that breast is fully drained. If you are up to standing in a hot shower, that might help the milk flow. I know it did for me. (I ended up with milk sprayed on the shower curtains, but it was such a relief, it was more than worth having to rinse them!)

[fourgates.livejournal.com]

Owwww. I hope you feel better soon.

[western-slope.livejournal.com]

Hope you feel better soon.

(And your husband sounds like a prince among men!)

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

*big non-hurty hugs offered* and a warm, soft blanky. I hope you feel better soon.

[wiredferret.livejournal.com]

Ouch!

You have all my sympathy. Mastitis was one of the more painful things ever to happen to me, but it did, as promised, go away very quickly when I started the antibiotics.

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Sweet Jesu... I only just now read this (just after noon Thursday). I hope you're feeling better today.

[boxofdelights]

Oh, poor Rivka! I hope you feel much better by now. You've been told about putting fresh cabbage leaves in your bra to relieve congestion, right? I know it sounds nuts but it seemed to relieve my clogged ducts, which I got a LOT. Some people suggest rolling them (the leaves, not the tits!) with a rolling pin to release the helpful chemicals.

I can tell you, even with small breasts, it's hard to support them while pumping so that none of the milk ducts is getting kinked. If you can feel a lump, express some milk by hand: stroke over the lump toward the nipple until it unclogs. Also, if you can feel a lump, nurse with Alex's chin pointed toward the lump, because that's where the strongest suction comes from. You may have to lay her flat and kneel over her. Remember, you and me baby ain't nothing but mammals.

Healing wishes for Rivka's breasts.

[boxofdelights]

And when you're expressing by hand use whatever cues promote letdown: baby crying? sniffing the baby's head? hot shower? You probably know all this already but you didn't mention it so I am mentioning it just in case.

[pickledginger.livejournal.com]

Ow, ow, ow, ow!

Best wishes for a swift and complete recovery.

[lcohen]

i hope this is all over with now, sweetie!