After breastfeeding Baby C for over 14 months, I had my first Mastitis yesterday, on my left boop. I felt pain on my boop early in the morning yesterday during my jogging session, especially when I lifted my left hand. The pain gradually intensified and by afternoon, it was unbearable. It felt tender and extremely painful when touched. I could not even carry Baby C with my left hand. I could feel a hard lump, as big or even bigger than a rambutan seed, inside my boop. No wonder my milk supply on the left side had dwindled for the past few days, but the real pain only surfaced yesterday. My left boop has always been the more active one, producing much more milk than the right one… for all my 3 kids.
The last time I had an extremely painful Mastitis was 5 years ago, when I was nursing Alycia. I can’t really remember how the duct was unblocked but it was unblocked after 1 long torturous night and day. It was so painful that I was in tears… I hardly cry when in pain! I tried the frozen cabbage method, hot compress and even cold compress. Somehow, it was unblocked again.
Anyway, last night I used an ice-cube, wrapped it in a hanky and put it on my left boop for about 15 minutes. It felt better when the ice-cube (without the hanky on) touches my boop directly. I also let Baby C suckle longer on the left boop. By 4 or 5am today, the lump in my boop could no longer be felt and the pain had also subsided, thank God!
If you are suffering from Mastitis, you can click here to read more about it and to find treatment for it.
Cold Cabbage can help too.
oh dear…hope you are all better now.
oh no, poor u. i’ve only experienced this once and it was during my confinement last year. had fever and all and i agree with you, it’s so darn painful!
didnt know cold stuff will help ease it…thanks for the advice coz i’m very scared to get this again. i had a blocked duct 4 months back and the pain is just as bad as mastitis, minus the pain. my girl doesnt latch on well which caused me much pain all this while! i’m used to the cracks that i get often already. sigh!
you poor girl. I can’t say I understand cos I never breastfed actively. Get well soon!