Hi there, new week and what a last 2 weeks it has been. It all started when it was a beautiful day (30 degrees) having lunch and a walk in the park and I started to feel a little weird and weak. The day went on and I started to feel cold, that was a not okay when it’s so warm outside, so I knew I was getting fever. Like every newborn mom it is normal that you have a lack of sleep, so I thought that’s it. I need to get more sleep, take some vitamins and all will be better. What also happened.
Well not a 100% but the fever went down, but the headache stayed. My nipples were hurting from the breast pump not knowing I was over pushing it for nothing. I can tell you to read the manual of your breast pump closely with all the options you have on them and choose which one feels good and comfortable for you. I had it on the strongest pump position what was too much for my nipples, and they were hurting badly. That pain became worse when I got the fever and on top of that I started to get this burning feeling in my breast.
A few days later in the middle of the night I woke up sweating and my fever was back again, the burning pain in my breast got even worse and I had to do the night feeding. That was my breaking point, that I was feeling defeated, frustrated and overwhelmed.
The next morning it was a Sunday, I started googling to find out about pain in the breast and what it could be, what are the symptoms and what do you need to do to make it better.
Breast infection symptoms are: 1. low to high fever
- headache
- shivering
- painful muscles
- painful chest
- vomiting
- red spots on the breast
This means your mammary glands are inflamed and therefore your milk has a hard time coming out. It is normal that your milk supply outcome will be lower. The infection mostly is in 1 breast, can be in both.
Treatment: the best you can do is to call your midwife or doctor and discuss a plan for how to treat it.
But what you can do right away is keep on going with pumping/breastfeeding. Pump/feed the “sick “breast always first so milk can come out. Try to warm your breast before you start so it is easier for the milk to come out. After feeding/pumping ice on your breast so the inflammation can calm down and the pain will be less. In any way DO NOT MASSAGE your breast.
I went to the doctor and got an antibiotic for a week. During this week you can keep on going with the breastfeeding/pumping but around 2% of the antibiotic will come into the milk, what will change the flavor of the milk a little bit. It is totally harmless for your baby, but in the future, there is a chance that your child could have an allergic reaction on antibiotics.
I didn’t like this thought and wanted to have a different solution. Because of the pumping I was building a little stack in the freezer, so I decided to use that milk over the week together with nutrilion milk. Keep pumping and then throw that milk away. It is only for 1 week. Everything can heal the milk supply stays up and when everything is clean again, I can go back to giving my milk for the rest of the time. Now she doesn’t get any antibiotics and there is no risk for the future.
It is hard to find good information so you can write to me if you have any questions, but again the best thing you can do is to call your midwife or doctor and plan with them.
I hope this gave some inside for new mommies or mommies to be. It can happen to anyone, you didn’t do anything wrong when this happens to you, it sadly happens to many moms. But do know there is a solution to it and you can keep going by giving your mother milk. For my that was the most important, in my breakdown I felt like I was failing, but YOU’RE NOT FAILING when this happens to you. You’re doing great and it is a lot to deal with.
Ciao >_<
Nikita Ramona
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