Anyone Have Home Remedies for Mastitis?

I'm guessing you might not be getting this until the morning,(i am checking my email late tonight) anyway I have some tips for you. I just had my first baby a year ago, but had a few issues breatfeeding. I cleared it up and made sure not to let it happen again because it was painful and I had all the same symptoms as you come on within hours.
So first off I would make sure to keep your nursing pads changed often enough (just to keep things extra clean) and if you for some reason dont have time to shower each day make sure to clean your breasts well with a warm washcloth (this may be helpful to do a few times a day either way if you are having a lot of problem)

The big thing that helps to keep your milk from clogging and having any of these other problems, as well as being healthy for you and your baby is LECITHIN. You can find this at a natural food store or any store that sells vitamins. They have it in different forms, I bought the one that was in a tall canister and looks like little chew-able granuals. You mix about 2 tablespoons with some yogurt and eat it up. It tastes yummy plus after taking this I had no other problems. Are you getting white spots on the ends of your nipples? I had this a few time and I carefully popped a small hole in the end of the white part with a sharp clean needle. then just kept it very clean every time I fed and massaged it.
IF your not already doing so a hot bath helps sooth some of the pain and massaging your breast and in case of clogging I rub the nipple with a wet washcloth. I would make the water as hot as you can stand it. I would try all this before taking antibiotics if you can avoid them, but if not then be sure to take some pro-biotics to replace all that the antibiotic kill off. These are safe as well for you and your baby. I hope you are feeling better and please let me know if you have any questions about the Lecithin. It will definitely help I hope you give it a try. You are welcome to call if it is easier than emailing ###-###-####

Oh my gosh! You should have called your doctor the SECOND you started feeling like it was coming on!!! I experienced mastitis 3 months in a row with my 2nd child and it is HORRIBLE!!!! I don't know how you've managed for 48 hours!!
Bless your heart!! And your boobie!!!

Ok -- have you heard of the green cabbage remedy?? You take a green cabbage leaf, blanch it in hot water so that it becomes more bendable then place it right on your breast and hold it there for a time. There's something in the cabbage that draws out the infection. In fact, here's a website with a great article: http://www.newscientist.com/backpage.ns?id=mg19426042.300

Other than the cabbage leaves and hot towels, you're best bet is to take some Tylenol to handle the fever and pain and help you function a little bit. But you need to rest, get on those antibiotics and keep nursing on that side...even though it hurts like the dickens!!! I'm not one to take medication unless it's ABSOLUTELY necessary, and girl...this is one of those times.

Hang in there and good luck!!

A.

P.S. -- Make sure you are staying away from caffeine and aspertame. Drink LOTS of water and some juice for the extra vitamin C -- but stay away from soda, crystal light and anything else that has artificial sweetener. I kid you not...I attribute my mastitis to drinking crystal light. Once I cut it out, I never had it again. It's not just a coincidence -- I cut it out of my diet for a few months, then had a glass for dinner and THAT NIGHT felt the pain in my breast. I woke up totally freaked out and knew IMMEDIATELY why it was happening. I drank a ton of water, put hot towels on my breast and massaged the crap out of it...and it went away by the morning. It sounds crazy, but it's true! Anyway, good luck and take care of yourself!!

I struggled with plugged ducts and mastitis. Your case may require antibiotics, but in the future, when you feel either one coming on, REST. That is vital. Then you can also try poke root tincture, lecithin and a homeopathic remedy I can't recall because I never tried. And if it's a plugged duct that has not gotten infected, warm, wet compresses. I had my first plugged duct abcess and require a visit to the surgeon. After that I had a case of mastitis that required antibiotics. Since then I have had several other cases that I was able to treat on my own with the above remedies and, mostly, vigilance! Good luck.

You can take ibprophen it will help with the swelling and your fever. Also i know it may sound strange when nursing on that side with the problem, place the babies nose in the direction of that duct this causes suction in that area and helps draw it out. If it is an underside one you can still do it you just have to get a little creative. Also use a heating pad and massage it gently. You may your pump in the shower if it is a hand pump. Let the hot water flow on your breast and pump again kinda doing like the babies nose just placing the top portion of the handle in the direction of the duct.

Keep up the loving work of breast feeding. It can be tough but well worth it for you and baby. In this case you will probly need antibiotics but all the rest of this will help it go away faster.

Hi M.!
I have the same problem but no fever and its been going on for years and the dr does'nt seem at all concerned it will get big and i do have a bit of stinging pain then it pops and its gross... Alot of times it wont pop until i have put hot compresses on the area, try that i hope it helps.

Good luck!!!

Mnandy- There is a difference between a plugged duct which there are home remedies for and there is Mastitis which you have to get antibiotics for from your doc to clear it. It will not go away on its own. I would get a hold of your doc right away and be seen. You will need to continue nursing for either one. Massage your breast gently also.

Hi M., It has been a few years since I bresatfed my babies but I found the best book. It is called the Nursing Mothers Companion. It was the best resource and gave great advice for mastitis. Anyway my advice is to use a warm wash cloth on your breast. Then find the lump and work with your fingers from the outside of the lump inwards towards your nipple. You need to keep at this and always work inward towards the nipple. Kind of roll your fingers almost like you are playing a scale on the piano. It worked for me. Good luck.D.

I had a similar situation when my now 12-year-old son was born. The best thing you can do is get some Recovazon gel - it's an all-natural topical formula that will relieve the pain as well as help you recover from this issue. I don't believe that anti-biotics are good for anyone - they kill everything in you not just the bad stuff - a better thing to do is to give yourself the right nutrition to support your immune system so that your body can fight the infection without anti-biotics. The Recovazon also comes in an oral formula that you can safely take along with using the gel. There is also another product (Arcozon) that has anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal properties that will help boost your immune system and get rid of infections. If you are interested in more info you can visit my website at shootingstarherbs.amazonherb.net or feel free to contact me.

M. ~

You poor sweetheart! Mastitis is a serious condition that requires antibiotics. I had it nine times in the 12 months I nursed my son and had to go knocking at my ob's office each time. I knew it was serious because my temp flew up past 103 - and I don't run fevers! Chances are good you won't have my recurrence nightmare on your hands (I sure hope not!), but get yourself in to see your doctor, start the antibiotics and get yourself a good heating pad. And don't let it scare you out of nursing - it's worth it!

~ R.

*epilogue* I nursed my daughter a year and a half later for 12 months as well. That first month I felt like I did at the onset of each of my episodes of mastitis and thought, "Oh, no, can I possibly have to go through this again?" I immediately put the heating pad on it and increased my fluid intake. Thankfully, that took care of the clogged duct and it didn't go any further. I'm happy to say that I was mastitis-free the entire year!

I know this is late but for future reference a doctor told me to use a cold yellow cabbage leaf. Not purple but the yellow or green and it has to be cold.