This morning, Maddi woke up at 4.45am for her first feed. After feeding for 15 minutes, she went back down to sleep. Me, however, couldn't sleep. I had shooting pains in my left breast! I pumped, thinking maybe it would get rid of the pain. Normally, I could pump at the highest vacuum level and get 2.5 oz in 10 minutes. This time, I could only handle the mid level and only pumped an ounce after 15 minutes. It did, however, relieve me of some pain. I went back to sleep.
Maddi got up for her 2nd feed at 8.40am and after feeding on the left breast, the shooting pains came back! While Maddi went back down for another couple of hours, I got on the phone with my community nurse and then my doctor's office. The nurse suggested I take a hot shower. Dr. Wenner said I should come in to see her. Uh oh... is it serious?!
The hot shower helped. And the sharp pains sort of went away. When I got to the doctor's office, just one look and Dr. Wenner said, "you've got mastitis!" She said it's lucky I caught it early and went to see her right away. It's in the beginning stages but can progress quite quickly. She put me on antibiotics for a week and told me to rest, drink lots of fluids and get a cabbage - you know what it's for, it's perfectly shaped! I asked if it's the underwire bra that caused it. She said, "Maybe. But most likely, it's not getting enough rest and not taking in enough fluids to keep up with Maddi's feeding. Milk thickens and then eventually blocks the ducts and that's when mastitis happens." Well, I think we know what the culprit is - that night that I stayed up till 3am! And also not remembering to drink while we were busy being out and about on the weekend... because I am normally very good with drinking half a bottle of water every time after I feed.
Tonight's another early night, the whole family is going to bed at 9.40pm, although Maddi fed a couple more times and didn't sleep till 11pm.
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