Hi ladies.

I am mainly giving Abby (5 weeks tomorrow) EBM - which is going really well. In the last couple of weeks I have been expressing as soon as I can in the morning (which is usually about 9 or 10 ish - the first chance I get to sit down!) and then again between 2 and 6, and then again at about 10pm. i know this isn't the text book way to do it, but my boobs don't tend to get engorged, and I am pumping more than she needs (and freezing loads).

Lately though my boobs have been really painful (my boob - not the nipple) every hour or so they hurt for about 5 minutes and then stop. When they hurt it is really difficult to pick Aby up (makes me cry if I hold her for any longer than a few seconds) and it really stops me in my tracks - I struggle to even hold a conversation. The pain seems worse when Abby cries, oh and one boob always hurts when I have just started expressing the other.

The pain is like they are bruised all over AND have something tight against them (feels like my bra is too tight - even if I am only wearing a loose nightie or something). Sometimes I get shooting pains too - but these are nothing compared to the achy / bruised feeling. I don't have a temperature, and feel fine in myself. I have started taking ibuprofen regularly, which does seem to help a little.

I know it's not engorgement, as they hurt just as much after I express.

Any ideas ladies? I think I will have to give up expressing if things don't get better soon, as it is making it so hard to care for Abby properly, and I am beginning to resent it. I know that makes me sound like such an awful mother, and I do sooo want her to be getting breast milk - but I really can't go on like this.

Thanks very much!

Nx

see siany's thread "weird pains" do they sound like this??

I think you probably need to see a doctor - I had shooting pains during and between feeds with thrush and felt really bruised with mastitis. If it is either of those you'll need medication to help so best to get it checked out. I didn't seem engorged either time when I had mastitis, mainly just felt brusied and was a little bit red.

If the docs receptionist asks if it's urgent, say yes, it's affecting your baby's feeding - they seem pretty good at fitting you in if you say you think it's mastitis in my experience.

I might be wrong and it might be neither of these - I just know both can be painful but can also be helped relatively easily.

Hello,

Thanks for the replies girls - it doesn't sound like what Siany described. I will see the health visitor tomorrow so I will see what she thinks, Abby has had thrush so I guess it could be that (but no one told me I could catch it from feeding her).

I thought if it was mastitis that I would feel unwell in myself?

Ooh such a mystery.
Thanks again girls.

Nx

I didn't feel unwell at all the first time I had mastitis, and not for the first couple of days the second time, that's why I mentioned it because I think sometimes people think it can't be that cos they don't feel fluey. If LO has had thrush in her mouth you should both have been gicen anti-fungals really, otherwise you just pass it backwards and forwards between yourselves.
Like I said, I might be wrong, but I'd hate you to give up if you really want to breastfeed and the problems are somethng that can easily be treated.
Hope you feel better soon