Breast abscess

[kassa]

Hi,

With my son I breastfeed him for 3 weeks and was admitted into hospital with mastitis for 7 days and I continued to breastfeed through the mastitis.

Once I was home I continued to breastfeed and got sick ago within about 2 weeks and ended up back in hospital and this time I had mastitis with a breast abscess , on the first day in hospital they drained the breast by needle aspiration and it was done under a general anesthetic and got 300 mls of puss out. (At that stage I stopped breastfeeding.) The next day the abscess returned to the original size and they decided to operate and had my breast cut and drained. I was well for about 3 weeks and the breast abscess decided to return and after that I had my breast drained by needle aspiration under sedation about 6 times. ( I was not well for about 12 weeks).

While I was pregnant I went to a breastfeeding class and also had a lactation consultant come to see me in hospital. I had a few latching on problems to start with. My son was also 3 weeks preemie and I don't know if that had anything to do with the problems we had.

My questions to you, will this happen again.


Regards
Kerri

[Pinky McKay]

WOW! Kassa, what a devastating experience for you.

It isnt often that mastitis gets that serious and I cant suggest what may have caused it but I am sure you are frightened by this in regards to breastfeeding another baby. You may also have some grief around being so ill that you stopped breastfeeding before you wanted too.

Masitis is usually related to breastfeeding management - engorgement that wasnt managed well, a bug that may have been picked up in hospital perhaps from a breastpump, missing feeds, incomplete drainage of breasts or overdoing it too soon which in turn can affect your immune system at such a vulnerable time.

It is important to recognise the symptoms early - any red swollen patches on your breasts or if you feel as though you have the flu at any time you are breastfeeding, even if you have no breast symptom - and seek treatment promptly ( empty the breast and rest!! and also see a doctor who may prescribe antibiotics).

Please inform yourself about breastfeeding by reading up before your next baby and get all the support you can in place before you have a baby - both breastfeeding support such as a lactation consultant and ABA membership and also household support so that you can rest as much as possible in the early days.


Pinky