Mastitis

Well, I am having my first (and hopefully last) experience with mastitis.  Yesterday afternoon, I was feeling particularly tired and had a headache.  My eyes hurt.  I assumed that this was due to the sleep deprivation.  I took a long nap.  After that, I noticed that I seemed a bit engorged on one side and that I was very tender.  I started reading about plugged ducts and mastitis, and I started really hoping that the problem was a plugged duct.  I had a mild fever of 100.4, but hoped it would not go higher.  I felt like I had the flu, except that I didn't have any nausea or vomiting.

We woke the babies up about every two hours last night to eat.  One of the best treatments for plugged ducts or mastitis is to feed them often.  Around 1 am, I took my temperature again, and my fever was up to 101.7.  I didn't want to let this go any longer, because it can quickly develop into something very uncomfortable, sometimes resulting in abscesses that need to be surgically drained (ew).

I called the SAS emergency clinic line, and they were able to get me a prescription over the phone.  Not only that, but there is a 24-hour pharmacy about 3 miles from us.  Poor Jason went out at 2 in the morning to pick up my antibiotics.  I started taking them as soon as he got home.

We continued to feed the babies every 2 hours throughout the night and today.  I have literally slept all day today, between all feedings except for the last one (and this one).  It has been such a blessing to have Keith and Lila (Jason's parents) here so that they can help him care for the babies while I've been resting.  I'm so grateful for their help.

The antibiotics are supposed to make me feel better within the first 24 hours.  My fever is still around about 100.5, but I'm hoping that by tomorrow morning the fever will be gone.