Help Start of Mastitis?

I always had more success with latching the baby on instead of pumping. A warm shower or bath will probably help too.

Warm shower & massage! Then nurse.

This may sound funny... but it works. Take a warm shower and massage your breast. Immediately out of the shower, lay baby/toddler down on their back then go above them on all fours. Allow your breast to hang for a moment, then have the child nurse in that position. Many times... between gravity, different position from suction force and the warm shower all help to loosen the start of the clogged duct.

Think milking a cow LOL They are on all fours when milked, just give it a try.

Why do you think it's Mastitis? Do you feel burning in your breast? Is it hot to the touch? Do you have a fever or feel ill?
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mastitis/DS00678/DSECTIO...

If you don't have these symptoms you may simply be engorged. You can sometimes feel hard nodules in your breasts when you're engorged or the entire breast might be hard as a rock. It can be painful. You can feel swollen and achy.

I don't know how old your son is.. my son is a week old -- so my breasts are hugely engorged right now, and feel rock hard when we go a while between feedings. This is my 4th child so I am used to it - to some extent.

I would get a warm compress and lay it on the breast, massage the breast where it feels tight - then I would try to pump again. When you pump - have your son nearby or a picture of him. Or go to a quiet undistributed place and think about your son. Milk let down is triggered by baby, lots of women have issues pumping.

I've had a lot of luck pumping one side while the baby nursed on the other.

If the pumping doesn't work I would offer him that breast several times in a row. Try hand expressing if you have to so that he can get a good latch. Sometimes when you get too engorged they can't get a good mouthful to latch on to. Try to help him get a good hold.

Hope that helps - sorry you're in discomfort.

Does the hospital where you delivered have a breastfeeding help line or lactation consultant? If so, call them.

I had a similar situation and this is what they recommended:
Put a warm damp towel on it and leave it there for a few minutes. Then massage with your hand. If you feel a hard lump that hurts (blocked duct), massage that part more. Make circular motions and also massage towards the nipple as if expressing milk. (A warm/hot shower may also help before pumping.) Then pump.
Pump for 10-15 min every hour (except during sleeping), for 24 hours. Basically, massage+pump as often as you can. And keep a cold compress on breast between feeding/pumpings.

In my case, after several sessions, I suddenly had a surge of milk and my breast felt better. I still pumped as often as I could for 24 hours.

In my case, the blocked duct was caused by a bad bra. Just something to keep in mind...

This web site may be helpful:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/mastitis.html

Warm shower, massage and buy some lecithin -- you can get granules at your local GNC that dissolve in water or juice. I bought apple flavored ones. Do the shower massage 2 times a day and massage it when in private. Keep trying to nurse/pump it. I avoided mastitis by doing this. I had the hard, lumpy, sore, turning red boob 2 times while nursing my son and avoided it (and the antibiotics that come with it) both times by doing that :) Best of luck!

When I had this problem, I would get a very warm (almost hot) washcloth and put it on the breast but include the nipple. Then I would nurse right after and it worked every time. It seemed like the nipple was clogged. Nursing helped better afterwards than pumping.

I didn't have this problem (I struggled with milk supply instead) but I have heard that heat and massage (like in a hot shower) or pumping more can help release a plugged milk duct. Is your breast hot, sore or reddish? Those are more signs of an infection (might need a doctor visit if it doesn't improve).