breastfeeding and antibiotics for mastitis?

[Monkeybrain10]

i've been to Dr who has given me antibiotics for mastitis...i have a v sore boob and feeling fluey, slight temperature. I'm reluctant to take the antibiotics as it says clearly that they will pass into the breast milk (ds is 3 weeks old). i feel rubbish but better with paracetamol and doesn't seem as bad as it can get (reading stories of pus etc). have been prescribed erythromicin as allergic to penicillin...does anyone know if there are risks to baby? (i had an emergency appointment this morn so Dr didnt have time to discuss). thanks.

[Pooka]

Tricky one.

But I'd err on taking the antibiotics. Mastitis can be nasty.

A friend ended up with sepsis, in hospital on antibiotic drip and requiring breast reconstruction.

Of course, in most cases the impact is nowhere near so severe. But it means that I've always been rather paranoid and keen to treat mastitis if it happened (luckily it didn't).

Take a probiotic as well. Compresses, hand expressing and warm baths can help alleviate symptoms as well. But do take care.

[leedy]

Have a look at the BFN factsheet on antibiotics, it's very reassuring (I have been on loads of them as pregnancy seems to both tank my immune system for nearly a year after the birth and makes my asthma kick off):
www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/dibm/antibiotics_and_Breastfeeding_oct_2013-%20wj.pdf

Basically no ill effects to baby other than being a bit farty.

I really wouldn't mess with mastitis if your doctor thinks you need them, untreated infective mastitis can get very unpleasant. Agree with Pooka that you should take a good probiotic as well (I like Udo's Choice Super 8) and you can get a baby probiotic (again from Udo's) to give to baby as well - just dip a clean damp finger in it and let baby suck it off. Also ibuprofen is probably better than paracetamol for helping it clear as it's an anti-inflammatory and will get swelling down faster. Get well soon!

[mrsmugoo]

I second taking a probiotic. I got thrush after taking ABs for mastitis and it was a thousand times more painful!!

[RedKites]

Breastfeeding network page on antibiotics is hopefully reassuring Also kellymom page on mastitis mentions various self help measures and has some guidance on when antibiotics are advised, but if you are considering not taking them, could you ask your dr for a phone consultation? There might be particular reasons he/she thought you should have them?

[RedKites]

X-posted with everyone else...

[chemenger]

I ended up with an abscess which looked like something out of a Sci-fi movie, had to be drained (very, very painful) then took months to heal. I was close to being hospitalised which would have been hard with a small baby. Take the antibiotics.

[Toadsrevisited]

Take the antibiotics- have been really poorly with mastitis and it can make you feverish extremely quickly. But be prepared with extra nappies as I found DS had runny green poo for a while afterwards which is apparently normal.

[Toadsrevisited]

Also my GP advised me to express in a deep, warm bath, leaning forward and massaging with boobs downwards towards the floor, using gravity to help flush the milk through. Inelegant but effective. good excuse to demand time each day for a long hot bath too; managed to eke that out for a week!

Get well soon OP