Oh the Joys!

Warning - this post may be TMI for some of you - if so, I apologize but it's my blog and I need to vent! :)

The good news: we caught it early! The bad news: I am in the early stages of mastitis in BOTH of my breasts. Oh the joys of breastfeeding! For the past weekend, I have been having some pretty intense pain every time I feed my little one and additionally afterwards. The pain is like someone taking my nipples, pulling them up and twisting them, and then scraping them with needles over and over. It's a lot of fun, let me tell you! LOL It even radiates into my back and kept me up this morning after his early morning feeding.

I called my doctor yesterday hoping to get some sort of relief, but the doctor on call said I couldn't get any medicine or do much until I saw the doctor today to see what I had really (I actually thought maybe it was thrush since I hadn't developed a fever and my breasts didn't have any red streaks or lumps). So this morning as soon as they opened at 8:30 I called and explained what was going on. Of course, I got sent to the nurse's voicemail. I waited until about 11:30 and called again. Again, I was put to the nurse's voicemail and no return call. Now, don't get me wrong - I ABSOLUTELY love my doctor and her nurses, but the head nurse for my doctor who is the one that returns the phone calls is a little less personable and not my favorite!

Finally, at 2 o'clock, Austin had had enough after he talked to me and knew how much pain I was in after having to feed him. So he called - got a hold of the nurse finally and after she made some excuses, she agreed to get me in today. She called me about five minutes after Austin talked to her and got me a 3 o'clock appointment to see my doctor's nurse practitioner. She gave me an antibiotic to take for 5 days, advised me how much Advil to take and how often, and told me to use ice for 10 minutes before I fed him and put cold cabbage leaves on after I fed him for about 15 minutes. That should help the engorgement I was having and the pain. She also asked me to also go get measured for a new bra that had more support and may be the right size. I actually am feeling better this evening and able to nurse him better which is great. I took my first antibiotic pill tonight so that should help prevent the worse symptoms of mastitis from taking hold.

So that was my fun adventure for the day - Cooper and I have had a rough day, but we survived. Tomorrow morning I have to go back to my doctor to have the IUD placed in and then go to get fitted for new bras. So that should be the last of the recommendations to finish up.

Hope you all had a better Monday than me! LOL