Ladies,

I’m posting this in shame as I really did not know this could happen from clogged ducts. So about 2 weeks ago I felt a small lump in my right breast but it wasn’t overly painful and so I figured I would just get it out with massage and feeding. Well it kept growing and finally last week I started spiking a fever and by Saturday I noticed my right breast was almost purple and so painful I could not even feed my child from it. I went to urgent care and got antibiotics for mastitis and was told I would start to feel better soon maybe even that evening. Well Monday rolled around and I felt worse and my supply in the right had completely dried up - I’m talking 2 drops came out when I pumped. In talking to my doctor on the phone she recommended I go to the ER to be assessed further. As it turns out I am severely infected and have developed multiple abscesses throughout my breast.

I have been in the hospital overnight and will be here again at least another night now, getting IV antibiotics and having the abscesses aspirated. The picture is of my second aspiration, that is the second 40mls of nastiness that was stuck in my boob, and I’ll go again tomorrow morning for another session. These have been the worst pain and I have to do at least two more to get the rest of the infection out, and if it doesn’t work then I will need surgery on my breast to remove it all.

I’m so embarrassed that I let it get this bad, even though everyone assured me this progressed very quickly. But my advice is if something feels wrong get it checked out!!! Don’t let yourself get like this, I have been sleeping without my baby for a night and will have another night without him tonight and my supply has all but dried up. I’m optimistic I will get back on track but this has taken a major toll on my body and my breastfeeding journey.