Mastitis

I have Mastitis.  It came on today, pretty suddenly.  I couldn't get myself going today.  Bertie and I slept late.  I didn't leave the house.  Most days we go for a walk, or to a shopping center, to walk around.  It didn't happen.

In the evening, I started feeling feverish.  My breasts started hurting.  Once Aaron came home I took a long, hot shower, and kept towels on them.  Then I fell asleep on the couch for 2 hours.  Aaron wore Bertie in the Mei Tai.  Then I tried to go to bed, which was around 9 or 930.  I felt very poorly, so I decided to call the Kaiser advice line, so I could get an appointment first thing in the morning.  I talked to a nurse, but she said she needed to transfer me to the OBGyn line, and there was a wait.  I waited a long time, but finally got on with a nurse.  It was well worth the wait, since she was able to call in a medication for me.  I didn't even need an appointment.  After I got off the phone, I laid in bed and sobbed and sobbed.  I just felt so awful.  My fever got up to 102.9.  I can't remember the last time I had a fever that high.
(I wrote the rest of this the next day)

Aaron went and got my pills and put the baby in the bed with me.  Baby slept.  I laid in bed freezing and crying.  I guess I'm bad at being sick.

He brought back my medicine, and some prescription strength Motrin.  The antibiotics are a little weird, because you need to take them without food.  You can eat 1 hour before or 2-3 hours after. So I have to schedule my meals a little bit.  (We moved Bertie into his bassinet).

A little after midnight my fever broke.  I stayed in bed for a while, sweating and sweating.  Eventually I got up.  I was still tired, but I couldn't sleep.  At some point Aaron brought the babe out to eat.  I think I went to bed around 4, and I just put him in bed with me.  Neither of us had the energy to fight with him.

I still have a fever today, but I've only been feeling the hot side, not the cold side, since I'm staying medicated.  Aaron took the day off work to help me out.  I slept a lot.  I nursed and pumped a lot.  (The right side has the blocked duct, and feels a lot fuller than it is.  One time Bertram didn't eat off it, so I pumped.  I barely got an ounce!)

Everyone keeps saying "Keep pumping!  Keep nursing!"  I don't plan on stopping.  Come hell or high water that baby will be breastfed til at least 6 months, and hopefully a year.

When I showered this evening, I saw the wedge shape on my breast, indicative of mastitis.  So I'm doing heat treatments, and pumping after each feeding.  There have been improvements, and hopefully they will continue.

A lot about my boobs, body and a few other things.

Today was a rough day.  Last night I didn't sleep enough, which is life now.  I have to wake up every three hours to  pump or do manual expression.  Until recently, manual expression worked better, but it's really time consuming, and difficult.

Anyway...

Today we got got up, and left the house at 6:45, to get to the hospital at 7 for Bertie's feeding.  (Aaron has to drive me around until I don't need to Norco anymore, or I'm ok'd by my Dr to drive again).  He did really well with latching today.  The feedings are starting to run together.  At one feeding, my chest was wet, and I told Aaron, "oh, I think he needs a new diaper.  He's peeing on me."  Aaron said, "No, that's you, your leaking."  Cool beans, I actually have enough milk to leak now.  It was funny, because at the next feeding it happened again, but before I even got my shirt off, like just being near Bertram makes my milk go.

Bertie was originally not released because he had several drops in her heart rate.  Nothing actually happened as a result of those drops (there were 3 or 4, over an hour period), his colour didn't change, pulse ox was fine, etc.  This morning I talked to the pediatrician (who looked super young, like 24 or 25).  There is standard procedure to keep a patient for 5 days following this kind of incident, which I only found out about today.  She consulted with the neonatologist, as he'd been healthy since the incident.  But it turns out he'll have to stay til Thursday.  Unless something else happens, then he'll stay longer.  I started crying, hormones, and I just want my baby home with us.  I miss him when we have to leave.  (Just to be clear, I love the NICU nurses, they are great, and take fantastic care of him).

After the 1pm feeding we came home for an hour or so, before going back.  My dad came at the 7pm feeding.  He got to hold him for the first time.  He was the first grandparent to hold him.

I think this is a great picture.

Bertram and Grand-dad.

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My boobs run the show now.  I have to follow their schedule, they have to feed the baby.  They hurt, they leak and they feel hard.  This evening, I pumped and got 2 oz!  That's never happened before, so I think my milk is coming in.  (I have a pump that is on loan from Kaiser).  Holding the pump is annoying, so on suggestion from Sophie, I got an old tank top, and cut nipple holes.  Now I can pump hands free!

My incision is weird.  It feels numb and itchy at the same time.  It still hurts when I try to get up from sitting or laying down.

I am so puffy!  My feet and ankles are the worst.  But I have fluid in my hips and hands too.  My feet don't fit in a lot of my shoes.  I'm nervous to try to wear anything but sweats.  

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When I got home, I went into a bit of a tizzy.  Aaron was tired, and went to sleep.  I was grouchy, and the house was gross.  Instead of resting, and putting up my puffy feet, I cleaned.  And at the time I was resentful about cleaning, but now it's fine.  My hormones are so crazy right now.