Mastitis (for the ladies)

I don't think I've gone into detail of my woes with breast infections since I first had Mastitis right after Elena was born. After those miserable weeks past, I continued to breastfeed, enjoying it, all was fine.

Then came our big trip to the States. Whirlwind. Fun. Tiring.

When we were in Madison I developed a case of thrush, and then a week later a case of Mastitis (two trips to ERs, hurrah). Both were easily treatable, and I didn't think much of it. We returned to Germany and I assumed that life would move along as before.

Wrong!

A few weeks after we returned, I felt the familiar aches and pains of a breast infection. True to form, I ignored it until I felt miserable, which led us to spending a few hours in a German ER. We left, antibiotics in hand, and I felt once again that I had conquered the beast.

Which brings me to Friday night, when I started to feel a little achy. I thought, hmmm, with a good night of sleep I'll be just fine. Wrong again (about the good night of sleep, and feeling better)! I woke up on Saturday with a full blown case of Mastitis. Fever, the works. Being so sick of going to ERs, and taking medicine, I decided to power through this round.

I haven't gone to a doc yet, and am trying to beat down M#4 (as I am so sweetly deeming it) using the natural methods I found online. Did you know that some women dip their breasts in steaming water or put chopped raw potato on their breasts to heal them? That didn't shock me too much, as I was using cabbage leaves (per advice of my midwife) with M#1.

Now I am having this giant internal debate... to wean Elena or to not wean Elena. I am getting dreadfully tired of Mastitis. It is draining on me, Nate, and Elena. It hurts! It aches! It's lumpy! And prevention of Mastitis? "Reduce your stress" "Slow down" "Get lots of sleep"

Can you hear me laughing?! Or crying. Hmmm...

Any thoughts my loyal readers?!