Last Saturday we celebrated my friend’s birthday. It was the big 4-0, so she made sure everything was perfect, and things went well, for the party anyway.
My 18-month-old is well past babyhood, but we still breastfeed at random times, so when I left around 1pm I thought nothing about it. But what was supposed to be a fun weekend, turned into an entire day spent waiting in agonizing pain at a fever clinic.
I always thought mastitis can only happen in the first few weeks after delivery when the baby is still not latching on properly or you miss a feed so the milk builds up in your breasts.
Little did I know that it would happen to me 18 months into breastfeeding!
It started as pressure around 10pm on Saturday while the birthday party was still in full swing and 10 minutes later it became this throbbing pain followed by fatigue, chills, and high fever. I called a Didi and headed back home, but by the time I got home my son Noel was asleep and couldn’t care less about feeding. I woke up Sunday morning feeling achy and feverish. Even though I was experiencing all the possible aches and pains, was burning up and even had the physical evidence right there before me, I couldn’t believe it was mastitis.
According to a study conducted by the World Health Organization, mastitis is commonest in the second and third week postpartum, with most reports indicating that 74% to 95% of cases occur in the first 12 weeks. However, it may occur at any stage of lactation, including in the second year. So, ladies, it CAN happen even with extended breastfeeding, so if it happens to you know that you’re not alone and seek medical attention immediately.
By noon on Sunday, I knew I had to go to the hospital so I headed to the nearest one. No hospital would admit me because of the fever so I ended up at Beijing Friendship Hospital.
The lights were off when I got there as it was already past 5pm. A very nice nurse told me, after taking my temperature, that I have to agree to a chest CT scan and a blood draw so they could rule covid out and get me the help I needed. I told her there was no way I would do a CT scan for no reason, so she got on the phone with someone and told me that I had to do a Covid test at their hospital and wait for the results. She checked my Health Kit, but even though it was on day 1, they still needed me to do the test again.
Two nurses gave me a N95 mask to put on instead of the one I was wearing and they led me to a fever clinic at the side of the road. I was asked to scan two codes and sign a form, given a pair of disposable gloves, and let inside the clinic where they took my blood pressure (which is always impossibly low by the way) and gave me a ticket with a number on it.
When my number came up, I entered the doctor’s office. The masked-up doctor asked me how long I had had a fever and if I had any other covid-related symptoms. It had been 5 hours since I went looking for help and I really needed a painkiller.
Tip: If you end up at a fever clinic for any reason, make sure to ask for a blanket, because those places tend to get really cold with ACs set on low.
The doctor ordered an ultrasound and a blood draw, but before getting those, I had to get a Covid test. It was a nasal swab and with the pain and the fever, it was just what I needed to make me nauseous and dizzy. I waited for another hour to see the ultrasound technician and a lady doctor who performed a physical exam. I was prescribed both oral and intravenous antibiotics and was advised to stop breastfeeding for three days. My results came in around 10pm and I was free to go.
There are 3 things I learned from this experience:
- Mastitis can happen even when your baby is not a baby anymore
- Always keep an updated list of hospitals with fever clinics in the city in your phone. You never know when you’ll need one.
- Don’t wait for the next day, ask for medical help immediately if you experience any of the symptoms
Images: Pexels
