I was sure Mavis Gunther talked about "milk fever" but can't actually find
it in "Infant Feeding" 1973. But on p 106 she describes "acute intramammary
mastitis" and how when alveoli are acutely distended, milk leaks into the
surrounding tissue and /or circulation. Products in the milk can lead to
fever and generalized aches and pains, in a similar fashion to an
incompatible blood transfusion.
This explains how women with mastitis may feel very unwell and have a fever,
but it is actually an inflammation, not an infection.
Generally, we say if it lasts longer than 24 hours, an infection may be
starting and antibiotics should be commenced.
When I talk to doctors about mastitis, I explain the concept of milk fever,
in order to help them understand that the woman may not need antibiotics
immediately.
Although mastitis in cows is well researched, there is little research on
mastitis in women. WHO have been writing a review of mastitis - which I saw
about 3 years ago - and I'm still waiting to see the next draft......
Lisa Amir
MBBS, MMed, IBCLC in Melbourne, Australia - interestingly when I ran
workshops for GPs on breastfeeding a couple of weeks ago and asked them what
they wanted to hear about - no-one mentioned mastitis.

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