What is Milk Fever?

[pjbuk007]

No, I think that is quite different.

In eclampsia the woman, untreated would probably have had fits and died. 

http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=369491974

Childbed fever/Milk Fever etc have a very different picture (of overwhelming infection) which 19th century physicians would pretty certainly have recognised.

[pennine]

Thanks for that. I know we are talking about then.
My daughter had eclampsia in 1993. We know now that she had all the classic symptoms of pre-eclampsia recognised by the medical profession but not picked up by them. When she started fitting I called an ambulance and even the ambulance men told me to let her 'sleep it off'. They had not got a clue. I was not so stupid I insisted she be taken to hospital. On arrival she fitted again and was immediately given an emergency ceasarian. The baby was fit and well but my daughter remained in intensive care under sedation for 7 days and it was touch and go for a while. On her second pregnancy there was no question at a different hospital she was booked in for a ceasarian and the birth was without problems.
In those days I could understand the lack of knowledge but as late as 1993 I have problems with their explanation that 'no one can predict'. A week before we know now that she was suffering all the classic symptoms and had even had a blood test mid week. When we complained after the event the blood test results had  mysteriously 'disappeared'. We thought about suing but I was so grateful to have my daughter and grandson alive and well that we didn't bother.

Pennine

[jinks]

My Great Grandmother also died from 'Milk Fever' after childbirth

I was puzzled as to why an infection due to breast feeding could
cause death.

The story I was told was whilst breast feeding my Great Aunt she
contracted some so of brain fever that contributed to her ending up
in a mental institution where she later died.

I was also informed that this disease is now cureable

Jinks

[Nick29]

I was also informed that this disease is now cureable

Jinks

It is (and it's really an infection, rather than a disease), but as I said in an earlier post, the problem is in the diagnosis and not the cure.   Quite often, by the time the effects of the infection have shown themselves, it's too late to cure it.   Which is why 12% of post-maternal deaths in the 21st century are still from puerperal fever.

[jinks]

Thanks for that Nick

My Great Aunt mentioned in the previous post is still very much alive
having lost her Mother at a very early age.

Jinks

[Lydart]

I disagree!

I had "milk fever" - a complication of mastitis which involves septicaemia - which would have done for me if it weren't for antibiotics.

The sepsis affects the mother but does no harm to the baby - in fact for mastitis one of the best remedies is to feed the young (calf or human!!  ) from the affected breast/ quarter.

I have never been so poorly and can vouch for its being associated with a very high fever.  As for pain - I was feeling nothing by that stage!

I was so lucky that my midwife knew what was going on and appropriate drugs could cure it in a jiffy!

A 

Totally agree with AR on this one ... it is AGONY !  Red hot, burning, aching, sore boob ... and AR is also right in that feeding the baby is just about the only way to relieve it ... but my goodness, it hurts !     

Anti-biotics deal with it ... mine was caused, so the doc thought, by a dead ended or closed milk duct ... the milk flowed in but there was no way out for it ...

... but I managed to feed four strapping babies, so all was well !

Thanks goodness I never have to do that again ...