Mastitis & Low Supply Milk

A

adeline

Registered User
Hi everyone!

I hv a 3-mths old bb. I recently went to my doc for breast pain (left-side) & fever (for 1-day); found out that I was diagonosed with Mastitis. Doc gave me 7 days antibiotics (amoxycilin+clavulanate potassium), Difenac tab for inflamation & Gastrocaine tab for stomachache. Doc advised me not to breastfeed my bb with the affected breast & make sure that I pump my breast empty for 3-4 days. I came home sadly knowing that I had to discard my milk away that day when I am already at low supply milk. My right breast normally gives me about 1-2 oz of milk & my left gives me 3-4 oz when I pump. I did discard my milk the first day & read alot about Mastitis ( LLLI | FAQ on Mastitis )that very same day. I am so confused that some said it's ok to bf the affected side & my doc said not to. I don't hv a sore nipple & when I pump, I don't see any red blood in the milk.

It's my 3rd day today & I hv go against my doc's advised & bf my bb exclusively since the 2nd day. Will my bb get stomachache or pain since I am taking the risk of bf my bb??

I started on Milk Thistle Extract pills (2 tab) to increase my milk supply. Since I'm down with Mastitis, I've stopped taking it. Is it safe to take other supplement when taking antibiotics?

Welcome any advice and hopefully LLL_Sarah can help me too.

O2Mum
 
Hi Adeline,

I got Mastitis too, and continued to bf my baby. I only took 1 pill, can't remember the name. Best to contact a LLL leader to confirm the medicine that your Dr has prescribed is safe. Here is a list of LLL leaders

JENNY 2987-7792
MAGGIE 2817-7475
PAULINE 6331-5078
ROCHELLE 2947-7147
SARAH 2548-7636
THERESE 9485-0268
 
I'm sorry to tell you but your doctor is very out of date with his breastfeeding advice. It is actually very important to continue to breastfeed through mastitis (even if you are trying to wean). The baby is the best way to drain the breast of the milk and it is important to keep the milk moving.

The information on the LLLI web page is very good. I would add changing positions as well. One position which is a little tricky to manage but really helps is to lie the baby on his back on the bed and crawl over the baby dangling your breast in his mouth. This allows gravity to help and the baby seems much better at draining the breast this way.

Please don't worry about the infection from your breast getting into the milk and causing problems for the baby. You have loads of antibodies for that very infection in your milk. So no harm will come to the baby.

The other important part of the cure is to REST. I often suggest taking the baby to bed for 24 hours so you can do lots of breastfeeding and get lots of rest too.

I hope you feel well soon,
SARAH
 
Rani - Thank you for all the contact no. of LLL. I'm sure other mummies will keep those no. handy in their mobiles.

Sarah - The doc that I see was a paediatrician doc. Now I find 2 docs who are paed are very discouraging & not very supportive on bf. My bb was also diagnosed with breastfeeding jaundice when he was 1 wk old & the doc at St. Teresa Hosp (where bb was borned) adviced me to start on formulae milk since my milk supply was still low. Again, I went against his advice & I bf my bb up to today. However, I still cannot tell why my milk supply is low even I take other supplements e.g. fish soup, mother milk tea, pills.
 
I've attached a scan of a pamphlet we have called Increase Your Milk. (Sorry I went wrong than scanned page 9 twice.)

I really like this pamphlet because it explains how the breast works in the first couple of pages and then goes on to false alarms. These are the things most new mothers worry about with their milk supply. Next it isolates when you really have a problem and then explains how to over come it.

There is information from Dr. jack Newman on how to do the breast Compression at http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/15pdf.pdf. He also has videos which show this on his website at Newman Breastfeeding Clinic & Institute

Another good technique is switch nursing. Switch nursing is changing to the other side when the baby no longer seems interested. Usually when we start feeding the baby is very interested to suck, as the baby slows down we start the breast compression and when the baby slows down with the breast compression we change and get the baby to have the other side. On the other side after the baby starts to slow down we again use the breast compression and when he slows down again swap back to the first side again. We can continue swapping sides as much as we like and for as long as the baby is willing to continue to suck. It is fine to swap sides 8, 9 or 10 times in one feed.

One behaviour that worries a lot of mothers is something I call the Chocolate Cake Syndrome. Imagine making a meal for your husband. And when you sit down you tell him that there is chocolate cake for dessert. After the first course you husband tells you that he is full and doesn't want any chocolate cake. So instead you watch TV. When the first adverts come on he says, "You know, I think I will have a piece of the cake after all."

Babies often feed like this. You feed on one side and then on the second and the baby goes to sleep. So you put them down and ten minutes later the baby is crying. Often mothers worry that they don't have enough milk when this happens. But in fact it is a normal human reaction. The baby is just asking for dessert. So pick him up and feed him again. Often this dessert feed will just be for 5 or 10 minutes (i.e. one slice of cake) but sometimes the baby wants more (i.e. the whole cake). Both are fine.

This is quite a nice analogy because a slice of chocolate cake is a high fat snack after your meal and any extra milk that the baby gets like this is higher in fat than the original feed.

Many Chinese people like to drink fish and papaya soup to help increase their milk supply. You may also be interested to try some herbs. There is another handout by Dr. Newman where he talks about fenugreek and blessed thistle at http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/15pdf.pdf. It is important not to take fenugreek if you are asthmatic or diabetic. I suggest talking to your doctor before using these supplements to make sure that you will not have any serious side effects.

Remember that it is more important to breastfeed at least 8 times each day (every 24 hours) than to eat foods which increase the milk supply. Because without the stimulation of breastfeeding the foods won't work.

Best wishes,
SARAH
 
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Thanks Sarah for all the info. I hv tried the position where the baby on his back on the bed & crawl over the baby & dangling my breast in his mouth. It was very difficult & baby kept turning his face all the time. Baby didn't want the breast at all. So instead I reclined abit on the bed & latch-on baby.
 
Reclining is good too. You can get the baby in any position around your breast when you are reclining, e.g. with baby’s body running straight down, baby’s body over your shoulder, baby’s body across you or anywhere in between.

And of course, it is a great position to get rest while you are feeding.

Best wishes,
SARAH
 
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