Mastitis & Milk Supply

[Purple18]

Hi. I'm nursing my 2 month old twins and have mastitis (uggh - I forgot how much I hate this part of nursing - it's been a few years since I've had it). I don't remember, but does this affect your milk supply? It seems that the babies are hungrier than normal. I have no appetite but am forcing myself to eat and drink (which is normally not an issue for me when nursing). TIA!

[bubbaray]

I had it soooo many times and it did seem to affect the supply on the side I kept getting it on.

I'd contact a LC, esp. as you are BFg twins.

Lots of water & oatmeal worked for me, but I only BFd a singleton. Don't forget to take Advil or Tylenol for pain relief. AND REST LOTS, its a major infection, your body needs to recover.

[lizzywednesday]

It can make your supply take a hit because the ducts are clogged by the infection.

I found that the Gerber gel packs heated in our microwave for 15 seconds before AND after I nursed my daughter helped the milk flow a bit better when we dealt with mastitis last October.

You can also try a hot shower & direct the water at your breast while you massage it or do compressions/hand expressions.

It's actually really important to nurse frequently on the affected side so you get everything moving & adequately drain the breast or else the infection can come back.

[Purple18]

OK. Thanks, ladies - just making sure I wasn't going crazy since I've been doing the heat/showers/massage/nursing non-stop thing. Between the 2 of them and the seemingly low supply on the one side, I've been nursing non-stop for 2 days. I'm feeling better today so I gave up on the wondering and pumped to see what the status was and sure enough, the one side (which is usually my better supply side) was a lot less than the other side. I'll just keep on keeping on - I've gotten through it before with my other kids so hopefully it will improve again and now that I'm feeling better, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (I hate mastitis!!!)

[Dream]

It effected mine. The side I got it didn't produce as much as the other. What surprised me was that once I recovered and even after 2 months, that side never went back to the regular production.

[joules]

I had it 3 times.

I don't think I was ever able to get the clog out, it just went away on it's own. I could feel the lump (felt almost like a mini hershey's candy bar) in my breast get smaller and smaller each day. I tried EVERYTHING. I felt like I was working on getting that clog out 24 hours a day.

The first 2 times it took close to 2 weeks to get my supply back. I was exclusively pumping and religiously keeping track of how much my output was.

However, the 3rd time I got it was 2 weeks after the 2nd time I got it. In fact, I think I got it the day or 2nd day my supply came back. My supply was never the same since then. =(

Hope you feel better soon.