Mastitis causing lack of milk

[Snowgirl83]

I have a 5 week old little boy and he took to bf like a duck to water- no problems at all and we were in a little routine/sorted with it (or so I thought). However, I developed awful mastitis on Wednesday night (fever, chills, flu-like, pain, engorgement etc) and after a day of sleep and trying to kick it off on thurs, was prescribed antibiotics which I started taking that evening. I fed DS probably twice on thurs as opposed to every few hours (due to MIL looking after DS and giving him a dummy when he grizzled for food to avoid waking me- grrrrr!)

Anyway, that evening, DS got rather ill and ended up in hospital with a viral infection and on Antibiotics through cannula, nose feeding etc (wouldn't/ couldn't feed- nose tube in for 10hrs and then he seemed happy to look for boob). While he was being fed through nose I was expressing, but began struggling with getting enough out.

Anyway, when he was back feeding from me, he didn't seem satisfied with what he could get so I was expressing and then using that to feed. Have only been able to get out 0.5-1oz from my left mastitis boob and 2oz max from right. Usually there wouldn't be a problem getting up to 3oz from each and have been doing that since week 2 once a day with no problem.

Anyway, we have just got back from the hospital and feeding is still an issue- he doesn't seem to be able to get a satisfactory amount from me, I can barely get a satisfactory amount from myself when expressing and am going to have to give him some formula at his next feed after trying him on boob as have no expressed left at the moment.

Any advice as to the impact of mastitis/ cephalexin (the antibiotics) on supply and what on earth I can do to up it back to what it was? (Nb I have been on 4 diff types of antibiotics since he was born for a chest infection, throat and uterus infection and he hasn't had any issue with feeding whilst on those)

Thank you in advance!

[threeinone]

Having fed for the time you have you should be fine. what you really need is a few days to feed, feed, feed. Your supply can catch back up but what does this is multiple feeds, your breasts will feel soft and your baby will go from side to side and may be a bit ratty. The next day your supply will be much higher...more feeds, more sides per feed = more milk. Formula will get in the way of this. mastitis does knock supply but multiple feeds soon get it back to where it was.

Expressing only tells you what you can express, most mothers find it much harder to express after the first month.

Feed lots and enjoy skin to skin, watch nappies if you are worried about input, maybe get latch checked to try and prevent reoccurrence if you don't know what triggered your bout.

[MakesCakesWhenStressed]

It sounds more like the reduced feeding has slowed your milk supply, rather than the infection. Follow the advice above and try not to supplement unless medically called for. Boobs are magic and they'll gey back up to strength. Good luck!

[Snowgirl83]

Thank you both - much appreciated. Will try all advice and keep fingers firmly crossed!

The only thing is at the moment (as in tonight), he's still recovering from his hospital stay and I'm worried about him getting dehydrated / not enough overnight if I can't supplement him with something. The problem too is that as he's not getting anything out, he pulls off and isn't satisfied even if I put him on the other and I don't want him to be hungry, especially now. Shall I persevere or have an emergency formula - if absolutely necessary- on standby for at least tonight until supply picks up?

[threeinone]

Keep Swopping him side to side, if you use formula use as little as possible. He will be getting something, its really fatty milk harder to get out and less in volume but your supply hasn't gone just dipped.

They and us work hard during growth spurts and when they need to up supply.