Mastitis and BF hell

[JessieAndLeo]

Leo is now 5 weeks old and has been exclusively breastfed since birth, in which time I have had mastitis twice (bad both times). The first time was in the left breast and the milk was never quite the same again so I started relying on the right breast a lot. Well now I have it in both breasts and am on my second course of antibiotics. I'm worried the milk with be rubbish from both breasts now.

Leo has gone from feeding every 3-4 hours to every 1-2. He's hungry as soon as he finishes feeding. I'm so tired and frustrated not to mention the guilt....

Everyone including the doctor are telling me I need to think about switching to formula but it's killing me to even think about it. What is it with breastfeeding that gets so far into your head?!

I bought some formula today, I cried as I paid for it.

I was thinking of giving him one bottle at night time and pushing through with the BF for the remainder of the feeds. Does anyone have any experience of this and advice?

Thanks in advance
Jess
X

I agree with PPs, if you can manage the blocked ducts as soon as you realise you have one it'll be a lot easier.

Mine ended up not actually being something stuck in the duct. I get a recurring blocked nipple pore, caused by skin growing over it. It causes a 'milk blister' where you can see milk under the skin but it has no way of getting out. If you can't see dried milk in the pore, check for this.

I used a sterile pin to agitate the skin a bit (not saying you should do this, just that it worked for me) and the milk started to flow again.

The difference in milk after mastitis will just be that the amount being produced has dropped because that breast has been used less. Just feed, feed, feed to increase supply again.

I was in your situation while feeding DS1. I did not enjoy it one bit. Am now feeding DS2 and it's loads easier now I've figured out the blocked pores. But, if you are so stressed out that it's affecting your mental health then there's nothing wrong with switching to formula. I wish I had with DS1

Oh OP you have all my sympathy. I had mastitis once, hospital trips, tongue tie, blocked ducts until 6 months in and still now, occasionally. It was so hard.

I had mastitis in my left breast at 6 weeks and the supply wasn't the same again. I don't know what the official line is, but I get where you're coming from. That said, 10 months on she still feeds constantly and it produces plenty of milk.

There's great advice from Hairy and Elphaba on getting yourself unblocked. Everyone told me to let the baby unblock me but that never really worked, 99% of the time I got the blockages out, alone in the bathroom or shower, spraying milk all over the place!

I was hellbent on ebf. 11 months on we're still going, though I am introducing formula now and it's not the devil i thought it was. If you decide to ff, ebf or mix feed, they're all fine. I gave myself so much heartache over it and personally, I think I should have been easier on myself. A fed and loved baby is a happy baby, however they're fed.

That said...if you carry on:
Definitely find a regular support group.
Have him checked for a toungue tie (my dd's wasn't diagnosed or snipped until 12 weeks!).
Get your HV to refer you to infant feeding clinics.

Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing and I'm so glad of it but it doesn't define how you will love your child or nurture him. Do whatever works. I think I'll mix feed any subsequent children from the start as it's take a huge toll on me, despite how pleased I am that I could continue.

Either way, enjoy your lovely boy and good luck!

Heratnumber7 subversive pressure? I explained my experience and how said how helpful I found formula......if the OPs anything like me, the pressure was from my expectation of breastfeeding vs the reality of my breastfeeding experience. I had plenty of people telling me to use formula, but it wasn't what I wanted at that time. I wanted help with BF. I have no problem with formula now but at 6 weeks it felt like a huge deal as I so wanted BF to work. It was not pressure from friends or family or peers.

I would also second the comments re blocked ducts. I've had to pick away to clear them, I seem particularly prone to skin blocking the pores and giving me lumpy mastitis threatening boobs.

Good luck OP. BF is the hardest thing I've ever done. Sometimes I love it. Sometimes I hate it.

heratnumber7 I don't think kstar and myself used subversive pressure. From the OPs comment sir didn't sound like she wanted to stop bf so I merely suggested she access some specialist support to help her continue if she so wishes. I've found that my GP was not helpful when I had issues with a tongue tie and it wasn't until I saw a specialist that I got any help with continuing.
I did actually say in my post that FF is an option that she can choose to take if she wants to. I would never advocate somebody risking their mental health, but for me I really want to bf successfully and that didn't happen until I saw a bf counsellor.

I could have written a very similar post when Ds2 was 5 weeks. I had been admitted to hospital with mastitis twice by then. I managed to feed him to 10 weeks getting mastitis 5 times. It was draining.

LooKing back with a bit more knowledge I am pretty sure he was tongue tied. I was feeding him every 2 hours for more than an hour and half each time so about 20 mins respite every 2 hours. I was determined not to give formula. Despite all that feeding he barely gained any weight, we were both exhausted and my nipples were in shreds. I broke down and decided I couldn't go on amd decided to move on to formula. I was devastated for weeks. However it actually meant that I got the opportunity to enjoy my son.

You have had some excellent advice from others. My advice would be:

1. Get advice from breastfeeding councillors/laleche etc.
2. Spell out exactly what feeding is like for you. How long, how often, pain etc. Don't put a brave face on ( I did and it meant I didn't get the support and advice I needed).
3. Get a check for tongue tie. Recurrent masitis is a sign of tonguetie. Especially if combined with poor weight gain and long feeds.
4. If you feel you need to top up with formula to get some respite get advice from breastfeeding councillors on how best to do this.

I really regret not doing the above. I believe that if I had got some better advice rather than listening to the HV who said my latch was fine, I didn't need and she couldnt suggest a breastfeeding group. I could have found a way to make it work for me.

Ultimately do what is right for you and your family. Get the support you need and take care of yourself.

Thank you all so much for your support and advice, it's so nice to know I'm not alone!

I used the formula that night and the results were as follows;
A) He wasn't happier
B) He didn't sleep longer
C He wasn't anymore or any less full than he would normally be (in my opinion).
I had the baby weighed the next day and he was 10,3, up from 9,4 the previous week, he's a little fatty..... which he wouldn't be if he wasn't getting what he needed from my milk, right? I fed this information into my warped little sleep deprived head and came up with this conclusion;
I AM a good mum and I AM doing a good job! I'm not Super-Mum because she doesn't exist (despite what people have you believe about their babies). My baby is getting exactly what he needs from me and mastitis can go and suck a bag of dicks!

I'm definitely going to persevere with the breastfeeding because the evidence is there that it's working however, giving Leo that one bottle of formula was a massive hurdle to overcome, I realised that it's not the devil, it doesn't mean I'm a bad mother and it's NOT the end of the world. I feel as though I'm a lot more accepting of something I wouldn't even discuss two weeks ago and if I ever did need to switch I wouldn't break my heart over it.

I'm going to a breastfeeding support group on Thursday to get some advice about preventing the mastitis. The GP was lovely but not very knowledgable, I had to inform her that the guidance is now 2 weeks of antibiotics not 1 which was concerning. I'm going to avoid asking the GP for breastfeeding advice in the future and go with my own instincts and the advice of those in the same boat.

Thank you all so much for helping in my time of crisis, I hope one day I'll have some valuable advice to pass on to someone going through the same thing x x x

So glad you've come back to let us know how you've been getting on OP!

Baby is gorgeous! And is obviously getting everything he needs from you, as you say.

I'm sure you'll find the support group valuable. And hoping mastitis gets the hint and stays away, the twat

mastitis can go and suck a bag of dicks!

This and this and this.

Well done OP

Great news OP!

glad you and your gorgeous little one are doing well

What a great update! Well you've already passed some knowledge onto me - this week I was wondering if I should just give a bottle of formula at night in the hope he'll sleep better but you've confirmed just what I thought would happen so I won't bother now.

I think we'd all like to give a big collective fuck you to mastitis.

Well done OP, you are clearly doing amazing - he is beeeeeautiful!!

Wonderful news, you sound so much more positive. He is gorgeous.

Good luck and hope you get all the support you need on Thursday.

What a cutie pie! Glad you are feeling more positive and hope mastitis clears up quickly!

Mastitis doesn't make your milk to funny
After I have mastitis I notice a slight reduction in supply and baby fusses on that side. What I do is I make sure to offer that side first and when baby is most hungry to up the supply again and it works .
Poke root is a herb that did wonders to treat and prevent mastisis for me and I have had major issues with mastisis including one that led to a sugicually removed abscess and permanent boob scarring ( not nice after 6 weeks after a section )
Feeding one to two hours is fine. Mine were on 24/7 at that age . Now at 9 months he can go five hours and it's a piece of cake .