Mastitis tanked my supply.. any help/advice

[Sunshineeeee]

Hello everyone,

This is my first time coming out of the darkness of the internet and actually posting something! (Let's hope I'm doing this right). I've been following mumsnet for years and usually get my answers without posting but this time I'm really stuck.

My babe is 19 weeks old and 2 weeks ago I got a severe bout of mastitis as well as a nipple blister which wouldn't allow me to feed for a week! My mastitis was misdiagnosed as covid-19 and by the time it was finally diagnosed my baby hadn't fed properly for about 8 days on that side (left). He was feeding fully from the right but I noticed my good side began to dry up after a couple days on antibiotics. My doctor said antibiotics plus the very high fever I had plus the change in feeding can affect supply (sometimes permanently).

Currently I'm topping up with formula for almost a week now and have no idea what I'm doing. I was exclusively breastfeeding and trying to stick to the supply and demand route but baby unlatches after a couple minutes really frustrated.

I used to pump 32oz a day and now barely get 8oz (including power pumping). I get about 20-30ml a session instead of my usual 120ml.

Any advice? Any similar experiences? I've tried the herbal routes. I've got a hospital grade pump right now. I'm trying to latch baby as much as possible and have skin to skin but he's getting frustrated.

Really hoping someone out there replies and can offer some help. Trying to get my hands on domperidone but my doctor is being funny. Feeling very down and miss my supply and my routine with my baby.

Thanks if you're still reading
A desperate mama

So sport you're feeling low. Are you in the UK? Is so, I really would recommend talking to a BFC on one of the Helplines. They are fully trained and will be able to talk you through all of this

Hi,

Thank you for your reply. I've spoken to La Leche, NCT, and my health visitor (as you can see I'm desperate). I also just came back from a private ultrasound and everything seems clear.

The consultant was rather unhelpful and said sometimes milk just dries up and give formula. Not the advice I wanted.

All the helplines have told me to top up and that they can't advise more or get my baby weighed due to this covid pandemic.

Sorry you are having such a rough time OP. I have breastfed both of mine and have definitely struggled at the start with both of them. Mastitis (twice!) and illness tend to dry up my supply. I just carried on feeding as much as I could and by that I mean, bed, snacks, TV, skin to skin and lots and lots of breastfeeding. Oats and dry apricots seem to help with milk production too. It does sound like you are doing everything you can. Might be worth giving La Leche league another call? I remember calling them a lot when we were struggling. Good luck

Don't worry about getting LO weighed at all. Are are topping up, as advised, so weight shouldn't be a concern. Have a read of this on weighing babies from Dr Jay Gordon

If you are wanting to reduce the top-ups, has anyone pointed you in the direction of this article from Kellymom?

I was told to pump within 20min of baby feeding. It's supposed to trigger more production.
Are you taking any herbal supplements like fenugreek?

@LeeloD thank you! I'm just so worried about him staying unsatisfied. I finished my antibiotics this morning and I'm really trying to drink a lot and feel at optimum health. I'm hoping this is just a dip and it picks up again ASAP. Did you find your supply dipped after mastitis too?

@JiltedJohnsJulie just when I thought I'd read every article on KellyMom :).. thank you. I'm going to try that. He's only been having 6oz of formula a day for 4 days now. Not much so it should be easy to wean him off but I'm not sure whether I should have been giving him more. This parenting malarkey is right stressful. One breastfeeding support worker told me my baby is on a good percentile so even if he dips for a few days and is fussy just keep offering breast only. Another told me to supplement. Not sure what the right answer is.

Interesting read about the weight chart.. I became a bit fixed with it when my baby went from 25th to 9th percentile within 2 days of being born. Last I checked a couple weeks ago he was on the 37th. After everyone told me my breastmilk wouldn't be enough it felt good to see his progress so I guess I'm a bit too stuck on that.

@GingerBeverage

I've been pumping two hourly and then offering whatever I've expressed (usually an ounce) and then trying to latch him on. Today I've missed a couple pumping sessions and instead latched little one. He managed one entire feed and fell asleep. Not sure if he managed to take anything in or not but he latched and that's a start.

I'm taking fennel and fenugreek. I just finished my antibiotics so will try and be more religious with taking them now. Might be psychological but I'm almost certain fenugreek really helped with my supply at the beginning (baby was formula fed against my choice due to him being jaundiced. At day 4 I loaded up on fenugreek and got my milk to come in a second time).

I'm going to pump after his feeds now. Thank you. Wish me luck

You can gradually drop the formula if you are worried.

So today offer 5oz rather than 6 and up the feeding to make up the difference. You can do breast compressions while feeding also to really get every drop in from the breast.

After a few days on 5oz, try dropping to 4oz and so on.

You're in the middle of some classic growth spurts and developmental leaps at the moment also - many babies appear very unsettled at this age, which can cause mums to doubt their supply.

Keep an eye on nappy output (particularly wees) to ensure he is getting enough. Poos can be less frequent than when babies are newborn, so aren't always the best gauge at this age.

And well done for hanging on in there despite your struggles. I hope you are feeling much better now.

@dannydyerismydad

Thank you for your kind words. I will do exactly this and HOPEFULLY return back with a positive result.

If anyone has any tips on how much to supplement please send them through. I'm really struggling finding a balance of not over doing it with the formula so my supply returns and at the same time I don't want my baby hungry. He screams when I take the bottle away but he'll drink till he vomits so that's not a great indication. I put him to the breast a lot and currently give him 2oz in the morning, late afternoon and in the night. I feel like maybe I should give him more.. whenever I pump I get an ounce and I give that to him too every 2 hours...

Sorry I don't know how to edit my previous message but I should have added that he drank roughly 4oz every 3 hours before (from the rare times I would express and bottle feed him)

If he is bright and alert at times, seems contented when he’s been fed and is meeting his milestones, he is getting enough OP

@JiltedJohnsJulie thank you. Hmm he doesn't seem contented after feeds.. but he'll distract himself with anything and everything and then forgets.. not sure if it's truly hunger then or he's hungry but just at the 4 month growth spurt and too interested in life.

If you think he’s getting distracted and not feeding, will he feed better if you take him somewhere that is more quiet, if you can?

The impression I get from reading your posts is that you’ve gone from worrying about increasing your supply, to worrying that you aren’t topping up enough? Is this a fair summary?

Can I ask what it is that makes you think you’re not topping up enough?

How is he feeding from the side that wasn’t affected too?

Rest, fluid, skintoskin, oatmeal, icecream

@JiltedJohnsJulie you've hit the nail on the head. I'm worried about everything at the moment facepalm.

My concern is 1) my supply is not filling him and he stays unsettled and refuses to latch. The most I will pump is 1 ounce combined. 2) I've never supplemented and I don't know how much to give. I don't want to overdo it and give him full formula feeds as my supply should have been well established and I'm hoping this is a temporary dip. Same time I don't want him hungry.

He's refusing the affected breast.

@Doryhunky I like the ice cream idea! Only one I haven't tried yet.

Firstly, how much you can pump isn’t a reflection of how much you can produce. I know the difference is quite marked for you but it also coincides with the time your body will have adjusted to your baby’s needs and him becoming a far more efficient feeder.

Keep on with the pumping but don’t get too hung up on the amounts.

I totally get that you are worried about everything right now. What makes you think he may be hungry? Is he screaming or unusually sleepy? If not, I think he should be getting enough.

If he’s not taking the affected side have you tried different holds? Breast shields might help too.

@JiltedJohnsJulie his naps have increased but I didn't think that's a problem as he isn't dazed or drowsy. Hmm I wonder if it's connected. They've given from one hour to two.

I feel he's hungry as in the morning when I feed him he won't settle and keeps crying. I offer formula and he calms down.

I've tried different holds but not the shield. I may try that today.

Thanks for bothering to reply. I appreciate it.

By unusually sleepy, I really mean not waking for feeds or being bright and alert at times

Are you offering both breasts at each feed? Are you able to still feed from both?

You don't have to stop and switch to a bottle after offering both sides - go back to the first side and keep switching. That can help to build your supply.

You could also try offering a small amount of formula at the beginning of the feed instead of at the end. Then let him feed from you until he's satisfied so that he associates the breast rather than the bottle with feeling full.

@JiltedJohnsJulie phew. Ok we're good on that count!

@dannydyerismydad I'm offering both but he'll only latch a minute on the affected side. I might try formula first thanks.

* You don't have to stop and switch to a bottle after offering both sides - go back to the first side and keep switching. That can help to build your supply. *

Agreed this is how I rebuilt my supply after an infection. You also have to stop giving formula otherwise he’ll never really take it frlm the breast