Mastitis also posted in infant feeding

[Whichoneisbest]

Sorry for the double post but really upset and hoping for some tips before the night closes in (everything always seems worse at night!)

Hi there, desperate for some advice for 8 day old DD and myself!

We started off ebf but she lost 12% of her birth weight so now we are also offering EBM and formula top up after each feed. Feeding 3 hourly. She has a little jaundice which makes her sleepy and getting her to latch and feed for longer than 5mins is a huge challenge.

Although she has put on weight now, the expressing combined with her not emptying my breasts regularly has given me mastitis.

I started antibiotics last night but the area of red has spread today, back to GP or wait to see if antibiotics kick in?

I am so confused about how to proceed, any advice gratefully received the doctor was not terribly helpful!

I had this and I feel your pain, hugs coming your way!

Honestly not much point going back to the doctor, let the antibiotics work and the best strategies now will be self help - I'm not sure the antibiotics did anything for me tbh, I had red patches popping up all over the place.

Keep expressing, massage your breasts whilst doing so. Use a wide tooth comb and comb skin towards nipples over red patches while expressing. Also massage while in a hot shower. Put cold Savoy cabbage leaves in bra over breasts. The biggest relief for me was by far and away nursing on that side, almost immediate relief, so I'd recommend that over anything else! Whatever you do, don't let them block up further.