Mastitis question

ColeyJ88 · October 2014

currently going through my third round of mastitis and have no idea what is causing it. Went to the doctor today and was given an rx for antibiotics. I would really like to avoid taking these as they would wipe out my 9 week old and 2 year old's gut flora. They have never had antibiotics and I would like to keep it that way! I just started loading up on probiotics and garlic supplements today but I'm wondering if there's anything else I can do.
Also the doctor suggested that I pump after I feed to completely empty the breast, but wouldn't this just make my oversupply worse? I can usually only get LO to take one side per feed. He gets really angry if I offer the other side.
Help!

Knottie30597254 · November 2014

Do you get cracked and bleeding nipples? Usually mastitis is caused by bacterias in the baby's mouth that goes inside the wounds and cause the infection... I had 3 mastitis with my first!!! Always after having cracks on my nipples! With my second... No mastitis!!

ColeyJ88 · November 2014

No my nipples are completly fine, and though I have oversupply issues this always seems to happen when I'm empty.. I feel some tenderness in an area and then it just gets worse.

mommatotwo2 · November 2014

If you have mastitis, IMO, you need to take the antibiotics and not worry about the gut flora. Mastitis can become serious quickly if not taken care of.

macbook · November 2014

I have had the exact same problem as you and am currently weaning. I'm so sorry you are going through this:(! If you are getting mastitis you absolutely have to take antibiotics. Don't mess around with that.

However, you have to solve your oversupply problem which is likely leading to mastitis. I am currently drinking sage tea about 5 x/day and using cabbage leaves. It has definitely helped. I have also found someone in my area that uses ultrasound to relieve plugged ducts - that helped a ton! If you have someone in your area that does that, I highly highly recommend it.

ColeyJ88 · November 2014

I'm wondering if my supply will regulate more at 12 weeks pp? I'm nervous about trying to decrease it now because I'm going back to school in a few months and will have to pump more than once a day which I currently do.
Also some people have mentioned the possibility of LO having a tongue tie which could be causing all of this. Anyone else have any experience with that?

It's been two days now and I don't have body aches anymore but still a bit of tenderness in the breast. It has gotten way better so I'm wondering if the antibiotics would still be necessary. I never had a fever so I doubt I had a bacterial infection.

Lynnea Grace · November 2014

I also have an oversupply and just the other day I started getting a fever and noticed the red on my right side along with the pain. I made sure my LO kept nursing on that side and would just pump the other when he would finish, but the thing that I found helped the most was drinking pineapple juice. 100%, not from concentrate, pineapple juice. It was the only thing that I did differently this time around and I was able to avoid taking the antibiotics. The first time I had to take the antibiotics. Mine cleared up just a few hours after I started drinking the juice. Another thing I also do, when I feel my letdown, I check right away for any spots that seem hard and try and rub out the clogged duct. I've helped unclog some ducts that way. Hope this helps!

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