Mastitis and milk supply

[MGardner]

i am just geting over Mastitis, i am taking the antibiotics. I have no milk! Is there a link to the antibiotics and milk supply? I also think i'm getting my period so perhaps that is the reason. But every time I breastfeed my DS is not satisfied and starts screaming so I've had to give him some pumped milk. I'm sure that is hurting my supply even more since I don't have time to pump after I BF him then bottle feed him. I barely have time to go to the bathroom sometimes. I try to pump at night after he goes to bed though.

[Carter'sMama]

Mastitis - OUCH!!  Been there, done that, not fun    I personally don't know about relationship between antibiotics and milk supply.  I know when I took the antibiotics I didn't notice any problems. 

What are the indicators that your supply is down?  Do you fell less full or is your lo crying making you think your supply has diminished?  I am only asking because I think I read somewhere that antibiotics make your milk taste a little different.  However I don't know where I read that    While you had mastitis did you continue to nurse from the affected breast as often as usual?  That could affect milk supply if that breast had a "break" while it was sore and painful.

If your period is coming that too causes milk to take on a different taste and can affect milk supply.  You may have to feed more often for a few days to increase your supply.

HTH, let us know what happens!

[MGardner]

I really tried to BF as much as possible during the mastitis through the pain. I could deal with the pain fine, it was the flu symptoms that really got me! Anyhow, I really thought I was getting my period, I had gotten it last month and noticed a big drop in my supply the day before I got it and the first day of it. But then my supply came back the next day full force. I notice a difference in supply in these ways:
1. I pump at work and my pumping was going from 3oz per breast to 1 oz per breast
2. I have a VERY strong letdown and leak a lot from the breast I am not feeding on and wasn't doing this during low supply times
3. My LO was crying 5 minutes into a feeding and my breasts felt empty even in the morning when they usually are hard and full. I would try and try and finally give him a bottle of ebm.
So today my supply came back. THe wierd thing is, I never got my period. I was supposed to get it a cuople days ago to be on schedule. And with my low supply I really thought I was going to. But I never did. This would only be my second period post partum. Could I just be irregular? Could my hormones have changed causing a milk supply issue but then no period? I do not know what is going on...

[Samuel's mum]

Do you know that reduction in pumping output/ less feelings of engorgement/ less leaking all happen naturally as mothers become more established breastfeeders and breastfeeding settles down so they aren't warning signs for everyone. Even with your letdown issues I would expect the leaking from the other breast to stop eventually.
However for someone who is a very frequent experienced pumper then pumping could be more of an indication.  I think his behaviour was your best guide.

I think if you were feeling run down your supply could have taken a knock. I don't think antibiotics would have been the issue.

It could also have been that you had a 'period' in the sense that you have the hormone fluctuations (which make the difference) but not the actual bleeding. When periods return they can come and go for a bit.