Nursing less on one side after Mastitis

[BirthKathy]

I had Mastitis on one side and plugged ducts on both sides 4 days ago. The left side has felt cleared up for two days. The right side (the one with Mastitis) finally feels normal and pain-free today. My son keeps nursing shorter than usual on that side, though.

Can Mastitis decrease my milk supply?

I have been nursing more often to keep the ducts flowing - I suppose it could be that.

[annettemarie]

Moving out to the general forum.

[crystal_buffaloe]

No real help here, but I just wanted to let you know that my LC told me that mastitis tends to reduce supply (I've had it twice).

I'm glad you're feeling better!

[patronus]

my experience with mastitis was that it did decrease my supply on the effected boob. it was my "slacker boob" to begin with and after was hardly making anything at all.
my lo isn't very patient with slow flowing milk and i had to be diligent about making her nurse that side to maintain the (lowered) supply on that side.

what brought it back to regular levels (and then actually brought it up to producing more than it ever had) was pumping. when i returned to work, i double pumped twice a day and having the pump on it as long as it took to empty the other breast bumped the supply up.

good luck, mastitis is the worst!