I'm just starting to overcome a case of mastitis. I've finished off a course of antibiotics and am still taking paracetamol (sp.?) to control the inflammation, and I'm doing warm compresses before feedings. I've been having dd feed disproportionately from the affected breast to empty it out and I've been pumping the other one to keep up its supply. My question is, am I creating oversupply problems by doing this? I now feel like now matter how long she feeds from the affected breast, it's not enough and I worry about shifting her over to the other one. But then, I worry about creating problems in the other breast.
I used to have her feed from just one breast at each feeding and that worked really well for us until about a month ago when she became really distracted and seemed to have more trouble feeding from one breast than the other. She would pop off repeatedly and even get upset and cry until I switched her over to the other one. So after a couple of weeks I had plugged ducts and then mastitis in the neglected breast. I would really like to get back to our old system because I knew both breasts were being emptied. She's been very good about feeding from the affected breast, too, so I think that the worst of her distracted phase is over. (Well, she's still distracted but she doesn't get upset any more, so it's just a matter of making her wait a few minutes and trying again.) Will I ever be able to get back to one breast each feeding?
One thing that really worries me is that all the advice I've read for dealing with mastitis emphasizes getting lots of rest and that is unfortunately the one thing I cannot have. I think the Kellymom website says something like mastitis is your body's way of telling you to slow down. I wish I could but I have a really active dd who needs to be in motion most of the time that she's awake, will only sleep in my arms during the day and has been rather wakeful at night of late.
Sorry if this is a bit rambling or confused, I seem to have lost any ability to present information in clear and concise way
I used to have her feed from just one breast at each feeding and that worked really well for us until about a month ago when she became really distracted and seemed to have more trouble feeding from one breast than the other. She would pop off repeatedly and even get upset and cry until I switched her over to the other one. So after a couple of weeks I had plugged ducts and then mastitis in the neglected breast. I would really like to get back to our old system because I knew both breasts were being emptied. She's been very good about feeding from the affected breast, too, so I think that the worst of her distracted phase is over. (Well, she's still distracted but she doesn't get upset any more, so it's just a matter of making her wait a few minutes and trying again.) Will I ever be able to get back to one breast each feeding?
One thing that really worries me is that all the advice I've read for dealing with mastitis emphasizes getting lots of rest and that is unfortunately the one thing I cannot have. I think the Kellymom website says something like mastitis is your body's way of telling you to slow down. I wish I could but I have a really active dd who needs to be in motion most of the time that she's awake, will only sleep in my arms during the day and has been rather wakeful at night of late.
Sorry if this is a bit rambling or confused, I seem to have lost any ability to present information in clear and concise way
My son, especially, was helped by visits to our chiropractor. It seemed to relieve stress on his body and he slept significantly better. That was the biggest thing, and I'm getting to the rambly point. Sorry. 
