Have you noticed an increase in Mastitis with your twins than with your singleton?

[angie6]

I was just curious how many of you moms have experienced much more episodes of mastitis with your twins then when you had your singletons. Here lately it seems as if I am getting it monthly. It is mainly due to their funky positions that they now have during nursing and the way they nurse while co-sleeping with me at night. I try my best to avoid it but nothing is working. It is in a different spot each month and I know exactly why for the most part, because of their heads pushing or resting against that area but this month it was in the tip of the nipple. Ouch!
Mastitis information is very limited in my literature but especially with twins so I was curious what experiences you have all had? I am very ready to stop night nursing but they are not ready. I think if I can stop that session it will eliminate lots of issues! Any advice?
Angie:eek

[mom3]

I got mastitis twice (so far) with my twins and never with my oldest ds. What seems to have worked for me is NOT switching sides with each feeding. I started this back in September after my second infection and haven't had it since. I know that one has a bigger appetite than the other and figured if mastitis is cured by keeping the breast "empty" then it wouldn't occur if it was "emptied" at each nursing. Now one breast produces what Ansil needs and the other produces what Forrest needs and everything seems to be fine.

[gcopeley]

I also never had mastitis with my oldest ds but did get it with my twins. I also had yeast infections in the breast around the same time. I noticed it was when I was very stressed, getting very little sleep and eating a lot of sugar. I took it as a sign that I needed to rest and improve my diet. Have you heard about putting warm cooked cabbage on your breast when you have an infection?

[angie6]

Thanks for your input ladies!
Mom3 actually mastitis is caused by the ducts getting clogged and that is mainly due to pressure being placed on a certain area over and over again. This is what is happening to me. Believe me these suckers are keeping me drained! Many times moms get mastitis because their bras are too tight or have and underwire that puts too much pressure on a certain area causing the mastitis. I also tell women to play close attention to how they are positioning their own arms or the baby's arms or legs and make sure it is not puttingpressure on the breast.

gcopeley, Wow mastitis with a yeast infection, Yuck! I have not had any yeast trouble this time around thank goodness! You are so right about diet, stress and sleep causing lots of problems. I think this is also one of my biggest problems because I never get enough sleep, I am under lots of stress right now and my diet is not the best either.
The cabbage leaves are for engorgement. You are suppose to place cabbage leaves on the breasts inside your bra and replace them when they become wrinkled.
Angie

[oneplusthree]

Hi Angie,
I never had mastitis with my singleton, but had it 6 or 7 times with my triplets! I think the mastitis in my case, was mostly caused by such a large supply (compared to nursing a singleton), that if we ever skipped a feeding, I would end up with mastitis if i didn't pump. Especially once they were older & not always nursing on a predictable basis. I learned that I either had to pump or nurse if I ever felt too full or had a plugged duct coming on or i would end up with mastitis. My LLL leader suggested taking vitamin C everyday (don't know the reasoning behind that), but I haven't had mastitis since then. My three stopped night nursing for the most part around when they turned two. For me I don't think the mastitis had much to do with the night nursing. Good luck to you.
Beth Mom to Megan-5 yrs, Rachel, Zach, & Ashley-28 months

[angie6]

oneplusthree,
Thanks for your input! Wow triplets! You are amazing!!!!! The reason I think the night nursing has alot to do with it is because of the way they rest their heads while nursing at night and the lack of sleep I am getting with them in my bed constantly waking me up. Every time I try putting them back in their bed here they come about 1 hour later. Did all three of yours sleep all night with you?
I have never heard of the vitamin C usage? I will try to research thatbut hey if it is working then maybe I should look into that more for me too!
Angie

[oneplusthree]

Angie,
My three have their own bed. They sleep on a queen size mattress in their room. They used to end up in our bed everynight, but my dh is not a big fan of co-sleeping with more than one child. This caused a lot of problems for us ( husband ranting in the middle of the night about his lack of sleep). At around 16 months, we put the mattress on the floor in their room. I slept with them everynight. A lot of times I would sneak out once all were asleep & go sleep in my own bed & then ususally end up back in there once someone woke up. Once they were closer to two, a lot of times they'd be happy to snuggle up against me instead of nursing if they woke up. My one dd still wakes 2-3 nights a week. She usually ends up in bed with me & dh (she is also my early riser-she needs less sleep than the other two) On the days she has slept all night, she wakes everyone else up earlier than they want to get up, so I that is why we end up in our room instead of hers now.
By the way, I think YOU are amazing. Having four older children plus your twins. I am stretched to my limits with my four children plus trying to give my oldest some one on one time. You should give yourself a pat on the back!
Beth Mom to Megan-5 yrs, Rachel, Zach, & Ashley-28 months

[mommy2three]

I have to say I have had thrush with my singleton (that turned into mastitis a couple times) since his birth because I have major oversupply. When my singleton was born I exclusively nursed (never used a bottle) but also pumped so I had a supply in the freezer. I just thought that I should pump even though I never intended to give him a bottle because I had to pump with the twins. So, now (almost a year later) I still have major over supply so Sam bites down (ouch!) when he nurses to slow the flow of milk. My La Leche leader (also a lact. consultant) says this is probably why I have constant thrush.

So, long story short...maybe you have oversupply and the twins are latching wrong (like my Sam) and that's why you keep getting it. I know with my twins I definitly did not have over supply (I felt that I barely had enough milk at the time and unfotunetly did not do extended nursing like I am with my sweet nursling Sam. If I only knew what I know now about nursing...)

If you think this may be the problem I could write some of the suggestions that the LC told me. Sam still exclusevly nurses (he's almost a year) but I just started to introduce some solids so it's actually getting better since I'm not nursing every hour... (yes, every hour! My nursling is almost 30 pounds and he's not even 1!!!! It's funny because my twins are almost 4 and 33 pounds!!!! they all share clothing!)

Good luck and if there's anyway I could help email me: AleyPiteo@aol.com. I know how terrible thrush and mastitis is!!!!!!

[angie6]

Yeast is what causes thrush and I am wondering if the reason you are also getting mastitis on top of it is that it is so painful to nurse that maybe you are not nursing or pumping often enough or long enough to empty out and causing blocked ducts. Another thing could be that inadvertently you could be applying pressure to a section of your breast when first putting your baby to the breast because of the initial pain. I have never read any literature or seen any moms over almost 10 years that have had yeast cause mastitis. You might ask you LLL to show you some literature on that and if she has it I would also love to see it.

I in no way have yeast! Believe me with my fourth child I had thrush so many times. He was extremly sensitive to any antibiotics so if I or he had to take them he instantly had thrush. We tried everything natural and nothing worked. Then the doctor kept wanting to use a drug that never worked until finally I and my child took Diflucan and within 3 days it was almost gone. I also had it once with my third child but after a short time got rid of it. Make sure you are completely getting rid of the yeast so that it is not re-infecting you and your baby.

I have had over supply before when working and pumping ( which I did with 4 children full-time) and know I do not have it now. If you do suspect you have over supply and you do not need to pump then stop pumping. Pumping only increases your supply. Make sure you do this gradually for your own comfort. Reduce one pumping every couple of days until you are down to none. Also when you put your baby to the breast as soon as you feel a let-down then remove your baby and have a towel laying in front of you and let the milk gush into the towel. When the let-down stops then put the baby back to the breast. This avoids the gulping and over-abundance of intital milk. With no pumping and using the towel method you should see a difference within a few days.
I know for sure it is some of the funky positions that the twins are doing that is causing the mastitis and I am trying very hard to avoid letting them do these so I do not keep getting it. The worst time is at night I think when I am not really aware of it as much I think but I have been trying to make myself more aware and try not to nurse them at the same time at night. This seems to be helping.
Thanks everyone for all your tips and stories!
Angie:D

[lexbeach]

Well, I only have my twins ( :bow to all of you have so many more children to take care of), so no singleton to compare the nursing experience with. But, I will say that I have a lot more plugged ducts than my friends who are nursing singletons. I think it is due to positioning woes. Also, I have a huge thrush problem that we've been battling since the boys were born (4.5 months ago). We've tried almost everything. I still haven't resorted to giving them diflucan, but I think we'll all do another round of it if the thrush gets any worse. While thrush in and of itself doesn't cause mastitis, it can help facilitate the formation of plugged ducts which could then lead to mastitis. I've only had mastitis once, and was able to get rid of it without taking antibiotics (thankfully!). Whenever I get a plugged duct, I just devote my whole day to getting it out since I know that antibiotics at this point would just be the end of me.

Lex

[mom3]

:OT I had a friend who battled thrush (along with blocked ducts, mastitis, etc) and she finally resorted to the diflucan. I think it took a longer course than normal but it did clear up the thrush for her and her son and I don't think they've had any problems since.

[Adele]

Yes, I believe more breast infections due to stress, poor/fast diet , weird positioning, sleep deprivation etc.

After several rounds of antibiotics, started lecithin, garlic, myrrh and bromelien (sp)?.