I have worked with a number of mothers with stubborn and or recurrent
mastitis.

One of things we do is to culture the ENTIRE family, including the baby. We
do throat and naso pharangeal cultures. In most cases the father has either
non-symtomatic strep, or N/P staph. In a few cases the baby picked up the
infection in the hospital and is giving it back to the mother again and
again.

In one very odd case occured just after I had just read about tonsilitis in
school age children, and the need to culture the pets! In this family the
older child was about to undergo a tonsilectomy, due to repeated
infections, and mom was getting mastitis constantly. The pet dog was taken
to the Vet, and she had a strep infection! The dog, the mom and the older
child were treated (after a sensitivity study) and all did well. Not only
did the mother not have any more mastitis, the older child didn't need the
tonsilectomy.

Most cases don't need to go this far. Usually, someone in the family is
carrying the pathogen, and it is usually found out when similtaneous
cultures and senstivites are done, and all infected are treated at once.

In most cases is is the father, and his treatment gives good results.

Good luck, I hope this mother can heal.

There are also some on the list who have a good background in alternative
treatments, which in addition to culturing everyone and using antibiotics,
could be the key to getting this mother and baby nursing again and healthy!

Mary Jozwiak IBCLC, RLC, LLLL, AAPL
Private Practice

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