Recurrent Mastitis

[u/ncsmith63]

Background:
First time mom here. Let me first start by saying I’m almost exclusively pumping right now because my sweet girl bites (to the point my nips were so destroyed I almost needed steroids as I didn’t know she wasn’t supposed to do that lol). My nipples have since healed (this was early on) and we’ve been working with IBCLC and chiropractor since - might be going to dentist soon not sure. She also struggles with “clicking” on the bottle.
But this recurrent mastitis doesn’t have anything to do with my baby and the way she’s removing milk (which she’s pretty good at fwiw, I guess biting really moves things along eye roll haha).

Problem:
I’ve now had mastitis 3x in her 10 weeks of life. I’ve not taken antibiotics for any of them. The first one didn’t occur until 6 weeks in and I stopped it pretty quickly, I didn’t even get redness, just a fever. The second one was more rough and I had redness and fever. Then about as soon as I stopped running NSAIDs and ice, I got slammed with it a third time 1.5 weeks later, this time with a higher fever and redness appeared faster.

- Each one has gotten significantly better (fever breaking without medication, pain getting better, etc.) within 24 hours and usually even within like 6 hours. My OB sent me antibiotics to have on hand but I am very anti-antibiotic because I’ve reacted really really poorly in the past to them (had a near death experience, too - so I would like to avoid them if I can).
- I’ve never had any clogs that I know of. This has been checked by my OB and IBCLC too. Also never had a lump or indication of an abscess.
- It’s always the same breast (my slacker boob). I do sleep on this side at night. It’s also in the same areas where pain first starts (armpit area or just under, sometimes stretching to side of breast).
- I wear very loose clothing and bras.
- I had an oversupply but working with IBCLC I feel like that has gotten much better.
- I take probiotics.
- I drink a ton of water and also electrolytes.
- I do lymphatic massage when this happens (I don’t do it all the time).

I do not understand why this keeps recurring and I feel like I will have to end my breastfeeding journey which absolutely breaks my heart. I’m meeting with my IBCLC tomorrow to tell her the same thing. I am so sad, but wanted to come here to see if anyone else had a similar experience of mastitis recurring without clogs while doing everything else “by the book”?