Update.

My fever is back, which might have something to do with why I was having such an impossibly hard time coping last night. It's weird, because in all other respects the mastitis has improved dramatically - the lump has almost disappeared. I'm going to the midwife tomorrow to get checked out. Possibly whatever organism is involved in the infection is resistant to my antibiotic.

Alex seems to be doing all right on the new regimen. She's eating well, and is satisfied for longer between feeds - only once today did she want to eat again when less than two hours had gone by. She's sleeping more between feeds, too. Holding her upright during feeding and for 30 minutes afterward has really decreased the spitting up and the back arching, although there was a long period this afternoon when she was fussy and miserable and really seemed to be in pain.

Tomorrow we'll take her back to the lactation clinic for a re-weigh. Then we're supposed to call the pediatrician to discuss our next steps. I don't know where we'll go from here.

I want to thank everyone who commented on my previous post. I badly needed that support, and your kindness and encouragement brought frequent tears to my eyes. Thank you.