"Mastitis not taken seriously with a newborn"

I presented to Northam ED recently, I had told them I felt mastitis was coming on and that I have a history of mastitis with my last baby. My baby was four days old and has a confirmed tongue tie, I had also told them this. I felt the doctor and nurse that was treating me treated me like I was an idiot, like I was just an anxious parent that needed to feed their baby more. I was told not to pump, massage the lumps out or use a warm or cold compress and to just feed my baby more. I had been feeding my baby almost hourly due to discomfort and engorgement, also my baby was cluster feeding. I was told I would not be getting antibiotics and to just go home and feed more frequently.

The nurse that was in the room stated that they are actually a midwife as well but not currently practicing, I felt they spoke to me like I was an idiot that had no idea what I was doing as a parent. They also came back into where I was sitting to inform me that I was only four days postpartum in what I felt was a very condescending manner and then walked out again, I did not see them again after this.

The following day, I woke up feeling like I’ve been hit by a bus with full blown mastitis. I feel incredibly disappointed and unheard, I could have been on top of this before it got too bad and now I am bed bound due to being so ill. I called the midwives at another health service first thing in the morning, went in and saw them and they gave me antibiotics straight away. I have very red, inflamed, and infected breasts that’s severity I believe could have possibly been avoided had I been listened to in the first place. As a nurse myself, I will never deny a patient’s pain score and treat them the way I was treated by the health professionals I first saw.