Case Report of Recurrent Bilateral Mastitis in a Woman Who Is Exclusively Pumping Breast Milk for an Infant in the NICU

In this report, we describe a case of bilateral lactational mastitis in a primigravid, Spanish-speaking woman who exclusively pumped breast milk for a hospitalized, critically ill infant in the NICU within a free-standing children’s hospital. The case follows her clinical presentation, assessments, diagnostics, and therapeutic interventions during the 45-day postpartum period. This case report highlights the situational and environmental context of the woman’s experiences and emphasizes potential disconnections of care. Regarding her mastitis, the maternity care providers relied on the woman to provide all relevant information without knowledge of her hospitalized infant’s health status. Traditionally during the postpartum period, infants hospitalized in the NICU and their mothers are cared for by separate provider teams. Clinicians must acknowledge that when women transition from recent patients to parent visitors after birth, they will likely have ongoing medical, obstetric, and psychosocial care needs.