Mastitis
Most mums have heard of mastitis and how painful it can be, but don’t worry unnecessarily, as you might never experience it. Be sure to treat engorged breasts, sore nipples and any blockage of your milk ducts.
If you contract it, mastitis usually affects only one breast of breastfeeding mothers. Factors that can lead to mastitis include:
If you contract it, mastitis usually affects only one breast of breastfeeding mothers. Factors that can lead to mastitis include:
- difficulty with attaching your baby to the breast – poor milk drainage leads to your breast being overfull and engorged
- wearing tight-fitting clothes, particularly nursing bras
- a blocked duct
- an untreated crack in the nipple – bacteria gains entrance to the breast tissue
- irregular breastfeeding patterns – missed feedings, abrupt weaning off the breast and changes in sleeping patterns of your baby can lead to breasts being overfull and engorged
- low resistance to infection – if you experience high level of stress, are anaemic or smoke.
Treatment of mastitis
Mastitis is treated with antibiotics, but most doctors agree that self-help measures can alleviate the condition at early stages. Self-help mastitis treatments include:- continued frequent breastfeeding – this improves the flow of blood to the infected area while the flow of milk helps clear ducts of bacteria. This is not harmful to your baby as you’d have passed antibodies in the breast milk before the infection. If your baby is reluctant to breastfeed from the infected breast (some babies dislike the salty taste) or you find it too painful, you can express.
- trying breastfeeding in different positions
- resting in bed, applying warm compresses (or a hot water bottle) and gentle massage over the affected area. A wide-toothed comb can be used to massage the sore area towards the nipple.
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