Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast due to an infection (infective mastitis) or not (non-infective mastitis). Mastitis is pretty common among breastfeeding mothers. It is a condition that causes mothers to experience pain in their breast and feel tired and sick.
Breastfeeding with mastitis is always very uncomfortable, although if rightly treated it’s easy to get over it quickly.
Mastitis is caused by either milk stasis; a situation where the breastmilk is not flowing freely through the ducts and is the main cause of mastitis (it may and may not lead to infection).
OR
A bacteria called staphlococcus aureus.
Causes of mastitis
Milk stasis occurs when milk is not removed well or often enough from the breast, this causes the milk to store up in the ducts and not being able to pass through the ducts. Which then causes the breast to swell up, become warm, red and painful. This happens when;
- Your baby doesn’t attach optimally to your breast
- Your baby doesn’t suck and empty your breast well (e.g. due to a tongue-tie)
- You don’t feed your baby often enough.
- Milk stasis may occur if you have an oversupply and it usually affects one breast.
Signs and symptoms
The signs of mastitis might come on suddenly, if you have mastitis you may feel;
- If you feel a tender lump on your breast
- Redness and intense pain on the affected area.
- Fatigue and run-down
- Aching muscles
- Fever
- Nausea
Treatment Of Mastitis
When you have mastitis, it is advised that you keep breastfeeding, the more milk that comes out the sooner you’ll get better.
- Before breastfeeding, apply heat with a warm towel on the affected area.
- When breastfeeding, loosen your bra and remove it so that your bra will not dig into your flesh while breastfeeding and affect how much milk comes out.
- Let your baby always suck from the affected breast first so that he can suck more from it and effectively drain the breast.
- If your baby isn’t feeding well, express.
- While breastfeeding, firmly but gently massage your breast from the blockage towards your nipple.
- For pain relief, after breastfeeding, apply cold pressure on it to reduce swelling.
- When breastfeeding, change positions.
And if the pain is unbearable, talk to your doctor about your pain relief options. And if you feel a lump in your breast which doesn’t go away within 24 hours, contact your doctor immediately.
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