Mastitis
I have a three month baby and I am having trouble breastfeeding, it is so painful, is there anything I can do to reduce mastitis?
Mastitis is the blockage of one or more of the glands which produce the milk. It is generally caused by inflammation of the mammary gland ducts. If these symptoms persist please see a Healthcare professional.
Symptoms of mastitis:
- A section of the breast becoming swollen, throbbing, painful and with the skin feeling hot, tender or reddened.
- Weakness, lethargy, aching all over - flu like symptoms
- Headache, fever, chills, shivers, sweats and a raised temperature
Things to do to help reduce mastitis:
- Make cabbage leaves into a poultice with slippery elm powder and apply it to the breast.
- Massage ducts with some warm oil. Massage the breast 10 minutes prior to breastfeeding to encourage the flow of milk.
- Move the positioning of the baby often or hold them with their body under your arm, vertical, cradling them or at a different angle as this helps them to drain other ducts rather than the same one over and over.
- Apply heat packs to the affected area or massage while in the shower.
- Get the baby to feed from the breast which is most sore first and completely drain it if you can before moving on to the other breast and also switch the breasts which you first feed with. A breast pump may be also used to help completely empty the breast.
- Where the baby is positioned and you are experiencing pain while in this position, they will be looking at the block duct so this lets you know which one is inflamed and if you reposition the baby they will draw milk from another gland.
- Do not wait until the breasts are overfull to begin breastfeeding.
- Some herbs which have a galactagogue effect to encourage the production and flow of milk and reducing the blockage are fennel, fenugreek, raspberry leaf, anise, blessed thistle.
- Ensure that you are properly hydrated to again encourage the flow of milk and reduce the inflammation.
- Take capsules of Evening Primrose oil or fish oil as these are natural potent anti-inflammatory oil whichprovide important essential fatty acides for the health of you and your baby.
The information provided is general advice of one possible cause and treatment of the symptoms described. This is not a diagnosis and if these symptoms persist please see a Healthcare professional.