Mastitis While Breastfeeding: Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

Many mothers think that after ten months' pregnancy, it will be easy after giving birth. However, on the road to breastfeeding, it is easy to encounter a lot of problems. Among them, mastitis is the most common problem.

Why do I get mastitis?

When mastitis occurs, it usually manifests as local redness, swelling, pain, and increased body temperature. There are usually several reasons for getting mastitis:

1. Excessive lactation: When a novice mother is breastfeeding, if she overemphasizes emptying her milk after feeding, it will send a signal of insufficient milk to the brain. This signal will promote the pituitary gland to secrete more lactogen, and the rate of milk production will become faster and faster. , Cyclically, easy to form milk siltation.

2. The baby contains milk for a long time: If the baby sleeps with milk for a long time, it will cause the bacteria in the baby's oral cavity to retrograde, and the bacteria will easily invade the breast and multiply and grow.

3. Improper holding posture for babies: Incorrect holding postures for babies will increase the chance of nipple breakage, and will also make breast milk unsmooth.

4. Improper diet: Many mothers eat too greasy and too much salt during breastfeeding. For example, a variety of large tonic soups use meat as ingredients, which are relatively greasy. If they eat too much, the milk fat content will be too high. It has to be thicker to increase the chance of blocking the milk.

5. External force compresses the breast: Generally speaking, the breast cup of a breastfeeding mother will be 2-3 size larger than that before pregnancy. If the underwear is too tight, it will compress the breast, leading to poor drainage of part of the milk and causing blockage.

How to relieve mastitis?

1. Pay attention to the breastfeeding posture: When the baby is drinking, the mouth should contain the mother's entire nipple and most of the areola. When sucking, wrap the nipple with the tongue, and obtain breast milk through the movement of the tongue, so that the baby can suck in all directions.

2. Cold compress of cabbage: Take a leaf of cabbage, rinse it with cold water, press it softly, and apply it to the painful place. It is usually applied for 20-30 minutes. When the cabbage is covered with heat, it can be over. Pay attention to avoid the breasts where there are broken skin or rashes.

3. When small white spots appear on the nipple: Mom can use sterile gauze dipped in warm olive oil or warm salt water and apply it on the nipple for 10 to 15 minutes each time, 5 minutes apart, and then wet the compress for the same time. Afterwards, use sterile gauze to rub around the white spots. When you find that the white spots are broken and milk is flowing out, you can wipe the nipple with clean water and immediately express or breastfeed.

4. Intake warm water before and after milking: Ingest 200~300 ml of warm water before and after milking to make breast milk less viscous and reduce the chance of blocking the milk.

5. Adjust your diet: reduce the consumption of dairy products or meat.

6. Choose the suitable underwear: Choose loose, comfortable cotton, and appropriate size underwear to ensure that you don't feel tight or chest tight when you wear it.

7. Use antibacterial drugs: Before mastitis has formed an abscess, antibacterial drugs can play a very good therapeutic effect. Mothers can use penicillin or erythromycin under the guidance of a doctor.