- Home treatment for mastitis
- Signs of improvement or worsening
- Possible complications
- How to breastfeed with mastitis
The treatment for mastitis should be instituted as soon as possible, because when it gets worse it may be necessary to use antibiotics or even a surgical intervention. Treatment involves:
- Rest; Increased fluid intake; Use of warm compresses on the breasts, before expressing milk; Analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen to relieve pain and reduce inflammation; Emptying of the infected breast through breastfeeding, manual extraction or using the breast pump.
The use of antibiotics for 10 to 14 days is indicated when the involvement of microorganisms is proven, usually Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis .
Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast, common during breastfeeding, which usually occurs in the 2nd week after delivery and causes intense pain and discomfort, and is often the cause of abandonment of breastfeeding. This inflammation can happen due to the accumulation of milk in the breast or due to the presence of microorganisms that may have reached the breast ducts, due to a crack in the nipple, for example.
The most common cause is the accumulation of milk, which can happen due to many factors such as the baby not breastfeeding at night, the baby is unable to bite the breast properly, use of pacifiers or bottles that confuse the baby, because the mouthing the breast is completely different from taking a bottle, for example.
Home treatment for mastitis
During the treatment indicated by the doctor, some care is essential, so it is recommended:
- Breastfeed several times a day, to prevent milk from accumulating in the affected breast; Wear a firm and tight breastfeeding bra to prevent the body from producing too much milk; See how the massage should be. Observe if the baby is completely emptying the breast after finishing breastfeeding; Express the milk manually or with the breast pump if the baby has not completely emptyed the breast.
Although mastitis causes pain and discomfort, it is not advisable to stop breastfeeding, as the act of breastfeeding helps treat mastitis and brings many benefits to the baby, such as reducing allergies and cramps. However, if the woman still does not want to breastfeed, she must withdraw the milk to continue emptying the breast, which brings great relief from the symptoms.
Signs of improvement or worsening
The woman can see if she is improving because the breast is less swollen, the redness disappears and there is pain relief. The improvement can appear in 1 or 2 days after starting the treatment, with or without antibiotics.
The signs of worsening are an increase in the severity of symptoms, with the formation of pus or cysts in the breast, which usually occurs when treatment is not done, or until antibiotics are started under medical guidance.
Possible complications
If not properly treated, the infection can worsen and the pain becomes unbearable, completely preventing breastfeeding and even manual milk withdrawal. In this case the breast may be so inflamed and with so much accumulated milk, that it may be necessary to drain all milk and pus surgically.
How to breastfeed with mastitis
Although it can be quite painful, it is important to maintain breastfeeding during mastitis, as this way it is possible to avoid the retention of more milk and the proliferation of bacteria. Breastfeeding should be done in a normal way and the ideal is to reduce the interval between feedings and try to make the baby empty the breast, if this does not happen, it is recommended that the emptying be done manually. Find out how the milk is removed with a breast pump and manual.
If the woman does not want to breastfeed, it is important to express the milk and store it, as it is possible to relieve the symptoms of inflammation. In addition, the use of analgesic, anti-inflammatory or even antibiotic medications may be recommended by the physician, if bacterial infection is confirmed. See how to store breast milk.
