Mastitis Management

Mastitis is a common condition that affects breastfeeding mothers, characterized by inflammation and infection in the breast tissue. It can cause pain, swelling, redness, and fever, and if left untreated, can lead to breast abscess. Mothers may also notice a decrease in their milk production when experiencing symptoms along the mastitis spectrum which has been updated to include breast engorgement.

Here are some strategies for treating and managing the mastitis spectrum :

Rest and Self-care

Rest and self-care are crucial for treating mastitis. It's so important to listen to your body and rest when possible. This may include getting more sleep (which is a lot easier said than done as a new mother!), staying hydrated, eating a healthy diet rich in protein healthy fats, and carbohydrates, and trying to avoid stress. Rest and self-care can help to support your body's immune system, which can help fight a brewing infection and speed up the healing process.

Continued Breastfeeding

Continued breastfeeding on demand while working through mastitis is important for resolving symptoms. Breastfeeding keeps the milk flowing and can help prevent the milk from getting backed up or staying stagnant in the milk ducts and causing more inflammation. However, it's essential to make sure your baby is latching correctly and softening your breasts effectively. It may be helpful to hand express or pump to comfort after breastfeeding if your breast remains full or firm. But be careful not to overpump or get worried about draining the breast as this could make swelling and inflammation worse and lead to infective mastitis. If your baby is struggling to latch, please consider working with a lactation consultant to address these issues.

Cold Compresses and Lymphatic Massage

Cold compresses and lymphatic massage can help to relieve pain and discomfort associated with mastitis. Applying a cold compress or ice pack to the affected breast before and after breastfeeding can help reduce swelling and inflammation, and help your milk flow. Please avoid using heat unless it’s for a few minutes at the start of feeding or milk expression. Heat can aggravate swelling and inflammation and make treating mastitis more challenging. Massaging the breast with a light feather touch can also help to promote milk flow. Do not push too forcefully into the breast or massage vigorously. Again, this can make the swelling worse and harder for your milk to flow. Lymphatic massage is often helpful if breast swelling persists and can’t be resolved with ice and traditional gentle massage.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics may be necessary for treating infective mastitis, particularly if the infection is severe or not responding to other treatments. If you develop fever, chills, body aches, or a racing heart, please see a Doctor right away. Your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotics to help fight the infection. It's important to take the full course of antibiotics as prescribed, even if you start to feel better, to ensure that the infection is completely cleared.

Consider Probiotics

There is not a lot of solid evidence on the use of probiotics, but a systematic review suggested that probiotics may be effective for both treatment and prevention of mastitis, but a strong recommendation could not be made due to limitations of the studied trials. If probiotics are going to be utilized, it’s recommended to take one containing Limosilactobacillus fermentum or Ligilactobacillus salivarius.

Pain Relief

Pain relief measures can also be helpful in managing mastitis. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help to reduce pain, inflammation, and fever. Cold compresses applied to the breast can also help to reduce pain and swelling and generally feel quite nice! Remember, to avoid heat but if you choose to use heat, only apply it for a few minutes at the start of feeding or milk expression.

Manage Oversupply

Oversupply or hyperlactation can make a breastfeeding mother more susceptible to developing mastitis. So it is important to seek help from your healthcare provider or lactation consultant to help manage your over-abundant milk production.

In conclusion, the mastitis spectrum of symptoms can be a painful, challenging, and worrisome condition for breastfeeding mothers. But there are strategies for treating and managing it effectively with rest, self-care, continued breastfeeding, cold compresses light tough lymphatic massage, antibiotics for infective symptoms, probiotics, pain relief, and effectively managing oversupply. In most cases mastitis can be resolved within a few days to a week, allowing you to continue along your breastfeeding journey. 

If you are struggling with mastitis spectrum symptoms, reach out to a Nourish Lactation Consultant today. We are a skilled team of lactation professionals providing support to breastfeeding mothers across Canada.