Mastitis can i breastfeed

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This material may not otherwise be downloaded, copied, printed, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any medium, whether now known or later invented, except as authorized in writing by the AAFP.

Contact afpserv aafp. Want to use this article elsewhere? Get Permissions. Read the Issue. Sign Up Now. Previous: Aortic Stenosis: Diagnosis and Treatment. Next: Atypical Moles. Sep 15, Issue. Management of Mastitis in Breastfeeding Women. C 3 , 17 Milk culture is rarely needed in the diagnosis of mastitis, but it should be considered in refractory and hospital-acquired cases. C 3 , 7 , 16 Antibiotics effective against Staphylococcus aureus are preferred in the treatment of mastitis. C 16 , 17 Breastfeeding in the presence of mastitis generally does not pose a risk to the infant and should be continued to maintain milk supply.

Breastfeeding Prevalance Figure 1 prevalence of breastfeeding of six-month-old infants by state. Figure 2 Infant with a short frenulum that, while breastfeeding, caused nipple damage in the mother, resulting in repeated episodes of mastitis.

Figure 3 Severe mastitis in a woman at seven months postpartum whose breastfeeding son had a frenotomy several weeks after his birth. Read the full article. Get immediate access, anytime, anywhere. Choose a single article, issue, or full-access subscription. Earn up to 6 CME credits per issue. Purchase Access: See My Options close. Best Value! To see the full article, log in or purchase access. Author disclosure: Nothing to disclose. More in Pubmed Citation Related Articles. Email Alerts Don't miss a single issue.

Sign up for the free AFP email table of contents. Navigate this Article. Optimizing lactation support is essential in women with mastitis.

Infant attachment difficulties. Plastic-backed breast pads. Poor maternal nutrition. Restriction from a tight bra. Short frenulum in infant. Use of a manual breast pump. These bacteria can enter your breast through a milk duct opening or a crack in the nipple. Infection is more likely to happen when milk is trapped in the breast. Stagnant milk sitting in the breast makes bacteria grow, which leads to infection.

Trapped milk can happen due to inexperience or poor technique in breastfeeding. Or sometimes a milk duct can get blocked, causing milk to back up in the breast.

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and examine the affected breast. He or she will check for swelling, tenderness and a painful, wedge-shaped area on the breast that is a tell-tale sign of mastitis. If you are not breastfeeding and you have symptoms of mastitis, your doctor may order other tests.

These could include a breast ultrasound, MRI, mammogram, or biopsy. Sometimes breast infections go away on their own. If you notice you have symptoms of mastitis, try the following:.

You may need medicine. Your doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics to clear up the infection. You should start to feel better a few days after starting the antibiotics. But make sure you take all the antibiotics your doctor prescribes to prevent antibiotic resistance. Over-the-counter pain medicines such as acetaminophen brand name: Tylenol or ibuprofen brand name: Advil can help relieve pain.

Warm showers can also help relieve the pain. Although it may be painful, it is important to keep breastfeeding when you have mastitis. Your breast milk will not be bad for your baby, even if you have mastitis, although some infants may not like the taste. If you stop breastfeeding, germs can spread in the milk that is left in your breast.

This could make your infection worse. If you cannot nurse your baby, you should pump your breasts to remove the milk. Getting enough rest and drinking extra fluids can help you feel better faster. Talk to your doctor if your symptoms get worse.

This could form a mass in your breast. Abscesses are usually painful. They normally have to be drained surgically. If this is the case you can help by ensuring you feed or express a little to avoid further problems.

A milk blister or bleb is usually a painful white dot on the nipple or areola. Thickened milk may block milk flow near the opening of the nipple, or sometimes a tiny bit of skin overgrows a milk duct opening and milk backs up behind causing the blister. They can be associated with mastitis. A milk blister is not the same as a blister caused by friction, either from incorrect latch or a badly fitting nipple shield or breast pump flange. Milk blisters do not always hurt and may resolve over several weeks without any treatment.

If you have a painful milk blister:. Avoid opening the blister yourself; it may bring relief but could also result in infection.

Once a blister is open, help prevent infection by washing the wound with mild, unperfumed soap and rinsing well once a day. As well as having a tender breast, you are likely to feel achy, run-down and feverish; you may have flu-like symptoms. Mastitis is usually caused by backed up milk in a section of the breast. This can progress to an infection if not treated. Delayed nipple wound healing, stress, chronic engorgement and persistent breast pain increase the risk of mastitis.

Areas of the breast that remain undrained or that experience blocked ducts may be focal points for bacteria to take hold and start an infective process. Milk production may drop from your affected breast for a few days during the worst of the symptoms, but it is important for your baby to continue breastfeeding from that side to help prevent the infection from turning into an abscess. The milk from the affected breast will not harm your baby.

If you have mastitis you can try all of the treatments listed in the section on blocked ducts, as well as the following care plan. Note: It is a myth that it is unhealthy for your baby to breastfeed when you have a breast infection — the antibacterial properties of human milk actually protect your baby from infection.

Continuing to breastfeed when experiencing a sore breast, plugged duct or breast infection will speed recovery. Nursing frequently helps to provide comfort, reduce inflammation and encourage opening of the blocked area.

Many mothers find that varying breastfeeding positions drains all areas of the breast more effectively. Rest is an important component in recovery from sore breasts, plugged ducts or breast infections.

Try resting in bed with your baby cuddled next to you. Link safe sleep post This will also encourage frequent breastfeeding sessions to drain your breast. Keep supplies such as diapers, toys, books, your phone, a drink of water nearby to minimize trips out of bed. Applying wet or dry heat with a heating pad or hot water bottle and gently massaging the sore area of your breast before breastfeeding can assist it in further emptying. Many mothers find that taking showers or baths and gently massaging with a warm cloth on the sore breast is a relaxing treatment during a stressful time.

Another technique is to lean over a basin of warm water and soak the sore breast for about 10 minutes three times a day.

This will also remove any dried milk secretions that may be blocking the flow of milk out of the nipple. Breastfeed immediately, while your breast is warm, to help unplug the blocked duct. An LLL Leader can help you explore improvements you can make to help prevent the condition recurring.

Get local support. In order to prevent future plugged ducts or breast infections, you may find it helpful to be cautious of sudden long stretches between nursings. Maintaining general health through your diet and getting extra rest may help keep your breast from becoming sore again.