Contents:
- Medical Video: Signs and Symptoms of Mastitis | CloudMom
- What are the characteristics and symptoms of mastitis?
- What causes mastitis?
- How to treat mastitis?
Medical Video: Signs and Symptoms of Mastitis | CloudMom
One condition that can interfere with the breastfeeding process is mastitis, which is a condition when the mother's breast tissue is inflamed. Mastitis usually attacks nursing mothers in the early phases after giving birth, but it can also occur when the breastfeeding process has been going on for a long time. This condition can make the mother have difficulty giving breast milk because the condition of the breast is swollen and painful.
What are the characteristics and symptoms of mastitis?
Mastitis during breastfeeding usually attacks only one breast. Symptoms of the disease itself can appear suddenly. The following are the symptoms of mastitis to watch out for:
- Reddish bruised breasts.
- Itching often in the breast.
- The breast feels sore when breastfeeding.
- There is a lump in the breast that feels painful.
- The size of one breast is greater because of swelling.
- Breasts feel easily painful.
- Festering nipples.
- Often feeling tired.
- There is enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit.
In addition, you may experience flu-like symptoms before you finally notice a change in your breasts.
What causes mastitis?
This breast infection can be caused by several things:
- Bacteria. The bacteria that causes mastitis are staphylococci or streptococci which infects breast tissue through nipple wounds or ducts. Usually these bacteria come from the baby's mouth and the surface of the breast skin.
- Channels of milk flow that are blocked. The blockage meant is when the remaining milk settles in the milk duct. The complications can be breast infections.
Apart from the two causes above, the following factors can increase the risk of mastitis causes:
- Breast nipple wounds.
- Breastfeeding with only one breast.
- Wear a bra that is too tight.
- Fatigue.
- The frequency of irregular breastfeeding.
- Have experienced mastitis in the past.
How to treat mastitis?
Giving milk through infected breasts must still be done even if it hurts. Stopping breastfeeding in sick breasts will actually worsen the condition. Besides staying breastfeeding, here are some steps you can take to overcome this:
- Milk the baby as often as possible in a comfortable position and change sides.
- If the baby is not breastfeeding in large quantities, pump your milk.
- Gently massage your breasts while breastfeeding to facilitate breastfeeding.
- Avoid wearing a bra that is too tight.
- Enough for the needs of body fluids so that the body's metabolism is smooth.
- Get enough rest so that the body is not easily tired.
If the steps above are not able to reduce the symptoms of mastitis, medical help may be needed. Doctors will most likely give antibiotics to kill the bacteria that causes mastitis.
Besides using antibiotics, you may be recommended to take pain relievers. Doctors usually recommend it while waiting for bacteria to be destroyed by antibiotics so that the breastfeeding process remains comfortable.
Although mastitis that causes swollen breasts in nursing mothers is considered reasonable, but there is no harm in being wary of this disease. Being aware of mastitis is very important so that the most intimate moments between mother and baby are not disturbed.
