17/07/2021
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It’s funny because it is true.
Raise your hand if you’ve had mastitis! 🙋♀️
Mastitis is the worst. Or one of the worst anyway.
An infection and inflammation of the breast, mastitis makes life miserable. Mastitis, infection of the breast. It sometimes happens with breastfeeding and is a torturous experience. It is like the flu and a jump kick to the b**b all at once. Which can quickly turn into an abscess and even sepsis.
Unlike stepping on a Lego, mastitis makes life… difficult, if not impossible.
Actions made painful and difficult by mastitis:
Picking up my baby.
Holding my baby.
Breastfeeding my baby.
Moving my body.
My other children.
Focusing/thinking.
Communicating what I need.
Taking a shower.
Staying awake.
Sleeping.
Breathing.
So pretty much all of life and parenting.
The symptoms of mastitis can include:
Redness
Tenderness
Heat radiating from the area
Pain
Fever
Chills
Body aches
Hard area under skin indicating a blocked duct
Abscess
Feeling like someone electrified your joints when you already had the flu, punched you in the b**b, and then handed you a baby and told you to feed it with the b**b that was punched.
The desire to punch someone in retaliation.
What can help (there’s more info here https://bit.ly/2V5TWud and here https://bit.ly/320wsbe)
(This is not intended to be health care advice, just information. Your health care provider can address your specific needs in care.)
Milk removal– get it all out! Repeatedly. (This milk is safe for baby to consume unless otherwise instructed by your health care provider)
Dangle feed- drain the affected breast more fully with the help of gravity in the dangle feed position. (See here: https://bit.ly/3kZE8T9)
Heat– this may provide relief and help with let down to empty the breast. Wet heat, such as a warm compress or soaking in a tub or shower (if you can stand it) or even a bowl of warm water is effective and provides a lubricant for massaging the effected area as well.
Massage– Nothing like massaging the area that hurts when you touch it but some breast hand massage can go a long way in relieving mastitis. This method is one to try very gently. Gentle vibrating massage can also help relieve a clogged duct, just be careful not to be too aggressive. A lactation massager like this one (waterproof, cordless, different speed settings, etc.) may be helpful: https://crane-usa.com/product/lactation-massager/ (use code: COMFORT20 for 20% off and free shipping)
Rest– you’ll want to after that massage anyway but rest has a big role in helping the body heal itself.
Pain relief– such as Ibuprofen. Reducing inflammation won’t just help you tolerate the pain, it can help you heal.
Natural remedies– from cabbage to lecithin to arnica to garlic, there are tried and true natural options worth trying if you catch it early. If you experience recurring mastitis, lecithin supplements on a regular basis may help you avoid it again in the future if mechanical issues regarding milk removal do not appear to be the cause.
Pharmaceuticals– If caught early, you may be able to beat this monster on your own but it can rapidly progress to a much more serious condition if left untreated. The most effective known treatment is antibiotics.
It is important to note that sometimes mastitis is resistant to treatment. If this happens to you, you can request your health care provider to do a culture to determine if a more targeted treatment protocol is in order and to detect possible other causes for mastitis-like symptoms that don’t respond to conventional treatment measures.
Prevention:
Treat damaged tissue right away (cracked ni***es make breast more susceptible to infection).
Frequent and effective milk removal.
Varied feeding holds/positions.
Non-constrictive bras and other clothing.
Rest, eating well, hydration, multivitamin.
Early intervention for clogs and soreness.
Sunflower lecithin may be helpful in prevention reoccurring clogs and mastitis.
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