Why can mastitis develop during breastfeeding?
This kind of inflammatory process in the mammary gland, which develops during breastfeeding, is usually called lactational or postnatal mastitis. Most often such a violation is noted in those women who became mothers for the first time.
As a rule, the cause of the development of the inflammatory process in the mammary gland in this case is streptococcus or Staphylococcus aureus.
The development of lactational mastitis in women is usually:
- Cracks in the nipples of the chest. This phenomenon is often observed in the first days of breastfeeding and is due to the wrong capture of the baby's breasts.
- The unpreparedness of the nipples is also the cause of mastitis in nursing. Most often this complication is noted when they have a small size or a flat shape.
- Failure to comply with maternal hygiene may also be the cause of lactational mastitis.
- Subcooling negatively affects the female breast and can contribute to the development of the infectious process.
- Disturbance of outflow of produced milk - lactostasis, is probably one of the main reasons for the development of postpartum mastitis. In such cases, because of the large production of breast milk, which the baby does not eat up completely, stagnation can occur, which ultimately leads to an inflammatory process.
What are the main symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother?
This violation has so specific signs that it is not difficult to diagnose it even to the woman herself.
First of all, seals appear in the chest. At the same time, there is swelling of the glandular tissue and hyperemia of the breast skin. At the same time, it is very painful to the touch: pain can have both a spilled character and localize in a particular small area (nipple, areola).
Against the background of everything described above, Mom is having problems with feeding. Milk in mastitis does not flow as easily as before. That's why the baby becomes restless, cries after a few minutes, and sometimes seconds, sucking.
At the same time, there is an increase in regional lymph nodes. So, in the armpit can be probed small, ball-shaped seals.
Against the background of the development of these symptoms, there is a deterioration in the overall well-being of the mother: headache, the appearance of weakness and chills. There is an increase in body temperature to subfebrile digits.
How is mastitis treated in lactating women?
Having analyzed the main symptoms of mastitis in nursing, let's talk about how to treat such a disease.
So, in no case at the appearance of signs of the disease can not stop feeding the baby. Breastfeeding is discontinued only if there is a purulent form of the disease.
At the first symptoms and signs of mastitis in a nursing mother, treatment should be started immediately. The success of therapy largely depends on the time of the beginning of medical activities.
Typically, this process includes:
- stimulation of outflow of milk produced (pumping);
- carrying out a massage of the chest, from the top to the nipples, which helps the outflow of milk;
- application of cooling compresses;
- the treatment of the nipples should be performed after each feeding (use at the same time Bepanten, Purelan);
- antipyretic fever at a temperature;
antibiotic therapy (prescribed only by a doctor).
What folk remedies can be used to treat mastitis in a nursing mother?
The most common with this disease are:
- cabbage leaf - apply mainly at night;
- compresses using leaves of mint, alder (dry leaves are soaked in boiling water and applied to a sick chest before feeding);
- burdock leaves also help to relieve the symptoms of the disease and improve the well-being of the mother.