Mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland that can occur when you’re breastfeeding. It can cause pain in the affected breast, as well as flu-like symptoms. Here’s how to know if you have mastitis, treatment information, and how to prevent it.
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What is mastitis?
Sometimes, milk ducts can become inflamed. This can happen due to genetics, maternal medical conditions, recent use of antibiotics, and other reasons. When this persists, inflammatory mastitis may develop.
In some cases inflammatory mastitis progresses to bacterial mastitis, which requires antibiotics to treat.
How can I tell if I have mastitis?
Here are some of the symptoms of mastitis.
Mastitis symptoms in the affected breast
- The affected breast may hurt, and it may be warm and a bit swollen
- You may feel a lump in the affected breast that is very tender to the touch
- You may see red streaks on your breast
General mastitis symptoms
- You may have flu-like symptoms, such as a fever, chills, and aches
- You might have a dull headache
- “General malaise,” i.e., you just do not feel well, is also common
How do you know if you have a clogged milk duct vs mastitis?
If the issue is localized to your breast, you probably just have ductal narrowing, which is commonly referred to as a clogged duct. If your symptoms extend to the rest of your body, you likely have mastitis.
How do I treat mastitis at home?
If your symptoms meet the below criteria, then you can try to treat mastitis at home:
- Symptoms have been present for less than 24 hours
- Only one breast is affected
- Your baby is more than two weeks old
- You are not very ill
(If these do not all apply to you, or if you have questions or concerns, call your doctor.)
Below are some home remedies for mastitis. The goal with these is to relieve the inflammation causing the mastitis.
1. Rest and try to relax
It’s really hard to rest as a new parent, but let everything that you possibly can go, and rest as much as you can. Accept any help that is offered, and ask for it if you need to.
Mastitis can also be stressful, especially if it’s your first time dealing with it. Usually it resolves in a few days with conservative care, so try to relax as much as you can until you’ve recovered.
2. Stay on your normal pumping schedule
Try to pump the same that you did prior to the onset of mastitis. (If you’re nursing, continue to feed your baby as you normally would.)
If pumping or nursing on the affected side is very painful, try starting with the unaffected side until your milk lets down. Then you can start pumping on both sides (or switch sides).
Don’t use suction any higher than what is comfortable for you, and make sure that your breast shields fit appropriately.
3. Drink fluids
Make sure to stay hydrated.
4. Take ibuprofen
It will help reduce the swelling, inflammation, and pain, and is safe for breastfeeding. Per the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, you can take up to 800mg every eight hours.
You can also take Tylenol for pain.
5. Apply ice to the affected breast
Ice may also help relieve the inflammation associated with mastitis.
It can be applied every hour (or more frequently, if desired).
6. Take sunflower or soy lecithin
The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine suggests taking 5-10g of sunflower or soy lecithin to “reduce inflammation in ducts and emulsify milk.”
7. Ensure any hands-on pumping or breast massage is gentle
You don’t want to further inflame your breast tissue.
8. Check your bra
Make sure that your bra is comfortable, supportive, and fits appropriately.
If you’re not using a nursing bra, you may want to consider getting one. Nursing bras are made for lactating breasts, with no seams or wires in places they may cause issues.
9. Consider gentle vibration
Gentle vibration, administered once per day for a few minutes, may help with mastitis. Some women use a lactation massager* for this purpose.
Remember that the vibration should be gentle – the goal is to reduce inflammation.
(*The lactation massager I recommend is available on amazon, or you can also get a 10% discount buying directly from LaVie with the promo code EPUMP.)
Do I need antibiotics?
If your symptoms have been present for more than 24 hours (and are not improving), both breasts are affected, your baby is less than two weeks old, or you are very sick, call your doctor. It’s possible that your mastitis has progressed from inflammatory to bacterial mastitis.
It is likely that he or she will put you on an antibiotic, usually for 10-14 days. You should also continue to rest.
Check and confirm if the antibiotic you’re prescribed is safe for baby; you may want to ask for an alternative if it’s not. (Mastitis on its own is not a contraindication to breastfeeding.)
Untreated mastitis can lead to an abscess (which can require surgery to resolve), so be sure to call your doctor if you feel sick for more than 24 hours or are really ill.
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How long does mastitis usually last?
Usually 1-3 days, though it make take up to a week for the infection to completely clear.
Once you are feeling better, if your milk supply was impacted, it may also take a little while for it to recover.
What are the early signs of mastitis?
If you’re having any localized pain or tenderness on one breast, watch out for feeling more tired than normal, a low-grade fever, or just feeling “blah.” These are usually the first signs of mastitis.
Mastitis usually comes on quickly.
How can I make sure that this never happens to me and my boobs again? How can I prevent mastitis when pumping?
To avoid mastitis as an exclusive pumper, here are some things that you can do:
- Stick to your pumping schedule as much as possible.
- If you are prone to getting mastitis, you might want to try sunflower or soy lecithin to see if that helps.
- See your doctor to confirm that any previous cases of bacterial mastitis have resolved.
(Legendairy Milk reached out and gave me a discount code for their sunflower lecithin. Take 15% off with the code 15EPUMP!)
One other option that you can consider if you keep getting mastitis on only one side is try weaning from just the affected breast and continue pumping on your other side.
Have you had mastitis? Share your your experience with us, and what you did to resolve it.
References
- Katrina B. Mitchell, Helen M. Johnson, Juan Miguel RodrÃguez, Anne Eglash, Charlotte Scherzinger, Kyle Widmer, Pamela Berens, Brooke Miller, and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Clinical Protocol #36: The Mastitis Spectrum, Revised 2022.Breastfeeding Medicine.May 2022.360-376. http://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2022.29207.kbm
- Bonyata, Kelly, IBCLC. “Plugged Ducts and Mastitis.” https://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/mastitis/
- Newman, Jack. “Blocked Ducts and Mastitis.” https://www.canadianbreastfeedingfoundation.org/basics/mastitis.shtml
- Smiley, Rhondda. “Breastfeeding and breast abscess.” https://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/breast-abscess/