Mastitis in a nursing mother: what to do

Mastitis is inflammation caused by pathogens. Most often, bacteria enter the breast area through cracked nipples. A woman can get mastitis at any time, but most often nursing mothers are at risk. Therefore, during the period of breastfeeding, lactational mastitis.

Causes of mastitis in nursing

The following factors can affect the development of mastitis:

1. Stagnation of milk in the mammary gland. This often happens in primiparous, who have an undeveloped nipple or narrow milk ducts.
2. If the emptying of the mammary glands is incomplete. A newborn baby is not yet able to completely suck out breast milk. It has to be expressed, because if this is not done, then it will stagnate, and this is a favorable environment for the development of pathogenic microorganisms.

These are perhaps the most common causes of mastitis. Other predisposing factors for the onset of the disease include:

1. Microcracks on the nipples.
2. Lack of personal hygiene rules.
3. Hypothermia.
4. Breast trauma.
5. Decreased immune system.
6. Tight or improperly fitted underwear.
7. Chronic illnesses.

Symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother

Mastitis in lactating women proceeds in different ways. In medicine, 4 main forms of the disease are recorded:

• latent course;
• serous mastitis;
• infiltrative form;
• purulent mastitis.

Each form has its own symptoms. If there is no treatment, then gradually one form will replace the other. During latent mastitis, a slight increase in temperature and a slight soreness in the chest area are recorded. The seals are also minor.

With a serous form, the body temperature is increased to 38.5 degrees. The general state of health worsens. The chest is compacted, a pulling pain appears in it, the skin is reddened.

Infiltrative mastitis develops against the background of neglect of the serous form. The foci of inflammation merge, swelling of the breast tissues is observed. The pain intensifies, and the body temperature can rise significantly. In the axillary region, lymph nodes enlarge on the side of the inflamed breast.

The purulent stage of mastitis is the most dangerous. The woman feels chills, the temperature on the thermometer shows 39 and above. The pain is pulsating, the chest changes its shape. If you do not urgently provide medical care, then this form can threaten with serious complications, including death.

As a rule, mastitis develops against the background of such a phenomenon as lactostasis, in other words, it is stagnation of milk in the mammary glands. The course of mastitis is lightning fast. In a day, from a mild stage, he can go into a serious condition.

Treatment of mastitis in a nursing mother

The initial stage of the disease is eliminated at home. But this does not mean that you do not need to see a doctor. As soon as the nursing mother has alarming symptoms, it is necessary to notify the gynecologist about this. This is necessary in order to identify the form of mastitis, and this will require diagnostics.

If you feel pain in your breasts, try to completely empty the milk residues from your breasts. Express every 3 hours. You cannot take medication on her own; a nursing mother can apply a cool compress to her breasts to relieve the condition.

If it turned out that a woman has normal lactostasis, then the treatment as such is not carried out. All you need is a gentle massage to improve the expression of your milk. But with mastitis, even in a mild form, urgent therapeutic measures will be needed.

The doctor will prescribe antibiotics for the young mother. In some cases, breastfeeding is not canceled, since a competent specialist will select such medications that will not negatively affect the child. But if mastitis proceeds in a purulent form, then the child should not eat mother's milk, since pathogenic microorganisms may be present in it.

The most commonly used antibiotics for this disease are macrolides and cephalosporins. They relieve inflammation and eliminate the signs of illness.

Severe purulent mastitis is treated surgically under general anesthesia. In this case, a focus of inflammation is opened in the patient, pus is pumped out, and the painful place is treated with an antiseptic. In the postoperative period, breastfeeding is prohibited. But a woman must express milk in order to continue breastfeeding in the future.

Prevention of mastitis during lactation

To avoid the consequences of mastitis, it is better to do everything to prevent its development. After the birth of a child, do not forget to visit an obstetrician-gynecologist from time to time, especially if you are a primiparous mother. At the consultation, the doctor will explain how to care for the breast during lactation, how to properly massage the breast so that milk stagnation does not form, how to prevent mastitis and what to do in case of emergency.

As a preventive measure, you need to know about the following points during lactation:

1. Feed your baby on demand, not hourly.
2. Express milk when the need arises.
3. The underwear should not constrict the chest.
4. Maintain your body hygiene.
5. Ask your doctor how to properly latch the baby to the breast and about changing positions during this time.
6. Don't overcool.
7. Treat cracked nipples in time.

If all these rules are followed, then you will never know what mastitis is.