Symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother and proper treatment. Traditional and folk treatment of mastitis. Drug treatment of mastitis

Inflammatory process observed in breast tissue is called mastitis. The disease, according to medical practice, occurs not only in women - men and even newborn children can suffer from it. Nursing mothers are more susceptible to this problem than anyone else, because they have an additional burden on their mammary glands.

Causes

The causes of mastitis are completely different than what is commonly believed in society. Many people mistakenly believe that if the breasts get cold, then mastitis will certainly develop. The disease has its origins in proper organization lactation process, as well as in the development of infection:

• Complicated lactostasis. If milk stagnation (lactostasis) is treated correctly, the ducts can be cleared within 1-2 days (more details in the article:). The sore breast must be constantly sucked, for which the child is applied to it as often as possible, preferably every hour. Swelling that is not eliminated within 4 days is complicated by the inflammatory process. Stale milk protein is mistakenly perceived by the body as foreign, which is why all protective forces are directed to this area to fight it. Inflamed tissues begin to turn red and cause pain.
• Infection. “Lurking in ambush” is a long-standing infection that has accumulated in the body in the form of caries or chronic tonsillitis, comes out when the opportunity arises. The milk ducts may be attacked by bacteria during a sore throat suffered by a nursing mother. Most often, the infection makes its way through cracks in the nipples.

Based on the causes of mastitis, there are 2 main forms. We will consider below what mastitis occurs in a nursing mother.

Non-infectious mastitis

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A type of mastitis based on advanced and untreated lactostasis, complicated by the appearance of edema. Symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother:

• the patient’s health is deteriorating, which is associated with the development of a lump in the chest (we recommend reading:);
• the temperature rises to 38˚C and even higher;
• the breast looks swollen, red and sore.

It is quite possible to independently determine uninfected mastitis. Lactation specialists recommend diagnosing this way: it is necessary to measure the temperature in three parts (under the armpit, in the groin and in the elbow). Fever under the armpit signals the development of complicated lactostasis.

Mastitis in a nursing mother in this form is the easiest to treat; it often does not require the use of antibiotics.

Infectious mastitis

This form of mastitis is accompanied by infection. It can also appear due to an advanced form of non-infectious mastitis. Manifested by the following symptoms:

• deterioration of health progresses;
• the affected milk lobe causes severe pain, which are felt even when walking and lightly touching, and also characterized by redness and a feeling of hot breasts;
• in the treatment of uninfected forms of mastitis continues to persist heat more than 2 days.

Infectious mastitis in a nursing woman can pose a threat to her health and life if measures are not taken to treat it in a timely manner. Antibiotics are usually actively used to prevent the formation of pus-filled cavities in the chest. Such formations can only be removed surgically or special medically in the form of suction of pus.

Treatment of mastitis

You need to start treating mastitis in a nursing woman immediately after identifying its first signs. Early start treatment guarantees the most fast recovery and prevents the development of complications. It is recommended to consult a mammologist, especially if the disease has not gone away for several days.

Self-treatment

The first therapeutic steps can be taken at home:

• Eliminate chest congestion. The “milk plug” that appears as a result of lactostasis must be removed. To do this, put your baby to your breast as often as possible. Do not fear for your baby’s health - nothing threatens him, even if you have an infectious form of mastitis. No breast pump will be as effective as your baby. Continuing lactation helps speed up the healing process.
• You should choose. When sucking, the baby's chin should be directed towards the painful area, so the baby will be able to dissolve exactly the place where the stagnation occurred.
• Perform self-massage. Regularly massage the breast in the direction from the edge to the nipple, this will promote better milk flow. For correct technique look at the article for a training video.
• Calm down. Milk flow will be better if the woman is in a calm state. Before feeding, take a warm shower or use a warm compress. To relieve spasms from thoracic ducts use magnesium. To do this, pour the contents of 5-10 ampoules of the drug onto a cloth or gauze, apply to the affected area and hold for about 15 minutes. If liquid gets on your nipple, wash your breast thoroughly before feeding.
• Use decongestants. Swelling of the mammary glands can be relieved using cold cabbage leaf compresses, low-fat cottage cheese or ice previously wrapped in cloth. Compresses will help relieve pain and reduce blood flow to the affected areas. Swollen areas can be lubricated with Arnica or Traumeel S ointments.
• Excessive temperatures should be brought down. An increase in body temperature is a sign that an active fight against bacteria that has caused inflammation begins. At low temperatures, you should not use antipyretic drugs, so as not to interfere with the body’s ability to defeat harmful objects. Temperatures over 38.5°C should be “brought down” with Ibuprofen or Paracetamol (we recommend reading:).

Taking antibiotics

In the case of non-infectious mastitis, most women are treated without the use of antibiotics, but only with the help of proper organization of breastfeeding and means traditional medicine. Taking antibiotics will be necessary if:

• relief has not begun even 24 hours after the start of treatment and there is the following symptoms: fever, painful swelling and redness;
• no noticeable improvement within 24 hours;
• a sharp deterioration in health within 12 hours: enlargement or hardening of the affected area, increased pain.

There is no need to take antibiotics if:

• from the diagnosis of mastitis with breastfeeding less than 24 hours have passed and it is underway correct treatment;
• The woman’s well-being improves.

Before you start taking antibiotics, you must consult a specialist. Most doctors do not take responsibility for the health of the mother and child, and therefore require that lactation be suspended during treatment. If you want to continue breastfeeding, be sure to tell your doctor so that he can choose antibiotics that are safe for breastfeeding.

Remember two main rules: do not self-medicate and do not put off visiting a doctor! If you have mastitis, you should never do any warming compresses or procedures. Warmth and nutrient medium, which is milk, - ideal conditions for the development of microbes, and, consequently, increased inflammation will not take long to occur. The doctor will not only examine the mammary glands correctly, but will also prescribe general tests urine and blood and milk culture for bacterial flora, thanks to which one can judge the severity of the disease and adequately select antibiotics. Remember that in the absence timely treatment, the initial form of inflammation (serous) can quickly, in 2-3 days, pass into the infiltrative stage, and then into the purulent stage. Treatment of women with limited purulent and phlegmonous mastitis is carried out only in a hospital, since the main method of therapy in this case is surgical.

Prevention

The truth has long been known - it is much easier to prevent a disease than to cure it later. Prevention of mastitis and lactostasis has the same recommendations:

• Use frequent and regular applications. All lactation specialists say that the most favorable method of lactation will be the “on demand” mode. No long breaks and active feeding of the baby with mother’s milk – The best way avoid stagnation.
• Use different poses. It is always better to attach the baby in different ways: either with a jack (with legs to your head), or from under your arm. This way you will protect yourself and help the baby free all the thoracic lobes.
• . Make sure that the baby captures almost the entire areola of the nipple with his mouth. Correct latch is absolutely painless for the mother, and also forces the milk ducts to work as efficiently as possible.
• There is no need for unnecessary pumping. An established feeding regimen does not require additional pumping. Excessive activity of the mammary glands, caused by frequent pumping, can provoke the appearance of hyperlactation, and then mastitis is not far away.
• Choose the right underwear. Use only specially designed bras for nursing mothers that will not compress the breasts and interfere with the flow of milk.
• Protect your chest from injury. Bruises can cause blockage of blood vessels. Cracks caused by feeding should not be washed frequently with soap, as this will remove the protective top layer of fat, which will become a direct path for bacteria. A warm shower is the best way to maintain hygiene.
• Gradually wean. You should not suddenly stop feeding your baby your milk when you start introducing complementary foods. Practice shows that the largest number of mastitis occurs as a result of very rapid weaning of the baby from the breast. Everything needs to be done gradually, then the end of the lactation period will be tolerated calmly by both mother and baby.

A nursing mother's temperature has risen, her breasts have become engorged and stone-like? It might be mastitis! It is useful for women who are breastfeeding to know how to prevent and recognize mastitis in a nursing mother, what are the symptoms and treatment of this disease.

Causes of the disease

Lactation mastitis is a disease that appears in women who have recently given birth or when breastfeeding stops. Causes of the disease:

• stagnation of milk (lactostasis);
• undertreated or chronic diseases: sinusitis, sore throat, caries;
• hypothermia, lack of rest (contribute to the awakening of infections dormant in the body);
• cracked nipples;
• neglect of the rules of breast skin care.

In the first time after the birth of a child, a nursing mother produces much more milk than the baby can suck. Swelling blocks one or more gland ducts.

This is how lactostasis begins. It is important for women to know how to avoid mastitis, because both mother and child will suffer from the disease while breastfeeding.

Symptoms and development of the disease

If you do not take active measures to eliminate lactostasis, serous mastitis begins; in a nursing mother, the symptoms of the disease are as follows:

• Temperature rises to 38° and above.
• Symptom of density, heaviness, soreness of the breast.
• Difficult milk flow. Sometimes the baby cannot suck a drop.
• Diseased and healthy breasts have different sizes.
• There may be redness of the entire mammary gland or some part of it.

Serous mastitis quickly progresses to the next stage, interstitial. The symptoms of the disease intensify, the breastfeeding breast fills even more and becomes stone-like. The temperature rises and can reach 39°. The woman feels weak, has pain in her joints, and is shivering.

At this stage of mastitis during breastfeeding, the symptoms of fullness and soreness worsen, and the baby may refuse to suckle. It is difficult for a nursing mother to express even a little milk, or it does not work out at all.

In the absence of adequate treatment, interstitial mastitis becomes purulent within 48 hours, which requires hospitalization and surgical intervention. This stage of the disease has severe symptoms:

• the temperature rises to 40°, can rise sharply and fall sharply;
• chest is stone, painful;
• redness of the skin over areas of inflammation;
• symptoms of intoxication: bad feeling, fever, chills, increased sweating, thirst;
• there may be discharge of pus from the mammary gland;
• Symptoms may also appear in the second breast.

Purulent mastitis that develops during breastfeeding is a life-threatening condition. If there are any signs of this, you should seek medical help.

Don't harm yourself: what not to do if you suspect mastitis

You cannot self-medicate. If fever and inflammation in the chest persist for more than 3 days, without signs of improvement, you need to go for an ultrasound.

There is no need to put much pressure on the breasts - squeeze them, knead them, rub them with a hard washcloth or rough cloth. This can lead to swelling and worsening of the problem. A breastfeeding specialist or doctor can provide a special massage to a nursing mother.

In case of inflammation of the mammary gland, thermal exposure is contraindicated. No hot baths or heating pads. Bath and shower, as well as compresses, should be at body temperature.

Limiting yourself in liquid (supposedly this reduces the volume of milk in a nursing mother) is not only useless, but also harmful. This will not reduce the amount of milk, but the symptoms will only intensify.

Feeding a child is not only possible, but also necessary. Signs of mastitis and lactostasis are smoothed out or completely disappear with proper breastfeeding.

How to cure mastitis?

If mastitis is suspected in a nursing mother, the doctor will prescribe a blood test that will show the presence and nature of inflammation.

Ultrasound is also used for diagnosis. Immediately take milk for sowing - if available bacterial infection the pathogen will be identified, and it will be possible to select the most effective antibiotic.

Treatment depends on the severity of the disease. For symptoms of the serous and interstitial stage, a special massage is prescribed, which the doctor will show the patient. They may also prescribe physical procedures - magnetic therapy, ultrasound.

If a nursing mother has a high temperature, you need to take an antipyretic - ibuprofen or paracetamol. Concentration active substance, passing into milk, is extremely small and cannot harm the baby, so feeding is not a contraindication for taking these drugs.

If necessary, the doctor prescribes treatment for mastitis with antibiotics that are safe during breastfeeding. Just be sure to tell your doctor that you are continuing to feed so that you can be prescribed the appropriate medication.

Purulent mastitis is treated in a hospital setting. A woman undergoes a puncture or incision under general anesthesia– remove pus and stagnant milk. Rehabilitation treatment after surgery is the same as treatment for milder mastitis.

Prevention is easier than cure: disease prevention

Although young mothers encounter lactostasis very often, mastitis during breastfeeding develops quite rarely: in 6-9 percent of cases. Prevention of inflammation is very simple: you need to quickly empty the breasts of milk at the first signs of mastitis in a nursing mother.

The simplest and natural way emptying - attaching the baby. If you have symptoms of lactostasis, you need to feed on demand, offer the breast even more often than the baby asks, and allow the baby to suck as much as he wants.

Watch also my video lesson about lactostasis:

If the patient has been diagnosed with mastitis, breastfeeding will alleviate the symptoms of the disease and treatment will proceed faster.

If the child is still very small and falls asleep while eating, you can periodically wake him up by tickling his cheek. The sore breast should always be offered first, and not give up trying for a while, even if the baby does not want to take it.

Before feeding, you can drink a cup of warm tea and take a shower (not hot). While showering, try to express your breasts gently without pressing or squeezing too hard. Rough actions can aggravate the swelling.

Folk remedies for getting rid of mastitis

Drug treatment and physiotherapy can be supplemented folk remedies treatment:

• Apply a cabbage leaf to your breasts both day and night (you can put it in your bra).
• Mint leaf compress. Pour boiling water over dry leaves for 5 minutes. Then cool, wrap in clean gauze or a diaper and tie to the chest like a mustard plaster for 20 minutes.
• You can also make compresses from alder and burdock leaves.

Most often, mastitis occurs in breastfeeding women due to oversight. Monitor symptoms closely and take action if the slightest stagnation milk - and the disease will bypass you.

I have heard from many mothers that they suffered from mastitis after the birth of their baby. Many did not know how to deal with it most effectively, and mastitis often recurred. Such mothers often give up breastfeeding without finding the necessary support and correct information. Unfortunately, mastitis is not such a rare occurrence.

If we put the baby to the breast incorrectly, feed by the hour, wear tight and uncomfortable underwear, or use pacifiers, then we contribute to the occurrence of mastitis. Most often it occurs in young mothers at the beginning of their “nursing career”, in the first weeks after childbirth. But mothers who have been breastfeeding for a year or more are not immune from this.

When a nursing mother's breasts become inflamed, this is called lactation mastitis. Inflammation occurs when our body’s defense mechanism against possible infection. Inflammation is accompanied by pain, fever, chills, and the chest becomes red and heavy.

Mastitis often occurs when the mother has cracked nipples. You need to know that cracks appear when the baby takes the breast incorrectly. He sucks only his mother's nipple, instead of capturing the areola with his mouth, and damages sensitive nipple. Bacteria can enter the mother's breasts through cracks, which cause inflammation. If you wear a tight bra, rarely breastfeed, or have difficulty emptying your breasts, this contributes to the occurrence of mastitis.

Breasts that are full of milk are an excellent environment for the development of bacteria, which is why it is so important to ensure that they are constantly emptied. Left unchecked, milk stagnation easily develops into mastitis, and may be accompanied by infection, but not necessarily.

Classification

You need to understand that if the breasts do not empty properly during lactostasis, then it develops into mastitis. But hypothermia is not the cause of mastitis, contrary to popular belief.

There are infectious and non-infectious mastitis. Non-infectious mastitis should resolve within a few days and does not require antibacterial treatment. But if breast inflammation is accompanied by a bacterial infection, we call it infectious mastitis, and it requires medical treatment. After starting treatment, improvement should be noticeable within the first 24 hours. If no improvement is visible within 24 hours, then the mother should start taking antibiotics. By external signs and it is impossible to distinguish from the symptoms what kind of mastitis you have.

If lactostasis is reduced by breastfeeding, when you continue to feed and often put your baby to your breast, then with non-infectious mastitis you need to express your breasts after each feeding until the disease goes away. If we talk about infectious mastitis, it is treated by expressing milk using antibiotics prescribed by your doctor. Infectious mastitis without proper treatment can develop into an abscess.

Signs and symptoms of mastitis.

For a nursing mother, the breasts become painful, turn red and swell. The breast feels very hard and swollen. Most often, only one of the breasts is affected. The temperature rises and the mother feels unwell. Mom may feel chills. Mastitis is often accompanied by cracked nipples. The milk tastes saltier, but this salty taste is only temporary. Often mothers say that their milk has become salty, “spoiled” and are afraid to breastfeed. But mastitis is not a reason to wean your child off the breast. Milk from the affected breast is not harmful to your baby, so continue breastfeeding. Usually this aftertaste lasts for about a week and then disappears.

Treatment of mastitis

The most important thing to do is to improve breast emptying. Even if you have infectious mastitis and you must take antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor. Treatment with antibiotics improves the condition of a nursing mother, but before taking medications we need to establish the removal of milk from the breast so that this problem does not occur again. In any case, milk must be removed from the breast effectively, and for this the baby must latch onto the breast correctly. Feed often and for a long time, as much as the baby wants, do not limit the time the baby spends at the breast. If the baby does not completely empty the breast, wait until the breast is completely emptied until the mastitis goes away. The sore breast should remain soft, but do not forget that the other breast should also receive due attention.

If you find it painful to feed, express your completely sore breast by hand using a breast pump or the hot bottle method. As soon as you feel improvement, immediately start putting your baby to your breast, the sooner you do this, the it will pass faster mastitis. Make sure your baby is latching onto the breast correctly.

Cold compresses can be applied between feedings, and cabbage leaves can be used a couple of times a day. You need to take the regular one white cabbage, knead and slightly beat off the hard leaves with a rolling pin and place on your chest. Keep it for 20 minutes, that will be enough.

Immediately before feeding and pumping, many mothers find latching helps. warm compresses and a warm shower. This reduces pain and allows the breasts to release milk more easily. Try to keep your clothes loose and your bra not squeezing your breasts.

Have a rest

Whenever possible, it is best for you to stay in bed and rest with your baby. Such rest helps to gain strength and increases the frequency of breastfeeding. This improves milk removal from the breast and promotes recovery. If you can sleep, then sleep. Place a plate of food, a glass of water, and things necessary for the baby next to the bed and relax.

If the condition does not worsen within 24-48 hours, continue to get plenty of rest and empty your breasts. If you feel worse, you should see your doctor to prescribe antibiotics. Be sure to take the entire course of antibiotics, even if relief comes. If mastitis is not treated, it may return in a more severe form.

Know that you don't have to stop breastfeeding if you have some form of mastitis. If your doctor requires weaning, try seeing another provider who understands the importance of breastfeeding for you and your baby.

If you still have any questions about breastfeeding, I found it for you wonderful full course for lactating and pregnant women from a practicing breastfeeding consultant.

Mastitis is what women who have given birth to little happiness in the form of a son or daughter fear most. Inflammation of the mammary glands most often occurs in the first 3 months after birth. However, in subsequent years, the likelihood of mastitis, although somewhat reduced, still poses a constant threat.

How not to miss the first symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother, what to do and what treatment can a doctor prescribe? Every responsible mother who wants to maintain her own health and protect her baby from negative influences should know the answer to all these questions.

The disease mastitis is an inflammation of the lobules of the mammary glands due to infection in the milk ducts (see photo). The inflammatory process in the breasts of a nursing woman is called lactation mastitis. The process of occurrence is due to two factors: infection in the glandular tissue and exposure to a provoking factor.

In the absence of timely treatment, mastitis goes through several stages with increasingly severe symptoms. This disease is a serious threat to a woman's health and can have a negative impact on the baby if it continues to be breastfed.

Causes of mastitis during breastfeeding, risk factors

In 90% of cases, inflammatory pathology is caused by Staphylococcus aureus However, the group of microorganisms “culpable” for mastitis is much larger - it includes streptococci, fungi, and even coli. The infection enters the mammary glands from external environment, with blood flow, through the lymphatic system.

Since the blood supply to the breast is quite developed in a nursing mother, inflammation often covers large areas of the mammary gland, affecting several of its lobes at once. Causes of mastitis:

1. Infection through cracks in the nipples;
2. Infection with bacteria that enter the gland with blood or lymph from foci of chronic infection - caries teeth, chronic tonsillitis, cystitis, etc.

However, an additional stimulus is needed for the development of infection in the chest. And most often, in 95% of cases, the impetus for development lactation mastitis Lactostasis, left without treatment for 3-4 days, serves.

Factors contributing to the occurrence of postpartum mastitis include:

• first birth - the mammary glands and their milk ducts are not sufficiently prepared for the breastfeeding regime;
• period of cessation of breastfeeding;
• reduced immunity - observed in almost all women in postpartum period;
• hypothermia;
• , breast tumors;
• history of mastopathy;
• insufficient hygiene of the mammary glands;
• all situations that provoke lactostasis - insufficient emptying of the milk lobules, incorrect breastfeeding tactics, compression of the glands, etc.

Stages of mastitis

In its development, mastitis is the next stage of untreated stagnation of milk in the glands. With further development, inflammation goes through the following stages:

• serous (uninfected mastitis) - manifested by aggravated symptoms of lactostasis, but the infection has not yet multiplied;
• infiltrative - occurs after 1-2 days, characterized by the formation of compactions reaching 2-3 cm in diameter;
• purulent - rapid proliferation of infection, suppuration of infiltrates is accompanied by severe intoxication and serious condition women;
• abscess - the formation of purulent cavities.

All phases of inflammation occur rapidly with a rapid increase in the severity of symptoms.

Signs and symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother by stage

The clinical picture can clearly indicate the stage of development of mastitis. So, the first signs of serous mastitis in a nursing mother are as follows:

1. Decreased lactation - very important sign, separating lactostasis and incipient mastitis;
2. Breast pain that does not go away after pumping;
3. Temperature from 38ºС, and in armpit slightly higher on the affected side;
4. Redness of the skin.

Symptoms characteristic of infiltrative mastitis:

1. Flu-like state - chills, muscle pain, temperature jumps from 37-39ºС;
2. Painful enlarged axillary lymph nodes;
3. heaviness in the chest, aching pain;
4. Clear palpation of compaction zones;
5. Insufficient milk flow even when trying to express.

Lactation mastitis in the purulent stage has the following symptoms:

1. Severe swelling of the affected tissues, constant severe pain;
2. Hyperthermia up to 40ºС, severe fever;
3. Change in the skin over the affected area - purple or bluish color;
4. Expressed milk contains an admixture of pus.

When you consult a doctor, the following signs of inflammation may appear:

• blood test - leukocytosis, high ESR(starting from the serous stage);
• Ultrasound - fixation of purulent cavities.

Treatment of mastitis while breastfeeding

The radicality of treatment tactics directly depends on the timing of contacting a gynecologist/mammologist and the stage of development of inflammation. If a woman suspected she had mastitis in time and went to the clinic within the first 2 days, most likely her treatment will be limited to conservative measures.

Mastitis therapy

• Antipyretics - Paracetamol is harmless to the baby (feeding does not stop at the serous stage);
• Antispasmodics - No-shpa, if you refuse breastfeeding, you can take stronger painkillers;
• Improving milk flow - Oxytocin drops orally or intramuscular injection;
• Treatment of cracked nipples with Bepanten, Perulan;
• Antibiotics - for a prolonged course, a course of up to 10 days with simultaneous suppression of lactation.

Surgery

If no dynamics are observed within 2 days of antibiotic therapy, surgical intervention is resorted to. Suppurating lesions are excised while preserving healthy tissue; often there is a need to install drainage.

Volume surgical intervention The larger the area of ​​damage to the mammary gland, the larger the scale.

Mastitis: treatment at home

It is worth understanding that self-treatment mastitis at home is fraught further development inflammation and poses a threat to both mother and baby.

Often used without a doctor's prescription, Amoxicillin and Penicillin have absolutely no effect on Staphylococcus aureus. Effective drugs for mastitis, Ciprofloxacin, Cephalexin, Amoxiclav are considered.

Rules for treating mastitis at home:

• Don't expect to cure prolonged mastitis (no improvement in the first 2-3 days) without antibiotics. Medicines are prescribed only by the attending physician.
• Gentle breast massage is carried out regularly without excessive zeal and compression. The mode of conduct is every 2 hours, even at night.
• No home remedies - application cabbage leaves, lotions with honey and Kalanchoe, compresses with oil - will not be able to destroy the infection developing in the glands. Folk recipes They can only relieve the pain.
• No thermal procedures - warming up, alcohol compresses etc. Heat will only increase swelling, and increased blood circulation due to warming will provoke further distribution infections.

Breastfeeding during mastitis (including on the affected side) continues at the initial stage of inflammation. During this period, it is necessary to empty the mammary glands as much as possible. After each feeding, the remains are expressed and cold is applied for 15 minutes.

Prescribing antibiotics is a reason to temporarily wean the baby from the breast and switch to feeding with infant formula. Almost all antibiotics that enter the bloodstream also end up in breast milk. Their entry into the baby’s body can cause an unpredictable reaction - from allergic rash and dysbacteriosis to a state of shock.

When you can return to breastfeeding again is determined by your attending physician, taking into account the progress of treatment and the withdrawal period antibacterial drugs from the mother's body to avoid passing it to the baby with milk.

To avoid illness mastitis and its treatment, nursing mothers in the postpartum period should observe:

• Breast hygiene - washing before each feeding and wiping with a canvas towel to prevent the formation of cracks.
• Elimination or, at a minimum, timely elimination of lactostasis is an appropriate feeding regimen, proper attachment of the newborn to the breast.
• To avoid compression and injury, wear a non-compressive bra and sleep on your back or side.
• Full sleep rich in vitamins nutrition, rational drinking regime.
• Immune support - treatment of chronic foci of infections.
• Avoidance of emotional reactions to stressful situations.

When pregnancy and childbirth are over, the time comes for breastfeeding - a period during which a woman’s health becomes especially vulnerable. The weakened body of a young mother is easily penetrated by pathogenic microorganisms that can cause an inflammatory and infectious process. As a rule, during breastfeeding, it is the mammary gland that can become the entry point for a pathogenic infection. The first symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother are a reason to sound the alarm, because this disease can lead to serious consequences, including surgical intervention. To avoid the fate of the poor women who experienced own experience all the "delights" of this disease, you need to know the main symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother. In addition, it is important to have an idea of ​​what priority measures need to be taken when symptoms of mastitis appear in a nursing mother.

Causes of symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother.

Despite the fact that every nursing mother tries to follow all the rules of breastfeeding, already in the first months of lactation many women face the problem of mastitis. Most often this is due to the presence of the following factors predisposing to the development of the disease:

• lactostasis (milk stagnation that occurs when incomplete emptying mammary gland after feeding);
• cracked nipples (formed as a result of improper attachment of the baby to the breast);
• wearing tight underwear that compresses the mammary gland;
• chest trauma;
• weakened immunity after illness;
• violation of personal hygiene rules;
• insufficient fluid intake.

The main cause of symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother is the addition of a bacterial infection (usually staphylococcal) to lactostasis, which penetrates the mammary gland either through nipple cracks or through the bloodstream from chronic sources of infection (endometritis, pyelonephritis, caries, tonsillitis, etc. ). This is what distinguishes mastitis from ordinary milk stagnation. And, if with lactostasis relief occurs after decanting the sore breast, then with mastitis this does not happen.

Symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother. What should you pay attention to?

Mastitis almost always develops against the background of untreated lactostasis, the duration of which exceeds three days. As a rule, the disease develops quite acutely, sometimes the main symptoms of mastitis appear within a few hours.

Typical symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother:

• Fever (increase in body temperature over 38⁰ WITH); after some time, manifestations of intoxication of the body appear - chills, weakness, headache.
• Aching pain in the sore chest, intensifying when the baby is put to the breast;
• Changes in the mammary gland (the skin becomes red and hot to the touch, touching the compacted area - the source of inflammation - is sharply painful).

Most often, nursing mothers develop mastitis of both mammary glands, which significantly complicates the process of restoring lactation.

Important!

Unlike lactostasis, in case of mastitis, putting a baby to the breast is strictly not recommended. The fact is that breast milk, both from the affected and healthy breasts, contains a huge number of pathogenic microorganisms, which, when ingested gastrointestinal tract the baby is capable of causing serious illnesses. In addition, treatment of mastitis is based on taking antibiotics that pass into breast milk.

Symptoms of mastitis in a nursing mother by stage of the disease.

Depending on the severity of the disease, there are serous, infiltrative and purulent form mastitis.

Serous mastitis. initial stage a disease during which there may be a slight rise in temperature, an increase in the size of the diseased breast and its pain during palpation. If left untreated at this stage, the disease develops into infiltrative mastitis.

Infiltrative mastitis. Characterized by deterioration of the condition, namely, the appearance of fever, chills, increased pain in the mammary gland, especially during feeding.

Purulent mastitis. In the absence of treatment for infiltrative mastitis, a severe form of the disease develops - purulent mastitis. In this case, a section is formed in the mammary gland purulent inflammation, upon palpation of which you can detect fluid swaying in it. A woman’s body temperature can reach 40⁰C. In the absence of timely treatment, against the background purulent mastitis a breast abscess develops, requiring serious surgical intervention.

What to do when the first symptoms of mastitis appear in a nursing mother.

If symptoms of mastitis appear in a nursing woman, first of all you need to seek help from your obstetrician-gynecologist, who will determine the stage of the disease and prescribe all necessary examinations, mandatory of which are ultrasound of the mammary glands and milk culture for microflora. The main component of the treatment of mastitis is antibiotic therapy. The question of prescribing a course of antibiotics is considered individually.

When the first symptoms of mastitis occur in a nursing woman, it is very important to carry out a set of measures aimed at completely emptying the breasts and improving milk flow. For these purposes, regular pumping is used until complete emptying, as well as medications, helping to reduce milk production and increase its outflow. Frequent pumping (about every 3 hours) will not only help eliminate milk stagnation, but will also maintain lactation in the future.

Symptomatic therapy includes taking antipyretics when the temperature rises to high numbers, as well as novocaine blockade to express the painful and inflamed breast.