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Mastitis is an inflammatory process in the mammary glands, both at once or one of them. Mastitis in a nursing mother usually occurs in the first few weeks after childbirth or during the period of completion of lactation. This disease is not only unpleasant, but also dangerous for mother and baby, so it is important to know and notice the symptoms in time in order to begin treatment in a timely manner.

How and why mastitis develops during lactation

Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast tissue. The cause of inflammation is an infection that gets into the tissue, usually Staphylococcus aureus. At the same time, contact with staphylococcus on the skin of the chest does not always cause the development of the disease; this requires favorable conditions.

The causes of mastitis may be the following:

• abrasions and Through open wounds, infection easily enters the body and causes deterioration of the condition. Therefore, such cracks must be treated immediately and under no circumstances should they be neglected;
• postpartum mastitis can also be caused by a general weakening of the body caused by exhaustion, hormonal changes, weakened immunity, hypothermia, exacerbation of chronic diseases (sinusitis, caries, sore throat);
• excess milk that the baby does not eat and the mother does not express. As a result, lactostasis develops, and it can quickly turn into lactation mastitis;
• violations of breast hygiene - too frequent washing, which removes the protective layer from the skin, causing dryness and damage, untimely change of underwear. After feeding, the breasts should be blotted so that no drops of milk remain on it;
• the presence of benign or malignant tumors in the breast, as well as structural changes in tissues - mastopathy, scars, etc.;
• foreign bodies in the chest (implants, piercings);
• purulent inflammations on the skin - pimples, boils, etc. If not treated correctly, inflammation can spread throughout the breast tissue.

As a rule, postpartum mastitis develops from 5 to 30 days after birth, and the peak of the disease occurs on days 7-15. After this period, mastitis is quite rare and is usually no longer associated with postpartum complications or hospital infection.

Milk stagnation and lactostasis are the most common causes of mastitis in lactating women. It is very important to find out in advance what the signs of mastitis may be, so as not to start an inflammatory process in the tissues. If treatment is not started on time, the disease will progress and soon develop into purulent mastitis.

How to determine mastitis

Lactation mastitis has several distinct signs. They allow you to suspect the disease in time and seek help. Timely diagnosis of mastitis - within 48 hours after the onset of symptoms - can significantly reduce the negative consequences of inflammation both for the health of the mother and for the development of the child.

How to distinguish mastitis from lactostasis

In the initial stage, mastitis and lactostasis are easily confused. The difference between lactostasis and mastitis is manifested in the general condition of a woman. With lactostasis, mothers complain of heaviness and tension in the mammary glands; in one of them, slightly painful lumps with clear boundaries can be felt.

Signs of mastitis during breastfeeding may initially be similar to lactostasis. But at the same time, mastitis is characterized by a sharp deterioration in health, elevated temperature (up to 40 degrees in advanced cases). The gland tissue becomes sharply painful, the breasts fill with milk and become stone. At the same time, expressing milk is either very difficult or completely impossible; even a child often cannot suck a drop.

To more accurately determine the problem, it is necessary to completely express the breast, and after 3-4 hours, conduct an examination. If it was lactostasis, the pain goes away after pumping, and your overall health improves. Small painless granular lobules can be felt in the chest. Otherwise, no visible changes are observed after pumping.

Since this disease can be very dangerous for both mother and baby, doctors recommend that any lumps accompanied by an increase in temperature be considered symptoms of mastitis; for a nursing mother, this can save a lot of time and nerves, as well as preserve health.

Serous stage

Lactation mastitis occurs in several stages. The first of these is serous mastitis, often mistaken for ordinary lactostasis. However, if it is not possible to drain the sore breast within 2-4 hours, and the temperature rises, you should assume the presence of mastitis and immediately seek help from a doctor.

The stage lasts about 2-3 days, and it develops quite rapidly. The temperature can rise to 38-39 degrees and be accompanied by chills, weakness and signs of intoxication of the body.

There is pain in the chest, which intensifies during feeding. The diseased gland increases in size, may turn red and become noticeably warmer than the second one. An elastic seal can be felt in the tissues - it can be one or several, or it can cover the entire breast.

Infiltrative form

If left untreated, the serous form turns into infiltrative mastitis. Signs of intoxication intensify, the clot in the chest takes on a denser shape, clear boundaries, and upon palpation you can notice its lumpy surface. When breastfeeding, severe pain is felt, and the milk comes out with great difficulty or does not come out at all.

Purulent mastitis

If the mother does not seek help from a doctor, purulent mastitis develops after 48 hours. This is a severe form of the disease requiring hospitalization and surgery.

The symptoms of this form are quite severe:

• high temperature - up to 40 degrees. It can rise sharply and also fall sharply;
• the breast hardens and becomes very painful;
• over the foci of inflammation, the skin turns red and becomes hot;
• pus may be discharged from the breast;
• signs of general intoxication - thirst, increased sweating, chills, nausea;
• spread of symptoms to the second breast.

This condition is life-threatening, so trying to cure mastitis on your own is impossible. In severe cases, abscess mastitis develops when small ulcers merge into one or two large ones with a softening zone. The breast increases in size, pain and redness persist.

Chronic form

As a rule, acute mastitis is immediately diagnosed and treated, so its transition to a chronic form is unlikely and is extremely rare.

Chronic mastitis is usually accompanied by symptoms of the infiltrative stage of ordinary mastitis. It occurs as a result of an undertreated acute condition, less often as a primary phenomenon. With this form of the disease, the woman’s condition worsens slightly:

• there may be a slight increase in the size of the sore breast;
• a compaction can be felt in it, almost painless;
• Occasionally, the disease is accompanied by enlarged lymph nodes and a slight increase in temperature.

And although the symptoms of chronic mastitis may not cause much discomfort to the mother, it should not be ignored!

How to treat mastitis

It is best to begin treatment as early as possible, before acute mastitis develops. That is, at the first signs of discomfort and heaviness in the chest, it is better to consult a doctor. This will help not only significantly speed up the treatment process, but also avoid many painful minutes.

In the initial stages, as a rule, it is enough to achieve complete emptying of the breast at each feeding. To do this, you need to either establish breastfeeding so that the baby completely eats the sore breast, or supplement breastfeeding with proper pumping.

If symptoms continue to appear, accompanied by fever and severe pain, a course of antibiotics will be required. Along with them, antispasmodics are taken to facilitate the release of milk from the breast, as well as UHF or ultrasound therapy.

First aid

First aid when signs of milk stagnation appear is to put the baby to the breast frequently. You need to not only feed him on demand, but also offer the breast more often, and also allow the baby to “hang” on the breast as much as he wants.

In this case, a nursing mother needs to choose different positions for feeding. The part of the gland that is located on the side of the baby’s chin is best cleaned, so by changing its position you can maximally empty the desired areas and prevent further development of the disease.

If the baby does not empty the breast completely, it must be expressed regularly to prevent overfilling and the appearance of new pockets of stagnation. If there is pain in the nipples due to cracks and abrasions, they must be constantly treated with healing ointments (Bepanten, Purelan 100, etc.) to prevent infection from entering the gland.

After pumping or feeding, you can apply a cold compress or a heating pad with ice to the sore breast, after wrapping it in several layers of cloth. You can also do a light breast massage, moving from the edges to the nipple - this will help facilitate the outflow of milk.

What not to do if you have mastitis:

• stop breastfeeding and/or take medications to suppress lactation on your own initiative. Such decisions are made only after consultation with a doctor if indicated;
• warm the sore chest, including taking a hot bath or shower, applying a heating pad;
• independently begin treatment with antibiotics or other means.

To start appropriate treatment, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible, and not wait until the disease is in full force.

Conservatively

Both serous mastitis and its next stage, infiltrative, can be treated conservatively. It consists of the following measures:

• complete peace for mom;
• elevated position of the mammary gland;
• regular pumping;
• prescription of antibacterial drugs;
• elimination of symptoms of intoxication;
• physiotherapy (massage, cold compresses and heating pads, UHF and ultrasound therapy);
• maintenance therapy (vitamin complexes, immunocorrection, antihistamines, etc.).

It is necessary to prescribe antibiotics for mastitis almost immediately, since the disease passes from the serous form to purulent mastitis in just three days. Therefore, the effectiveness of the drugs must be at their best, because they will not have a second chance.

Postpartum mastitis almost always occurs in the maternity hospital or shortly after discharge from it, so the causative agent, Staphylococcus aureus, is classified as an antibiotic-resistant infection. The doctor must take this into account when prescribing medications for treatment. Typically this is:

• Amoxiclav.
• Third generation cephalosporins (Cefoperazone, Cefixime, Cefazolin, Cefuroxime);
• Gentamicin;
• Lincomycin;
• Vancomycin, Editsin.

The course of antibiotics lasts no more than 10 days, and if there is no improvement after 2-3 days, this is a reason to suspect the formation of an abscess.

Treatment at home includes breast massage - it facilitates milk flow and allows you to speed up pumping. At the same time, you should not knead your breasts too much or rub them with a hard washcloth, as this can cause inflammation to spread.

Compresses for mastitis help relieve discomfort and relieve pain. The main rule for using them is to exclude warming varieties! You can warm your breasts only if you have lactostasis, but if your mother has been diagnosed with mastitis, warming compresses will contribute to the spread of the infection.

The complex of treatment measures can be supplemented with various ointments or creams that have an anti-inflammatory effect:

• Vishnevsky ointment. It has a thick and viscous texture, capable of penetrating deeply into tissues, where it has an anti-inflammatory and healing effect. It is used if there is a visible abscess under the skin - the ointment will help draw out the pus. It is not recommended to use it if the source of inflammation is deep!;
• Ichthyol ointment. The active substance of the ointment has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, healing, antiseptic and antipruritic effects. The ointment eliminates congestion, swelling and pain, is able to penetrate deeply into tissues and have a targeted effect on areas of inflammation;
• Levomekol ointment. A safe product with antimicrobial and restorative effects. This ointment is often prescribed for open ulcers or wounds; it is applied as a compress or simply as a thin layer on the affected area.

Other ointments with a similar effect can also be used - Heparin, Syntomycin, Traumeel.

Hardware physiotherapy for mastitis often complements massage and compresses. It is aimed at improving lymph and blood flow in the chest, relieves pain, swelling and spasm, and also has an anti-inflammatory effect. Ultrasound exposure to diseased areas is considered the most effective procedure.

Serous and infiltrative mastitis can be treated conservatively only when:

• the general condition of the patient does not cause concern;
• the illness lasts no more than 3 days;
• temperature not higher than 37.5 degrees;
• no symptoms of purulent inflammation;
• chest pain is moderate, and the lump occupies no more than a quarter of the gland;
• General blood test is normal.

If treatment does not produce results within two days, mastitis turns into a purulent form.

Surgery for mastitis

Purulent mastitis during breastfeeding almost always requires surgical intervention. In relatively mild cases, it is enough to make a small puncture to remove the pus and inject antibiotics directly into the gland tissue.

In severe cases of purulent mastitis, the patient is immediately hospitalized and the abscesses are opened and drained. After which a course of antibacterial drugs is necessarily prescribed.

As a rule, after surgery, lactation is completed, since it is impossible to feed the baby from the damaged breast, and expressing milk from it causes great discomfort and pain, and is not always effective. After stopping feeding, lactation is suppressed with medication.

Traditional methods

Treatment of mastitis with folk remedies is allowed only in the initial stages, under the supervision of a doctor. It serves as a complement to the main treatment, and not as a replacement.

Among the most effective traditional medicines:

• washing the chest with infusion of chamomile and yarrow (in a ratio of 1:4). Useful in the initial stages if there are cracks in the nipples. 2 tbsp. l. the mixture of herbs is poured into 0.5 liters of hot water and allowed to brew. Before use, the decoction is filtered and cooled;
• Cabbage leaf for mastitis is perhaps the most famous folk method. The washed leaves are applied to the chest for a long time (can be placed in a bra) - the compress can be left all day and all night, if necessary, replacing the leaves with fresh ones;
• Compresses from alder and mint leaves, burdock, coltsfoot. The leaves are scalded and applied to the breast for a quarter of an hour before feeding or pumping.

It is better not to use camphor oil for mastitis. Firstly, compresses with it for mastitis are not effective, and secondly, if camphor gets into milk, it will harm the baby’s health.

There is also a more “exotic” treatment with folk remedies - various conspiracies and “rites”. It should be understood that mastitis is a serious disease and refusing full treatment, hoping for a conspiracy against mastitis, is irresponsible. If the mother believes in the power of such things, of course, you can use this treatment, but only in combination with other methods.

In any case, treatment with folk remedies should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor to prevent the disease from becoming more severe.

Is it possible to breastfeed with mastitis?

There is no general consensus yet on whether breastfeeding can be continued during mastitis.

In the manual of the World Health Organization “Mastitis. Causes and management" (2000) states that in most cases it is possible and necessary to continue breastfeeding during mastitis, since the risk of infection of the child is minimal. And this risk is much less than the damage that forced weaning will cause to the baby’s health.

Some “advanced” Russian pediatricians support this point of view: they argue that feeding with mastitis is possible, even at the treatment stage. After all, for example, amoxiclav is compatible with hepatitis B. Moreover, you can feed not only healthy, but also sick breasts.

A significant part of Russian doctors believe that breastfeeding during mastitis is prohibited from any breast and at any stage, since staphylococcus can be transmitted to the baby and cause serious health problems. They claim that if purulent mastitis develops, feeding is stopped, including from the healthy breast.

Is it possible to resume feeding after treatment (conservative or surgical) or will it have to be stopped? Most modern doctors say that it is possible, but provided that:

• inflammation is eliminated;
• Bacteriological tests of milk gave a negative result.

However, there are also adherents of a categorical ban on breastfeeding. They believe that after surgery they have to stop lactation, even if mastitis has been cured.

What should a nursing mother do? Weigh the pros and cons, consult with a good pediatrician and make a decision together with him.

Most breastfeeding consultants believe that feeding should be continued. For example, watch this video.

Prevention

It is easier to prevent any disease than to treat it. Prevention of postpartum mastitis does not require any complicated actions from the mother, but helps to maintain health and fully enjoy the process of feeding the baby.

The most important way to prevent mastitis during breastfeeding is to properly attach the baby to the breast! In this case, it completely empties the chest and does not injure it.

It is also recommended to constantly change your feeding position so that the baby stimulates different parts of the breast, and feed your baby on demand. As a result, milk production will improve faster and it will come in the quantity that the baby needs.

Some doctors recommend that during the first few weeks after giving birth you must pump milk after feeding. This is done in order to stimulate milk production and avoid stagnation. However, WHO experts warn mothers against such a step. Pumping the breast during breastfeeding actually stimulates lactation, but more milk comes in than the baby needs! Therefore, stagnation easily occurs, because the baby is simply not able to suck everything.

Preventive measures also include:

• timely, if they do appear;
• proper breast hygiene;
• peace of mind. You should not suspect mastitis in every milk flow.

Postpartum mastitis is a serious disease that can harm not only the mother, but also the child. A young mother should make every effort to prevent it from developing or becoming severe.

The process of breastfeeding a newborn baby does not always go without problems. It happens that a nursing mother develops acute inflammation of the mammary gland - lactation mastitis. In the postpartum period, this is one of the most common complications. But mastitis can overtake a woman several months later. With timely diagnosis and adequate therapy, this disease can be overcome without problems, and many mothers manage to restore lactation after recovery. But if the disease is not treated, it progresses to more dangerous stages, and then surgery may be required. How to promptly recognize lactation mastitis and what methods of its treatment are most effective?

Lactostasis and mastitis in a nursing mother

A disease in which the mammary gland becomes inflamed is called mastitis. Very often it develops during breastfeeding. Its cause is stagnation of milk (lactostasis) due to infection of the mammary gland ducts. Mastitis that progresses while the baby is fed breast milk is called lactation mastitis. About 5% of breastfeeding women experience this disease in the first months after childbirth. Most often, young mothers who have given birth to their first child are at risk, because the lack of necessary experience in the process of establishing and maintaining lactation plays a big role here.

The disease develops in a certain sequence. Mastitis is preceded by lactostasis, which occurs when mother's milk stagnates in the lobes of the mammary glands. This phenomenon is observed in those women who rarely put the baby to the breast or adhere to feeding by the clock strictly at certain intervals. Another reason for stagnation of milk may be the inability of a weakened (premature) baby to suck as much milk as is produced.

Lactostasis itself is not so dangerous. But only in the absence of infection. When it is complicated by infection of the mammary glands with pathogenic flora, we are talking about the development of mastitis.

Treatment must begin from the first period of the disease. Otherwise, it will take a purulent form and serious complications will begin.

Causes and risk factors

Factors for the development of mastitis:

• with lactostasis, the milk ducts are clogged and favorable conditions are created for the proliferation of microbes;
• if the baby is not applied correctly to the breast and the mammary glands are not properly cared for, cracks appear in the nipples;
• in the presence of pustular skin diseases, microbes penetrate the milk ducts;
• Diabetes mellitus reduces the body's resistance to infections;
• prolonged smoking impairs blood circulation in the chest;
• when taking glucocorticosteroids, pathogenic microflora develops;
• if there are implants in the breast, they begin to be rejected by the body;
• with a malignant tumor, its metastases reach the mammary glands.

All these factors indirectly influence the appearance of the disease, but the true reason for its development is the penetration of microorganisms into the mammary gland.

Some microbes live on human skin and mucous membranes and cause diseases when the immune system is weakened. Other pathogenic microorganisms enter the body from the outside.

The main causative agents of mastitis:

• Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
• streptococcus;
• staphylococcus;
• coli.

Infection in the mammary glands can enter through cracks that form in the nipples during feeding, when the baby is placed on the breast incorrectly

Stages of the disease and their symptoms

Lactation mastitis has three stages: it begins with serous, continues with infiltration and ends with purulent. Each stage is characterized by its own characteristics.

Serous

• Body temperature rises.
• Chest pain appears.
• The skin of the mammary gland in the affected areas turns red.
• Feels chilly.

The disease begins with inflammation resulting from stagnation of milk. The infection has not yet been able to penetrate the body, and preventive measures must be taken immediately. It is not necessary to stop feeding your baby breast milk at this stage of mastitis development.

Pain during lactation does not occur immediately. If it becomes painful to feed your child, this means that mastitis has entered the second stage.

If left untreated at the initial stage, the infection spreads to the mammary ducts and glandular lobes

Infiltrative

• Painful condition, weakness.
• The lymph nodes in the armpits become enlarged and painful.
• The affected area of ​​the chest thickens.
• The milk begins to flow poorly.

At the second stage of mastitis development, redness of the skin appears on the affected area of ​​the chest

If you do not begin drug and procedural treatment at this stage, then pathogenic microorganisms will enter the milk ducts and the disease will move to the final stage: purulent mastitis will develop.

Purulent

• The breasts become swollen and painful.
• The temperature rises to 40 degrees.
• There is severe chills.
• Where the abscess has formed, the skin turns bright red, sometimes to the point of cyanosis.
• Pus is found in the milk.

Inflammation occurs, a purulent area is visible. At this stage the disease is considered severe.

Important! If an abscess has formed, then treatment can only be surgical. At the purulent stage of the child, breastfeeding is strictly prohibited!

Diagnostics

If mastitis is suspected, the doctor prescribes several tests.

• Blood sampling for general analysis. It is very important to determine whether the white blood cell count is elevated and what the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is in order to assess the degree of inflammation.
• Study of milk from the nipple in the laboratory. In the same way, discharge from an abscess is examined, and the sensitivity of pathogenic microflora to antibiotics is checked.
• Carrying out an ultrasound examination of the breast.
• Breast X-ray (if carcinomatosis is suspected).
• Identifying the type of infection.

The difficulty of making a diagnosis is that some diseases have symptoms similar to mastitis.

It is necessary to differentiate mastitis from a number of other diseases:

• breast cysts infected with infections;
• breast cancer;
• mastitis-type tuberculosis;
• syphilis;
• actinomycosis (infection of the breast with microbes of this type).

Therefore, it is very important to ensure that a specific pathological process is present in order for the treatment to be effective.

Breastfeeding with mastitis

The only indication for continuing breastfeeding is lactostasis. Mastitis is usually caused by bacteria that penetrate not only the mother's body, but also the milk. Consequently, the baby may get sick from drinking such milk. It is even more dangerous if the child gets antibiotics that are used to treat mastitis.

However, there is an option for breastfeeding, when the mother's milk is expressed and necessarily pasteurized. This is done in order to destroy harmful microorganisms.

But in the early stages of mastitis, feeding can not be stopped. Signals to stop breastfeeding are the development of inflammation, swelling, and ulcers.

You cannot breastfeed a child even in cases where the woman is seriously ill or has previously suffered from purulent mastitis.

Treatment options

When it comes to mastitis in a nursing mother, there should be no errors in treatment. It is very important that therapy is started in a timely manner. This is especially true for the initial stage, when it is much easier to cope with the disease.

Possible complications

1. The disease will progress to a severe stage with purulent manifestations.
2. The condition will worsen, phlegmon or abscess will appear.
3. Mastopathy will develop in its most complex form.

You should consult a doctor immediately after detecting the first symptoms of mastitis.

First, conservative treatment is prescribed - medications and special procedures - and only in advanced cases is surgery resorted to. With purulent mastitis, the pathological process can only be stopped surgically. After this, the woman’s condition improves and she can return to her normal lifestyle.

Conservative

This type of treatment includes medications, massage and physical therapy.

Groups of medications used in the treatment of mastitis as prescribed by a doctor

• Antibiotics. For mastitis, this is usually Gentamicin, Amoxiclav, Cefazolin or Oxacillin.
• Means to reduce lactation, such as Dostinex or Parlodel. You can't breastfeed. In this case, pumping should be carried out regularly until the seals are reabsorbed.
• Drugs that relieve inflammation and pain. As a rule, non-steroidal.
• Ointment, cream or gel with anesthetic.
• Absorbable drugs. For example, compresses using dimexide.

Photo gallery: medications for the treatment of lactation mastitis

Movalis is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
Cefazolin - antibiotic
Amoxiclav is one of the most popular and safe antibiotics
Heparin ointment - absorbable agent
Compresses with Dimexide help relieve inflammation and treat ulcers
Dostinex is used to reduce the amount of milk or stop lactation

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy for lactation mastitis is aimed at relieving swelling and resolving lumps in the mammary glands. The most common option is the appointment of ultra-high frequency therapy (UHF) procedures. At the initial stage of the disease, one or two procedures may be sufficient.

Massage

The famous doctor E. O. Komarovsky highly appreciates massage as a method of treating mastitis:

If there is no increase in body temperature, categorically do not give any medications internally. The most effective remedy is qualified therapeutic massage. Please note that it is not preventative (which is written about in the book), but rather therapeutic. Thus, everything depends on a qualified massage therapist. Where to find it is the main question. The most reliable way: in any maternity hospital, for a certain fee, they will show you the finger of a specific person who knows how to do this and wants to earn extra money in his free time. And there are no other safe ways to help.

However, a woman can perform breast massage on her own. It is not recommended to do it with force. Movements should be soft, circular. But the effect will appear only with regular procedures.

Algorithm of actions for massage

1. Raise your right hand behind your head.
2. With your left hand, move along the right armpit.
3. Use the palm of the same hand to move along the right breast from the side, then from below, lifting the chest.
4. Then along the left side of the right chest in the direction from the collarbone.
5. Switch hands and repeat the same movements with your right hand for your left chest. There is no need to touch the nipple circles or the nipples themselves.

Surgical treatment

If conservative treatment does not bring the desired effect or the disease has entered the purulent stage, surgery is prescribed. In its simple version, the place where the abscess is based is dissected and the tissue is cleaned of accumulated pus. Before this, the breasts are carefully examined using an ultrasound machine to determine the exact location of the affected tissues.

Folk remedies

Doctors believe that folk remedies will not help cure mastitis: they may be able to alleviate the condition, but they cannot overcome the infection. Only antibiotics can deal with it.

But you can try folk recipes without giving up traditional methods. Here are some options for compresses for sore breasts.

1. Honey, sunflower oil and Kalanchoe. Sunflower oil with Kalanchoe juice and honey are mixed in a 1:1:1 ratio.
2. Coltsfoot. Fresh leaves are applied to the reddened areas of the chest. The plant will remove it.
3. Pumpkin and cabbage. Warm pieces of pumpkin and cabbage leaves can also fight inflammation. Cabbage has absorbent properties. Pre-prepare the leaf by pricking it with a fork and brushing it with honey. Leave the compress on overnight.
4. Sea buckthorn or camphor oil with potato starch. A paste is prepared from these components, which promotes the resorption of seals.
5. Apple with butter. You first need to peel it, then grate it and mix it with oil. It also helps with cracked nipples.
6. Burdock. You can simply crush its washed and dried leaf slightly, put it in your bra and walk with it until it gives up all its juices. Then put another one. Or you can squeeze juice from burdock leaves and take it orally, 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

Photo gallery: Folk remedies for the treatment of lactation mastitis

Camphor oil helps milk flow and can be used to treat and prevent mastitis
Coltsfoot leaves - green compress for otmastitis
Juice from Kalanchoe leaves has a wide range of medicinal uses.
Pumpkin pulp has an anti-inflammatory effect
Cabbage leaves are very convenient as compresses on the chest.
Sea buckthorn oil has anti-inflammatory and regenerating properties
Potato starch is an important component of compresses
An ointment is prepared from grated apple pulp and butter.
Bee honey is one of the most active natural remedies for treating inflammation.
A compress of burdock leaves, as well as juice, helps against mastitis.

Prevention measures

The development of lactation mastitis can be avoided if you adhere to the rules of breastfeeding.

• Carry out proper gentle hygienic care for the mammary glands.
• It is correct to alternate breasts during feedings.
• Use a protective cream with panthenol or lanolin to prevent cracked nipples (for example, Purelan, Bepanten).
• Feed the baby on demand, avoiding stagnation of milk.
• Perform preventative massage for better milk flow.

Breast massage should be carried out regularly, at least once a day, only in this case it will be effective

Video: mastitis - safety precautions for nursing mothers

How to resume breastfeeding after mastitis

Because of mastitis, you should not lose the opportunity to feed your baby natural breast milk. After all, it is so beneficial for the health of the baby and the development of its immune system.

Lactation cannot be restored only after major surgery. Most often, breastfeeding after treatment of lactation mastitis is restored without problems.

To do this you need:

• do not stop feeding without a doctor’s recommendation;
• express regularly and do this even if there is little milk;
• drink plenty of fluids.

It is worth restoring lactation after treatment only if there is no threat to the mother’s health. Otherwise, it will be safer to transfer the baby to artificial feeding. If the mastitis was serious and the treatment was surgical, be sure to consult on this issue with a doctor you trust.

Video: symptoms and treatment of mastitis during breastfeeding

Lactation mastitis is not a death sentence. Breastfeeding, in the absence of risks to the health of the baby and his mother, can be fully restored after recovery. But here it is extremely important to diagnose the disease at the initial stage and treat it as early as possible. Failure to seek medical help in a timely manner when the disease has entered its final (purulent) stage will significantly complicate the situation. Surgery is a last resort. In most cases, you can do without it. The main thing is to immediately seek help from doctors and breastfeeding consultants and strictly follow all their recommendations.

Purulent mastitis is a complication of mastitis caused by infection, when the causative agent of the disease enters the breast tissue through cracks in the nipples or from foci of chronic inflammation in the mother’s body.

In case of purulent mastitis, the diseased gland must be expressed regularly, and the baby can continue to be fed from a healthy breast, but provided that the mother has been prescribed antibiotics that are compatible with breastfeeding.

Treatment of breast abscess is carried out only in a hospital. Doctors have low-traumatic methods for removing an abscess; contact highly qualified mammologists.

Continuing breastfeeding is possible even in cases where breast surgery could not be avoided.

What causes purulent mastitis?

Purulent mastitis is a scourge that all nursing mothers fear, but very few actually encounter it. The main causes of purulent mastitis are a simultaneous decrease in a woman’s immunity and the entry of a pathogen (staphylococcus or streptococcus) into the breast tissue, as well as poor milk flow from the breast.

Purulent mastitis usually occurs as a consequence of mastitis caused by infection. If during treatment with antibiotics there is no improvement, and the lump in the breast becomes softer, more mobile, but does not disappear, and feeding continues to be sharply painful, you need to do an ultrasound of the breast and consult a breast surgeon.

With purulent mastitis, pus may be released from the breast: if you express milk onto cotton wool, its veins will be clearly visible. However, with an abscess, pus may not be released, so an ultrasound and consultation with a mammologist are the most reliable ways to determine what is happening to the breast.

As a rule, such an unpleasant development of events is more common in those nursing mothers who had purulent-septic inflammation during childbirth and have foci of inflammatory chronic diseases. Also at risk of purulent mastitis are women with changes in breast tissue (mastopathy, breast injuries) and those who have already encountered this problem during a previous history of feeding.

If lactostasis can be mistaken for mastitis, then purulent mastitis is difficult to confuse with lactostasis. Firstly, the first one almost never starts in one day. It takes time for the abscess to mature - at least 3-4 days.

The abscess will be very painful, hot to the touch, the skin over it turns red, and it becomes painful to move your hand. Sometimes it happens that the skin over the abscess, on the contrary, becomes very pale. Purulent mastitis can resolve without fever; this circumstance makes it difficult to make a diagnosis, and women do not receive the necessary medical help on time.

How to reduce the risk of developing purulent mastitis?

Try to avoid lactostasis. It has been proven that feeding a baby according to a schedule increases the risk of lactostasis and mastitis, so in the first months of lactation you should not limit the time of feeding. It is also advisable not to use pacifiers and nipples, because they form the baby’s habit of sucking incorrectly, which makes it difficult for milk to flow out of the breast and often leads to cracked nipples. And cracks are “entry gates” for infections.

Proper attachment, frequent feedings, clean underwear made from natural materials without pits, frequent washing of hands and breasts once a day are sufficient measures to protect against mastitis. If a woman followed all these rules, but could not avoid problems, her immune system needs urgent help. To do this, you need to give the young mother the opportunity to get enough sleep, reduce any stress and take care of a diet rich in vitamins, especially vitamin E.

To prevent mastitis caused by infection from taking on its menacing purulent form, be sure to follow the rules for its treatment. Do not use alcohol compresses, and resort to any warming compresses for a short time.

If there is an infection in the chest, heat will encourage its development. You can only warm your breasts for a few minutes before feeding to improve milk flow. After feeding, it is better to apply cold to it in order to relieve swelling.

Do not squeeze out the seals, do not rub them, do not knead them! If it turns out that such a lump is not a milk lobule filled with stagnant milk, but an abscess, the infection can spread throughout the entire mammary gland. Until a diagnosis is made, you can stroke and gently finger the lump while breastfeeding.

Don't stop feeding! Only if there is a significant amount of pus in the milk, express the sore breast every 3 hours with a powerful breast pump or using a hot bottle and pour out this milk. Healthy breasts can be fed without restrictions. Even if you are prescribed antibiotics, continue breastfeeding, of course, monitoring your baby's reaction to the drugs.

How is purulent mastitis treated?

It is important to remember that delay in treating purulent mastitis leads to more serious interventions, delayed recovery and the risk of recurrence of the disease.

If pus is found in the milk, but there is no abscess in the breast, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics and medications that help relieve pain and inflammation. It is very important throughout the treatment of mastitis to empty the breasts on time and not allow them to become engorged.

The better the flow of milk is established, the faster the woman’s body will cope with the disease. The pus that is in the ducts of the breast, with proper treatment and good emptying of the breast, usually comes out quite quickly, and the breast completely restores its function within a week.

If a single abscess is found in it, the doctor can remove the pus with a special needle under ultrasound control. Then the young mother is necessarily prescribed antibiotics and a repeat ultrasound.

In more complex cases of the development of purulent mastitis, surgical opening of the abscess and installation of drainage may be required. This operation is performed in a hospital and always under general anesthesia.

Discharge of pus from the nipple is not only extremely unpleasant, but also a very dangerous symptom that should alert you and force you to immediately consult a doctor. And to know what to expect, find out the possible reasons for this phenomenon.

First, it is worth noting that pus is an exudate resulting from purulent or serous inflammation of tissue. This liquid has a viscous consistency, a yellowish or grayish tint, and often an unpleasant odor. It consists of leukocytes, cholesterol, globulins, fats, albumins, particles of skin and soft tissue, DNA impurities, as well as enzymes and waste products of inflammatory agents - pathogenic microorganisms.

Considering what was written above, we can conclude that pus does not form in the chest just like that; its accumulation and release is preceded by an inflammatory process. And in most cases, pathological changes occurring in the tissues of the mammary glands do not go unnoticed and provoke a number of other symptoms:

• swelling
• hyperemia
• distension
• discomfort
• soreness
• redness
• engorgement
• burning

Pus can be released from the nipples only when exposed to them (for example, when pressed) or flow freely if its amount is significant.

Non-purulent discharge that may cause concern

The discharge is not always purulent, although sometimes in consistency and shade it actually resembles pathological exudate. But if the leakage of fluid from the nipples is not accompanied by severe and obvious inflammation, and there are no other symptoms, then most likely it is not pus.

Possible situations in which fluid similar to pus may be released from the nipples:

• Pregnancy. In the second half of the breast, colostrum begins to form, which the expectant mother may notice on her underwear. Its discharge does not cause concern, and the liquid itself has a fairly thick consistency and a yellowish-transparent color.
• Lactation. Leakage of milk between feedings is completely normal and should not be a cause for concern.
• If the discharge is very scanty and extremely rare, almost transparent or slightly yellowish, has no odor and is released when you press on the nipples, then this can also be considered a variant of the norm. In the mammary glands, even outside the lactation period, a small amount of a special secretion is secreted, which can come out through the milky tubules. The volume of discharge may increase due to overheating, intense physical activity, as a result of stimulation of the mammary glands, or after certain procedures.
• Galactorrhea is the spontaneous release of milk outside the period of breastfeeding. Normally, it can be released for some time after the end of lactation, but, as a rule, no longer than 6-12 months (in some cases 1.5-2 years). If a woman has not breastfed for a long time, and especially has never breastfed, then galactorrhea is caused by hormonal disorders, namely an increase in the level of prolactin, which is responsible for lactation. An increase in its amount in the body can be a consequence of an abortion or miscarriage, taking oral contraceptives and other hormonal drugs, diseases of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands or pituitary gland, liver failure (this organ ensures the utilization of hormones), certain gynecological or oncological diseases.
• Mastopathy. With such a common disease, discharge from the nipples can also be observed, but in most cases it is not purulent in nature.
• Ectasia of the milk ducts is their pathological expansion, most often developing in women over forty-five years of age. With this pathology, the resulting secretion does not dissolve in the chest, as in the normal state of the ducts, but rushes along them to the tubules located in the nipples and comes out. In some cases, deviation requires medical intervention.

Possible causes of purulent discharge

Suppuration of the nipples can be caused by the following conditions, pathologies and diseases:

• Mastitis is an inflammatory disease. In most cases, it develops during the lactation period due to damage to the skin as a result of improper attachment or insufficient emptying of the breast. With this disease, the discharge is accompanied by pain, hyperemia, severe swelling, bloating, an increase in the size of the mammary gland, as well as an increase in body temperature and clearly palpable lumps.
• Intraductal papillomas. These are wart-like neoplasms located on the walls of the ducts and, accordingly, deform them. In some cases, with papillomas, purulent discharge from the nipples is observed. And upon palpation, compactions can be detected.
• Malignant or benign neoplasms, especially those located inside the milk ducts and deforming them. Pus can be released when tumors are of significant size, so during examination they will probably be clearly palpable.
• Damage and further infection of nipple tissue. This area can be damaged as a result of rough stimulation, invasive procedures (including piercing), non-compliance with pumping technique (especially manual pumping), and injuries.
• Cracks in the nipples occur due to improper attachment during lactation and become a kind of entrance gate for various pathogenic microorganisms, such as streptococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and enterobacteria. Their activity causes inflammation and, as a result, the release of pus.
• Mastopathy can lead to the formation of pus if tissues growing pathologically in the breast irritate and deform the milk ducts, damaging their walls. With this disease, a number of other symptoms are observed: engorgement of the mammary glands, compactions in them, discomfort, changes in shape and size, pain.
• Recent breast surgery. If tissue infection occurs during or after them, this can cause suppuration.
• Boils or carbuncles. If they are located on the nipples, which, although rare, does happen, then pus from the cavity can exit through the milky tubules if it does not find another way out. Such neoplasms look like red ulcers rising above the skin, very painful under mechanical influence.

What to do

If you notice the discharge of pus from the mammary gland, then this is clearly an alarming sign that requires immediate consultation with a doctor. A specialist mammologist will conduct a thorough examination and prescribe a number of diagnostic procedures: ductography, x-rays, mammography, ultrasound, blood tests. Based on the results obtained, a diagnosis will be made.

Treatment depends on the reasons that caused the suppuration. To relieve inflammation, antiseptics and anti-inflammatory drugs may be recommended. For bacterial infections, antibiotics are prescribed. Sometimes taking hormonal medications is required. And to open the abscesses and remove tumors localized in the chest, surgical intervention will be required.

Pus discharged from the nipples is an unpleasant symptom that should alert any woman who cares about her health and force her to visit a doctor.

Contents [Show] Dear girls, tell me, who had milk from a duct in the breast that was similar in color to pus? If this was your milk, how long was it thick and yellow? I’m just tired of our medicine already. I had a temperature of 39 for two days, my chest was burning, and there was a slight lump at the top. I massaged and tried to express, but thick drops of milk came out. And I was very ill myself, I couldn’t even walk. A 2-year-old child already eats a little boob. Then this pus appeared from one duct, I called an ambulance. The doctor looked and said it was not pus, it doesn’t happen that quickly. On Saturday morning this yellow color became very thick, I went to the gynecologist on duty at the residential complex. She said it was lactostasis, although I don’t feel any lumps and my breasts are not hot. She prescribed an ultrasound. Today I decided to go to the maternity hospital where I gave birth, I thought, the midwives there taught us how to pump, maybe they’ll take a look, they’re experienced. In short, they sent me there! They said that your drop of pus would suddenly ruin their sterility! What if it’s staphylococcus? Nightmare, I said that I brought this crap from your maternity hospital, but they don’t seem to have it! They told me to wait until Monday, I was in more pain... Then go to the mammologist.
Here's the story. I’m sitting with cabbage, the temperature is lower, the chest seems soft, but this yellow thing doesn’t give me peace...

I will try to describe my problem in detail. My daughter is fourteen days old, completely on breastfeeding. Yesterday my temperature rose to 39 degrees and my right breast began to hurt, which felt full of milk. I took a hot bath and tried to express, but I couldn’t get more than 20 ml. I couldn’t massage my breasts—it was very painful to touch. I tried to put my daughter on my sore breast several times at night, but it didn’t help, and in the morning she had a severe stomach ache and she hung on my other breast, crying, for two hours. To go to sleep, I applied cabbage leaves scalded with boiling water to my chest. Today my mother massaged my sore breast as best as possible. I was able to pump a little. But the following was discovered - from the sore breast, from the upper duct of the nipple, something very thick yellow in color, even with shades of green, began to stand out. It is released little by little, in drops. After I pumped a little, we applied the baked onion to the nipple and again covered the breast with cabbage leaves. Then I tried to express again - milk practically gushed out from the lower ducts, and drops of an incomprehensible substance continued to be released from the upper ducts. In addition, the skin around the nipple turned red (by the way, the nipple itself began to hurt with any manipulation). The upper lobes of the chest hurt, no lumps can be felt, but pressing on this area is painful. How to determine what is coming out of the breast - pus or stagnant milk? Is it possible to feed a sick breastfeeding child? Are there ways to speed up the process of releasing this substance?

Answer:

Good afternoon

How to determine what is coming out of the breast - pus or stagnant milk?

express milk from this breast onto cotton wool. If everything is completely soaked, then you can give it to the child. If the balls are yellowish in color, it is better to immediately contact a specialist (either a hospital or a friend). Gynecologist, surgeon, etc.

In general, lactostasis for about 72 hours is a risk of mastitis. And this is beyond the competence of consultants! Other specialists are already doing this.

In your situation, it is optimal to undergo an ultrasound, where they will look at: dilation of the ducts, the presence of edema, signs of an inflammatory process. And they will either reassure you or indicate a specialist.

If there is something on the fleece, check the other breast as well.

It is very important to remain calm. Otherwise, the outflow of milk is hampered and the ability to express is impaired. If it is difficult to control yourself, you can drink valerian.

If there is a threat of mastitis, pumping is still necessary to prevent an abscess from occurring. According to the scheme below, only without attaching the child.

Is it possible to feed a sick breastfeeding child?

If it is not pus, it is necessary, necessary and absolutely necessary!

she hung on my other breast crying for two hours.

It was important to insist on sucking for such a long time from the very breast that was disturbing.

Yesterday my temperature rose to 39 degrees and my right breast started to hurt

If it is severe, you can take medications approved for children. For example, Nurofen.

Apply heat to your chest for 3-5 minutes (do not burn). It would be nice to take a warm shower. Then knead the seal using massaging movements.

Apply Malavita compress for 20 minutes, no more.

Start pumping. Preferably by hand.

Four fingers behind the areola from below, the thumb leading from the seal to the nipple. General pumping - the thumb moves along all the lobules.

Pumping while moving can be found on the website “Tips for Breastfeeding Moms”, section Pumping. There is a demonstration of correct and incorrect (from below) pumping.

Then we position the child so that the lower jaw is located on the side of the seal (the child sucks with the lower, active jaw). And let him suck, suck. Now we don’t look at the clock at all. This is feeding on mom's demand!

During feeding, we continue to make “scissoring” movements: the index and middle fingers move from the seal to the nipple, helping the milk move forward.

At the end of feeding - dry! cold for 3-5 minutes. This will help to slow down the supply of milk a little and prevent bruises from manipulation of the breast.

Expressing should not be done more than 3 times a day. We apply the baby for resorption often, at least every 15 minutes.

- feel thirst

- hot drink

- use alcohol compresses

The most optimal thing for the chest is fresh air, no constrictions, windings, or pressure. Freedom - a light robe, open chest. And apply, apply as stated above. if the baby does not want to breastfeed again, express: if there are lumps, to soften them; if there is any discomfort, remove the discomfort, that is, until the first feeling of relief.

Then I tried to express again - milk practically gushed out from the lower ducts

I really hope that this helped you get away from the main unpleasant sensations. And while it is difficult to judge whether these manipulations caused pain in the nipple or not. To exclude breast thrush, you can do a soda test: tsp per 100 ml of water. soda - wipe the nipple area and areolas after feeding or pumping 5 times a day. If the symptoms go away, then it is only possible to consider the option of thrush.

If your daughter cannot latch onto the breast correctly, and this is very important for effective resorption, then be sure to look here on how to make the breast more accessible to the child during engorgement

http://www.stranamam.ru/qa/view/277081/

I apologize for not being able to respond faster.

I wish your situation to improve as successfully and quickly as possible!

All the best!

Comments:

Thank you for such a detailed answer! 🙂

Answers

Marina Sergeevna

Please.))
Let everything fall into place as soon as possible.))

Ask your question to this specialist

Inflammation of the mammary gland (mastitis) occurs acutely and chronically. In the postpartum period, as well as during the entire period of breastfeeding, acute lactation mastitis develops. Women who do not breastfeed sometimes develop nonlactation mastitis, but less frequently.

Most often, inflammation develops due to a complex of reasons. The causative agents of the infection are representatives of opportunistic microflora that constantly live on human skin: staphylococci, streptococci, E. coli, etc. With normal immunity, these pathogens do not cause disease, but in a woman in the postpartum period, immunity is reduced, this is the reason for the onset of infection.

There are also hospital forms of the disease, in which the infection is transmitted through contact by persons who are carriers of the infection. Hospital forms of mastitis are more severe and less treatable.

Cracks and abrasions of the nipples are of great importance in the development of inflammation. The reasons for their formation are:

• functional inferiority of the nipples and areolae;
• malformations of the nipples – flat, inverted, large, small, grape-shaped;
• prolonged exposure to the child’s mouth and maceration (soaking);
• the child grasps only the nipple without the areola;
• insufficient milk, which creates significant negative pressure in the baby’s mouth and disrupts the integrity of the tissues;
• too much milk - overstretching of the nipple area occurs, which leads to tissue injury.

Types of cracks: superficial, deep and circular (located at the border of the nipple and areola). The formation of cracks occurs in three stages: catarrhal inflammatory process and maceration (soaking), crust and erosion. Prevention and treatment of cracks is the main prevention of inflammatory processes in the mammary gland.

Important information! A nursing mother needs to promptly treat abrasions and cracked nipples and follow the rules for caring for the mammary glands.

The process most often begins with stagnation in the mammary gland - lactostasis. This happens due to narrow milk ducts in first-time mothers, disruption of the integrity and functions of the gland tissue, etc. The infection enters the breast through microtraumas of the skin or through the openings of the milk ducts.

The penetration of infection is accompanied by curdling of milk in the milk ducts, their walls swell, their internal layers (epithelium) are damaged, and become permeable to infection. Inflammation, swelling and pain develop in the chest.

The following forms of the disease are distinguished: serous, infiltrative and purulent mastitis. These forms are simultaneously stages of a single acute inflammation.

1. With serous mastitis, serous fluid permeates the breast tissue. With timely emptying of the affected lobes and early treatment, the process at this stage is reversible.
2. Infiltrative mastitis is an inflammatory infiltrate in which pus has not yet formed. It can also be treated with conservative methods. Finally, suppurative mastitis is characterized by the accumulation of pus in the breast tissue.
3. Purulent mastitis occurs in different ways and is divided into the following types: abscess, phlegmonous and gangrenous.

*Abscess inflammatory process is characterized by the formation of ulcers limited to the capsule.

*With phlegmonous course, there is no capsule, and pus spreads freely through the milk ducts and glandular tissue.

*During the gangrenous process, tissue disintegrates. Areas of purulent inflammation can be located under the skin of the breast, in the area of ​​the areola, in the glandular tissue and under the breast.

Symptoms of inflammation must be distinguished from symptoms of lactostasis. With lactostasis, swelling occurs without redness of the skin and fever (there may be a slight low-grade fever), there is no pain, relief occurs after pumping.

When acute inflammation begins, a red spot appears on the skin of the chest, the size of which depends on the size of the forming infiltrate. The breasts become painful, pumping no longer brings relief. Sometimes it is impossible to express the breast from the first days of mastitis development due to severe pain. The transition of lactostasis to inflammation begins with severe fever and chills. The breasts become swollen and painful, and redness appears on the skin. Palpation reveals unclear areas of hardening.

On days 2–3, serous inflammation becomes infiltrative. Body temperature rises to maximum levels, health worsens, chest pain increases. A clear red spot appears on the skin, and an infiltrate can be felt under the skin.

On days 4–5 from the onset of the disease, the infiltrative process becomes purulent. The affected breast shows signs of liquid pus. In this case, the temperature is either constantly high, or takes on a hectic character (it rises sharply, then drops just as sharply). Nearby (axillary) lymph nodes become enlarged.

The gangrenous process is especially difficult. The chest swells sharply, the skin above it turns blue and becomes covered with blisters containing brown liquid. Dying tissue is visible. The swelling affects all the soft tissues of the chest.

Important tip! At the first signs of mastitis, you should immediately consult a doctor.

After childbirth, the disease begins approximately 5–7 days and is acute with a rapid transition from one phase to another. In recent years, there has been an increasingly frequent development of delayed forms of this process in the postpartum period. Such inflammation may not begin immediately, but at 3–4 weeks.

A feature of the modern course of lactation mastitis is the predominance of infiltrative purulent inflammatory processes. They last a long time and are more difficult to treat.

Sometimes in the postpartum period, acute inflammation in the mammary glands occurs smoothly, without high temperature, severe redness, swelling and tenderness of the breast. But this does not in any way reduce the danger of such an inflammatory process, its detection in the later stages and the development of purulent complications.

Lactation mastitis sometimes develops after the end of the postpartum period. The cause of the disease is usually a decrease in immunity due to stress, hypothermia, or acute viral and bacterial infections. These mastitis occur in different ways, it all depends on the initial state of health and immunity. But the forms (stages) of the acute disease remain the same. After lactation stops, mastitis can only be non-lactational.

A breast surgeon deals with inflammatory diseases of the mammary gland. The diagnosis of the disease is made based on:

• questioning the woman and the data of her examination;
• clinical blood test - increase in the number of leukocytes (leukocytosis) and acceleration of ESR;
• milk analysis (increased content of leukocytes and bacteria in milk) from both mammary glands;
• analysis of milk acidity (pH-metry) – normally this indicator is 6 – 8 (mild acidity);
• its increase above 8 (increase in the alkaline direction) indicates pathology;
• Ultrasound to determine the exact location of the abscess;
• To exclude a mastitis-like form of cancer, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and breast puncture are performed, followed by puncture analysis.

Treatment should be started as early as possible. It is better when lactostasis has not yet turned into an inflammatory process. Prescribe breast rest (an elevated position supported by special bandages or a bra), frequent feeding of the newborn with expressing milk in the shower or using a breast pump. But it is believed that hand expression is more effective.

In the postpartum period, after each feeding, the nipples and areolas must be examined. If cracks and abrasions appear, the mammary gland is washed with boiled water and soap, treated with alcohol and antiseptic ointment is applied (Levomekol ointment is approved for use during pregnancy). This is a combination ointment that contains the antibiotic chloramphenicol and the immunostimulating and regeneration-accelerating agent methyluracil. To relieve inflammation, the nipple is lubricated with Vinilin, and Solcoseryl ointment is used to regenerate nipple tissue.

If the onset of serous or infiltrative inflammation is suspected, bed rest is prescribed, lying on the back or on the healthy side. Cold is applied to the mammary gland. This causes a narrowing of blood vessels, reduces blood supply to the breast, inhibits metabolic processes in it and the secretion of milk, relieves swelling and pain.

Cold is used for 1 – 2 days until body temperature normalizes. After this, physiotherapeutic procedures are carried out (Ural irradiation, UHF, etc.). A woman continues to breastfeed her newborn.

Antibacterial therapy is prescribed immediately after diagnosis. Antibacterial drugs belonging to a number of semisynthetic penicillins (Amoxiclav) and macrolides (Josamycin, Azithromycin) are used. They are approved for use during pregnancy.

Important to remember! Treatment is prescribed only by a doctor! You cannot take risks and self-medicate.

If purulent inflammation begins, the woman is hospitalized. Experts have different views on feeding a child with purulent mastitis, but most doctors believe that during the period of pus excretion with milk, it is better to stop feeding the newborn, but continue expressing milk.

Small abscesses are sometimes treated conservatively by puncturing the mammary gland under ultrasound guidance, pumping out the pus and rinsing the cavity with antibacterial solutions. At the same time, antibacterial therapy is prescribed.

The main method of treating purulent processes is surgery. The abscess is opened, washed with antiseptic solutions, and then treated as an open wound. Antibacterial therapy is mandatory.

When treating lactation mastitis in nursing mothers, the question arises about the safety of using certain medications. Indeed, most medications cannot be used while breastfeeding. But there is a group of studied medications that nursing mothers are allowed to use.

Antibiotics of different groups are used to treat inflammation. The safest antibiotics are synthetic penicillins and macrolides. Amoxiclav, Josimycin, Azithromycin and some other antibiotics are prescribed, the instructions for which indicate that they can be used during lactation.

Tetracyclines, lincosamides (Lincomycin, Clindamycin), fluoroquinolones (Ciprofloxacin), sulfonamide drugs (Biseptol), metronidazole (Trichopol) are not approved for use.

To prevent mastitis, you should adhere to the following rules:

• feeding a newborn “on demand”;
• correct attachment of the newborn to the breast;
• regular change of position by the mother during feeding in order to avoid stagnation of milk;
• compliance with personal hygiene rules, keeping the mammary glands clean; wearing only cotton underwear;
• examination of the nipples after each feeding to identify microtraumas;
• treatment of nipple microtraumas;
• timely elimination of lactostasis.

Lactation mastitis occurs in different ways and therefore requires a different approach to treatment. But experts are unanimous that this disease requires early detection and treatment strictly under the supervision of a doctor. Otherwise, serious complications cannot be avoided.

Girls, guards consultants! Or just anyone who has encountered this, please help.

I have lactostasis (I hope not mastitis). With grief, on the second day we separated the breasts from the baby. I felt chills for the first day, but now there seems to be no tempo.

Milk poured out (or was it milk?) very, very thick, viscous, yellow and salty. What scares me is that suddenly it is pus. Very unlike milk.

I read that they are checking. Drop onto cotton wool, milk should be absorbed. It seems to have been absorbed, but the cotton wool is all yellow. In general, I can’t understand panic.

By the way, at the same time, the seals began to disappear before it was strained. But now it seems like not at all. But I'm also not sure.

It is clear that you cannot determine it on the Internet. But maybe you can give some sensible advice.

And most importantly, another question. Is it possible to give this breast to a child? It's scary on the one hand. Maybe it's pus or its remains. On the other hand, I didn’t give it for one night, and this is what came out.

I would be glad to receive any advice.

I have an appointment with the doctor at 9. I'd like to survive the night. I hope all be fine.