Occurrence of mastitis is confined to breastfeeding mothers, and mastitis treatment is the only solution to the problems faced by many mothers breastfeeding their babies. Therefore, quick mastitis treatment under medical advice should be commenced, which stops the progression of mastitis condition becoming worse not treated when necessary. The effective mastitis treatment relieves the symptoms within just 2 days.
The mastitis treatment in its normal course requires oral antibiotic therapy used for its bactericidal action finishing the bacteria in its combat against bacteria.
Doctors advise complete emptying of the breast milk on a regular basis by feeding the baby or with the help of a breast pump. This is a preventive step aimed at stopping growth of bacteria in the breast, which causes mastitis. If infection is already there, its end is imminent.
It is safe to maintain breastfeeding continued without any risk to the baby during the mastitis treatment period, because the bacteria ingested shall be killed by the digestive juices of the baby in the stomach. In fact, the sucking the breast done by the baby is an alternative to the use of pump for emptying milk from the breast.
Prior to breastfeeding the baby keep water soaked warm cloth on the breast for 15 minutes to be repeated 3 times in a day. It enhances the milk flow from the breast. Massaging the breast is also helpful in causing increased milk flow from the breast.
Consider the possibility of breastfeeding using both the breasts, the beginning should be made from the mastitis suffering breast, because emptying it completely hastens the relief from mastitis symptoms.
When the affected breast causes unbearable while breast feeding from it, change breastfeeding from the healthy breast to be followed by breastfeeding using the affected breast till it becomes soft due to emptying of the milk caused by breastfeeding the baby.
In case, the breastfeeding activity through the affected breast is much painful make use of the pump or by manually expelling out of milk from the breast.
There can be a situation when the baby has reluctance in suckling the milk from the affected breast. There is nothing like change of taste of milk from the affected breast. It happens due to breast having become too hard for the baby to get the feed from it. Squeezing out some milk from such breast makes it softer, now easy to suckle the milk by properly latching of the baby to the nipple.
The milk ducts blockage & mastitis:
The mastitis and milk duct blockage are two different things. When blockage of the milk duct is there, no infection is present hence no antibiotic treatment is necessary. The blockage occurring in the milk duct has signs of swelling, pain and presence of hard mass in the breast. The condition does not require mastitis treatment and resolution of the problem takes place within 48 hours.
Careful steps in treating breast abscess formed by mastitis:
• Suffering from mastitis with milk duct blockage caused by delayed mastitis treatment, the bacterial infection present can take the shape of an abscess. The treatment necessary for the breast abscess requires drainage of the abscess after which healing takes place within a week.
• Carefully emptied breast on regular basis by encouraging breastfeeding or with use of breast pump enhances the milk flow from the breasts.
• There is instances majority of the women continue breastfeeding from the affected breast during the period the breast abscess healing has not taken place completely. The situation requires following the doctor’s advice. By keeping abscess dressed with gauze, the breast feeding can be continued.
• In case the medical advice is not in favor of breastfeed from breast affected with an abscess, the breastfeeding from the healthy breast can be carried out. The abscess suffering breast requires emptying by use of pump very regularly.
• Orally administered broad spectrum antibiotic is used as mastitis treatment for destroying the bacteria cause of the infection development.
Information provided above is research based and is for guidance purpose only. People, suffering with mastitis or having symptoms of mastitis may follow the precautionary measures, mentioned in this article. Nevertheless, you are always advised to consult your doctor for expert opinion. Medicines, mentioned above must not be taken before prior consultation with your physician as they have many side effects. Your physician will conduct several tests to determine the nature, extent and causes of mastitis. Your allergies will also be taken into consideration and then you will be prescribed proper mastitis treatment.
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