Mastitis - Breastfeeding Woes

Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast usually caused by infection. Occurring during the first six months of breast-feeding, this is a common ailment affecting new mothers. Let’s discuss how to overcome mastitis.

When the breast becomes too full of milk, because a feeding has been delayed or your breast has not been emptied, this will result in a clogged duct. This can cause the infection known as mastitis. Another cause of infection to the breast can be due to cracked nipples. You may feel a sharp pain in your nipple while your baby is nursing, which may mean there is a thin crack in your nipple. This can happen if you do not dry your nipples thoroughly after each feeding. Your doctor will prescribe cream to apply to your nipple and the crack should take a few days to heal. You can, meanwhile, continue to breastfeed your baby using the other breast.

Mastitis may be exhibited by pain, redness, swelling and fever. A baby cannot get milk from a swollen nipple, so you need to remove excess milk before you breastfeed. Using a breast pump is ideal. As stated earlier, mastitis is common and is treatable with antibiotics. You can continue to breastfeed, however, it is important that if you are diagnosed with mastitis to follow these simple rules: rest; drink plenty of liquids and before you breastfeed, either soak your breasts in warm water or place a warm towel over the affected breast.

Continuing to breastfeed from the affected breast will not only help to clear up the mastitis, but is entirely safe for your baby. You can also switch to the other breast if the affected one is too painful for your child to breastfeed. Note that mastitis should be treated immediately to avoid any further complication.

Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help

New mothers often feel overwhelmed by all the new responsibilities thrust upon them. Between bottles and diaper changes, you can easily lose yourself amongst it all. What’s worse is that moms often feel like they have to do it all on their own.

If you’re tired of being SuperMom, let's look at a few reasons why you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help:

Reason #1
You deserve a break. Moms are busy people. We take on a lot of tasks and often don’t get much credit or recognition for them. Moms work 24 hours a day, rarely getting breaks. Allow yourself to take a break every now and again.

Reason #2
You can’t do it all by yourself. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. In fact, it’s just the opposite, a sign of strength. Someone once said that no man (or mama) is an island. Oh how true this is! There is no way you could do everything by yourself, and if you did you would be exhausted so ask for help and feel good doing it.

Reason #3
They want to help you. If there is no other reason for you to ask for help, remember this one: your family and friends want to help you. That’s right—they want to. I’ve heard family members of so many new mothers say that they would love to help, but the mom never asks for help. Sometimes people don’t want to feel like they’re intruding so be proactive in asking for help. When friends and family ask if there is anything they can do to help say yes. If people ask you what you would like as a gift, mention housecleaning vouchers (or ask a close friend or relative to spread the word for you).

Reason #4
Being a “good” mom means taking care of yourself. Last, but certainly not least, asking for help does not mean that you are a bad mother. Lots of moms refuse help because they think others will view them as terrible parents for doing so. This couldn’t be further from the truth. A good mother knows when she needs help and isn’t afraid to ask for it. She knows when she needs a break. A good mother also knows that she needs to take care of herself first in order to keep the family going.