Yes, it's perfectly safe to breastfeed your baby when you have mastitis.
Mastitis means that the breast is inflamed, and there is swelling, redness,
tenderness and pain, is an infection in the breast that happens when the milk
ducts aren't being drained regularly and completely, leads to stagnant milk and
the growth of bacteria. The result is a hard, sore area in the breast that can
really hurt during nursing. A breast infection can become a breast abscess that requires
surgical draining, but this can almost always be prevented by treating mastitis
promptly.
Continuing to nurse will help
resolve the infection. To make nursing more comfortable, take some
acetaminophen for the pain. If you think you have mastitis, talk with your
healthcare provider right away. A lactation specialist can help get you back on
track. Breastfeed frequently. If you feel your breasts getting full, encourage
your baby to nurse.
Treating mastitis is much like treating engorgement only more urgent.
Rest relieves stress and replenishes your immune system.
Cold compresses relieve pain; warmth
increases circulation, which mobilizes infection-fighters in the inflamed area.
Lean over a basin of warm water, stand in a warm shower.
If it hurts to nurse the
baby, start the feeding on the breast that is not sore, and switch to
the sore side after your milk lets down. It’s important to empty the inflamed
breast. Your baby can empty your breast more efficiently than a breast pump.
However, if your baby is not nursing well, you may have to use a breast pump to get the milk out. Vary the baby’s position at the breast, so
that all the ducts are emptied.
Weaning increases the risk of a
breast infection turning into a breast
abscess that requires surgical draining. Continuing to nurse your
baby is the best treatment for engorgement, mastitis and breast infections. If baby refuses to nurse on the affected
breast, it may be because inflammation of the milk glands increases
the sodium content of your milk, giving it a salty taste.
You can experience the pain and
inflammation of mastitis
without necessarily having a bacterial infection. Yet it is often difficult to
tell whether mastitis has become a breast infection. Consult your healthcare
provider as soon as you suspect mastitis.
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