September 23rd, 2009Mastitis
What is Mastitis?
Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast most often occurring while a mother is breastfeeding. It is caused by blocked milk ducts and is relatively common. Mastitis usually happens when bacteria enter the breast through the nipple. This can happen when a nursing mother has a cracked or sore nipple. Another cause could be from engorgement which happens when the new milk comes in or when there is a long period between nursing and not enough milk is expressed from the breast.
Symptoms
Symptoms may include breast enlargement on one side only, breast lump, breast pain, fever and flu like symptoms including nausea and vomiting, itching, nipple discharge, swelling, tenderness, redness, and warmth in breast tissue, tender or enlarged lymph nodes in armpit on same side.
Avoiding Mastitis
To help avoid mastitis, make sure the baby is latched on properly when nursing to empty the breast completely and avoid cracked nipples.
Relief
Get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids. Warm or cold packs on the painful breast helps bring relief. Place a warm wet washcloth over the affected breast for about 15 minutes. This increases the milk flow. Breastfeeding usually helps to clear up infection, and nursing while you have mastitis will not hurt the baby.
Herbal Help for Mastitis
For herbal help we turn to Dr. Christopher’s Glandular Formula: three parts mullein to one part lobelia. Make a tea of this and use as a fomentation on the breast at night and use the oil or ointment during the day. The tea can be drunk - 1 cup three times a day. Also one would want to use herbs to fight infection: Echinacea and golden seal, the lymphatic formula, garlic, myrrh, etc. The herbs should be taken every hour or two to help get rid of the infection.
Get plenty of rest and eat a healthy diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Nursing is always the best thing for a new baby and its mother. It is a time to bond and relax and enjoy a newborn. Mastitis can be discouraging, but it is not a reason to quit breastfeeding if it is taken care of quickly.
Printable Version: http://www.herballegacy.com/Mastitis.pdf
September 23rd, 2009 at 5:54 pm
I would like to mention a remedy for Mastitis that really helped me when I had it. For the breast(s) that have the infection, apply a raw cabbage leaf next to the breast and wear it inside your bra. Replace the cabbage leaf with a fresh one periodically. I even slept with a cabbage leaf next to my breast. It really draws out the infection!
I know a friend who had one nipple due to a previous automobile accident and the doctor told her that she would never be able to breastfeed her children or the breast without a nipple would constantly be full and infected with no means of release. However, she simply would apply a cabbage leaf to that breast as needed and was able to breastfeed all four of her children.
Hope that this information can help someone! Jennifer
September 23rd, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Another thing that has helped me is using cranberry. The juice really helps everything like the bladder, but it also helps a lot with breast infections. Garlic is awesome, too, especially when it has gone into a fever, etc. Thank you for writing this.
October 14th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
I got mastitis while nursing each of my four children. I discovered Poke Root in tincture form and the mastitis always cleared up within days.
February 12th, 2010 at 8:12 pm
When I was ready for my milk to dry up, I put 2 cold cabbage leaves in my bra and rotated with 2 more cold ones when they got warm and within 24 hours I was dried up with NO pain.