Medical Questions » Breasts, Female Questions » Question No. 180
| Question: | I have had to stop breast feeding because of recurrent attacks of a breast infection? How can these infections be prevented and treated? |
| Answer: | Mastitis is an infection of the breast that requires rapid treatment to prevent the formation of an abscess. In a breastfeeding mother, if one of the many lobes in the breast does not empty its milk, the milk may become infected, and the breast becomes very tender, red and sore. It may start with a sore, cracked nipple, but often the woman wakes in the morning with breast pain as the first symptom. She may become feverish, and feel quite unwell. Women nursing for the first time are more frequently affected.
Fortunately, antibiotics can usually settle the problem, and it does not mean that the woman must stop feeding. If an abscess forms, an operation to drain away the accumulated pus is necessary.
The best form of prevention is to ensure that the breasts are empty of milk after every feed, by expressing any remaining milk or using a breast pump if necessary. |
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