Mastitis

Mastitis is an inflammation of the glands of the breast caused by the accumulation of milk and occurs more frequently in the postpartum period, especially during the first pregnancy. Mastitis can occur in one breast or both breasts and features are red, hard, hot and painful.

The way to avoid inflammation is not allowing the accumulation of milk in the ducts. In such cases, the mothers should perform a massage on her breasts in hot shower after breastfeeding. To remove the excess milk, just do a massage on the areola and the rest of the breast with his hand outstretched. Then, one must hold the breast with the thumb and index finger over the beak down and make a movement 'tightens and loosens'.

The gynecologist Andrea Godoy Lopes warns that this method is correct only when there is no mastitis within doing an exercise prophylactic, or preventive. "When there is inflammation or infection, women should not use high temperature on the breasts, which increases the inflammatory process."

Treatment of mastitis is usually done with anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and ice packs. Any method must be indicated solely by the doctor accompanying the mother and baby.

Prevention

Very common about two weeks after delivery, then this inflammation of the udder infection reaches happens and when it produces more milk than needed

The baby just suck, but still milk left chest? So, treat immediately to massage the breasts to remove what's left. This care is important, especially in the early days of breastfeeding when the mother can produce more milk than the child needs. In this case, if the milking is not done, the liquid stopped breast can harden and turn a full plate for bacteria.

Hence, it is a leap to mastitis, an inflammation then infection that affects the mammary glands. "This is an opportunistic disease, which usually occurs about two weeks after birth," explains the nurse Marcia Regina da Silva, in charge of the course of pregnancy and Maternity Hospital, in São Paulo. According to her, are more susceptible to evil mothers who do not rest properly, not to mention that they do not feed or rehydration adequate to compensate for fluid loss during breastfeeding.

Treatment

The doctor will tell you what the medication that the mother should follow. However it is crucial that the mother:

- Rest,

- Remove the milk manually or with extractor,

- Continue to breastfeed side unaffected if therapy is instituted not harmful to the baby.

Usually the situation improves for one or two days.