8 Tips to Avoid Mastitis

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Mastitis is something all breastfeeding women fear. It is a painful and debilitating condition that affects up to 33% of lactating women in Australia and for many, it can bring their breastfeeding journey to a halt. According to Queensland Health, Mastitis can occur due to:

Blocked milk duct
Ongoing nipple damage
Baby not attaching well to the breast
Poor overall health (stress, fatigue, poor nutrition)
Tight fitting clothing across the chest

Here are some tips to help avoidmastitis:

Take a warm shower

Blocked ductsarecommon while breastfeeding and does not necessarily mean you will develop mastitis, but it is important you unblock it as soon as possible to prevent infection. A warm shower or a warm compress on the breast just before feeding should help, then a cold compress between feedings should bring down pain and swelling.

Nurse regularly

Nurseyour baby regularly to ensure both breasts are being emptied & try different positions if blocked ducts are a common occurrence to drain all areas of the breast (Australian Breastfeeding Association, 2019)

Iron & vitamin C

Anemiais linked to poor immunity and therefore a higher risk of mastitis (Liyew & Teshale, 2020). Ensure you are consuming iron rich foods (chickpeas, hemp seeds, dried apricots, raisins, quinoa, beetroot, blackstrap molasses & tofu) along with vitamin C rich foods (citrus, berries) to increase absorption.

Eat well

Fresh, anti-inflammatory foods are important like leafy greens, herbs and spices, wholegrains, & fresh fruits & vegetables.

Keep fluids up

Mum should drink plenty of water to keep hydrated (breastmilk contains approximately 90% water).

Avoid saturated fats

Limit your intake of saturated fats to prevent blocked ducts (fried foods, bakery food, vegan cheese and margarines) and include foods naturally containing some lecithin like peanuts, wheatgerm, soy, cooked green vegetables and wholegrains. Women have found organic sunflower lecithin supplementation helpful to reduce the viscosity of the milk (but there are limited studies on this supplement).