There are these methods to prevent and treat acute mastitis after childbirth

Many women who are breastfeeding after giving birth usually develop acute mastitis. Patients with acute mastitis usually experience breast pain and breast lumps in the early stages, which will affect normal breastfeeding in the later stages. Therefore, breastfeeding should be temporarily stopped for a short period of time, and the condition can only be treated after the milk has completely returned.

Causes of acute mastitis

Due to nipple damage, breastfeeding is painful, which affects the mother's normal breastfeeding and causes milk accumulation. Breast milk is the best culture medium for bacteria, and bacteria can easily multiply and cause disease in the area where milk accumulates. Most cases of acute postpartum mastitis occur in primiparas, with a ratio of about 2.5:1, and the onset usually occurs 2 to 4 weeks after delivery.

There are two main causes of acute mastitis: ① milk stasis; ② bacterial infection. This is because first-time mothers lack breastfeeding experience and do not breastfeed properly. Secondly, the nipple skin of a first-time mother is tender and has weaker resistance, so it is easily damaged by the baby's sucking, opening a channel for bacterial invasion.

What are the symptoms of acute mastitis?

Acute postpartum mastitis;

Most patients begin with breast tenderness (milk accumulator). Then a painful lump appears in the breast. The breasts become significantly larger and swollen, with throbbing pain, redness of the skin, and increased local skin temperature. At this time, the patient often experiences symptoms of systemic poisoning such as high fever, chills, and rapid pulse. During examination, the breast lump is hard, with obvious tenderness, and enlarged lymph nodes can be felt in the axilla on the same side. If treatment is not timely or improper, especially during the milk accumulation period, the tender lump in the breast may soften in a short period of time and form an abscess. Once acute mastitis occurs, you should go to the hospital for treatment in time.

How to prevent acute postpartum mastitis

The key to preventing acute postpartum mastitis is to avoid milk stasis, prevent nipple damage and maintain breast hygiene. Specific preventive measures include:

1. In the later stages of pregnancy, you should regularly clean your breasts and nipples with warm water or 75% alcohol once every 2 to 3 days. Especially first-time pregnant women should develop this habit to increase the resistance of the nipple skin.

2. Pregnant women with inverted nipples should use their fingers to squeeze and pull up their nipples to correct them. You can also try splitting a walnut into two halves, removing the flesh, polishing the edges, and buckling them on the nipples on both sides. Then tighten them with a bandage so that the nipples are exposed in the walnut shell, thereby promoting nipple prolapse.

3. Develop the habit of regular breastfeeding and pay attention to nipple cleanliness. The milk should be completely sucked out during each breastfeeding, and the two breasts should be fed alternately. If there is milk accumulation, you can squeeze and massage with your hands, or use a breast pump to help suck out the milk to drain it out and prevent milk accumulation.

4. If there is milk accumulation, squeezing by hand or sucking with a breast pump will not make the milk lumps disappear. You can smell tooth soap powder or plug your nose with scallion whites.

5. If the nipple is damaged or cracked, it should be treated.

6. When weaning, you should first reduce the number of breastfeeding times and then wean. Take scorched wheat tea before weaning to reduce milk.