Congratulations on the safe arrival of your baby.  You have decided to breastfeed, that's great but there are a few common problems that you need to be aware of so that if they start arising you can overcome them relatively easily.  If you are having problems then you can contact your health care professional or lactation specialist for help or even a friend who has experience with breastfeeding.

Today I am going to be talking about mastitis.  Mastitis is the inflammation of breast tissue and can get very sore, making it difficult to breastfeed.  It is thought that around 15% of woman who breastfeed will experience mastitis to some degree. It is most common in the first few months after birth and some women may find that they are prone to getting mastitis over and over.  Lactation mastitis can be non-infective or infective and usually affects one breast at a time but can occasionally involve both and the symptoms can develop very quickly.  Out of the women who develop mastitis around 50% will be non-infective, this is usually caused  by engorged breasts or from a blocked duct causing a build up of milk.  This type of mastitis does not need antibiotics and can be treated relatively easily.  The other 50% of women who experience mastitis, this will be infective and they will need treatment with antibiotics.  This is usually caused from bacteria entering the breast from a crack in the nipple. The mother can feel very unwell with mastitis, symptoms usually include:

Tender breast, warm to the touch. Generally feeling unwell. Pain and swelling of the breast. A 'wedge' shaped redness on the breast. Swollen lymph nodes under your armpit. A fever. Flu like symptoms. Breast engorgement.

Now there are some simple steps you can take to help prevent mastitis occurring these include:

Washing your hands thoroughly when you are about to handle your breasts. Make sure that the baby is positioned and attached correctly to the breast. Avoid long breaks with no feeding, you can express milk if you need to. Avoid wearing tight clothing that may compress the breasts. Do not hold the breast too tightly during feeding. Limit the use of creams and ointments on the breast.

If you get a blocked milk duct it is important to resolve this problem quickly to prevent it from developing into mastitis.  This problem can usually be resolved by gently applying some heat to the breast for a few minutes before each feed and gentle massage to the affected breast.  Offer the affected breast first to try and unblock the blockage, it could even be as simple as changing the feeding position and remember to feed or express regularly.  Most importantly if this does not help and you develop mastitis and start feeling unwell always visit your doctor for advice and treatment as you may need antibiotics and remember to continue to try to breastfeed.

There are many helplines for breastfeeding I have listed an Australian one for your convenience.

Australian Breastfeeding Association Helpline  1800-MUM-2-MUM or 1800-686-2-686 http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/

I wish you the best of luck.