Home Remedies For Mastitis

Symptoms of mastitis may come with no warnings so whenever you feel off, pay attention and get in touch with a lactation consultant or a doctor. There are some quick things you can do if you have mastitis that will prevent it from getting into a serious infection. Home remedies for mastitis can be relied on for the first 24 to 48 hours.

1. Rest

You might feel like you cannot simply rest while having a newborn around but getting some good rest is critical if you have mastitis. Try slowing down the daily grind at least if you cannot rest in bed. Consider asking your partner to take a few days off from work. Breastfeeding can be tough and you need rest to heal.

2. Frequent Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding every two hours during the day is yet another way to cure mastitis in its initial stage. Start with the uncomfortable one but make sure you feed on the breasts so neither of them gets engorged. At the beginning of the feed, babies tend to suck harder which will help dislodge the milk clogs which is basically mastitis. Also, your milk is not affected by mastitis so is safe for the baby to consume.

3. Changing Feeding Positions

You can also change how you hold your baby while nursing them. If you usually use  a cradle hold, try side-lying nursing or football hold. Changing the feeding position will change the angle at which the baby sucks the milk. This may help dislodge plugged ducts.

• Lying On The Side

Lie on your side with your baby lying on their side during a nursing session. You could use one hand to hold the baby and the other hand to offer your breast to the baby. Once they latch properly, you can use the free arm to support your head while they either hold the baby close to you.

• Football Hold

Bend your elbow and hold your baby to the side you want to feed first (the affected breast). If you are feeding on your left breast, offer it with your right hand as your guide the baby’s head with your left.

4. OTC Pain Relievers

There are several OTC (over-the-counter) medications for pain, inflammation, and fever such as Advil (ibuprofen) or Tylenol (acetaminophen). These are safe for breastfeeding mums. You could ask your pharmacist or your doctor if you are unsure about which medications to take while nursing. Always read the labels to make sure you are not overdosing.

5. Cabbage Leaves

 Here’s how to use cabbage to relieve the pain caused due to mastitis:

• Clean and chill a dry green cabbage. You could cut them into sizes that fit your breast before chilling them in your refrigerator.
• Cover your entire affected breast except for the nipples with the leaves from the chilled cabbage. If it is easier, you could slip the cabbage leaves inside a loose-fitting bra and wear it.
• Keep the cabbage leaves on for till it gets warm or for about 20 minutes.
• Now gently wash your breasts and pat them dry. Toss away the used cabbage leaves and use fresh ones if you are repeating this home remedy for mastitis.

You can repeat this method thrice a day for 20 minutes each time. Cabbage leaves

Cabbage leaves are known to deal with a lot of breastfeeding issues and discomforts. Also, the leaves help in drying up the milk supply.

6. Essential Oils

Studies have shown that essential oils help in treating mastitis. For instance, the compound terpinen-4-ol in tea tree oil has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. Dilute the oil with a carrier oil such as almond or olive oil and apply it to your breasts.

Tea tree oil can be toxic if swallowed so rinse your breast thoroughly before breastfeeding and keep the bottle away from the reach of babies and children.

7. Breast Massage

Massaging your breasts while nursing is the most effective way to treat mastitis. Start with your thumb and massage in the direction of your nipple right above the affected area. If you are unsure about where the affected area is, feel around your breast for lumps or hard tissues.

If massaging feels good, you may do it even in the shower or bath. You may also try to massage above a blocked duct and then hand express it to relieve blockage or pressure.

8. Garlic

Raw garlic might stimulate the immune system and act as a broad-spectrum antibiotic. The natural benefit of garlic is antimicrobial however, garlic pills you see in a grocery store do not have similar health benefits.

Chop a couple of cloves in your kitchen and swallow them like pills with water, milk, or juice. Swallowing it raw might burn the insides of your mouth and also you might not like its potent flavor.

9. Vitamin C

Research has shown that vitamin C can treat mastitis in cattle. It aids in replenishing antioxidants and healing wounds inside the body. Do pass any supplements prescribed to you medically to make sure they don’t react with each other. Here are some other ways to add vitamin C into your routine:

• Oranges
• Tomatoes
• Cauliflower
• Potatoes
• Brussels sprouts
• Broccoli
• Kiwi
• Red peppers

10. Hydration

Follow the mantra: when in doubt, drink water. Hydrating your body needs to increase significantly when you are nursing. Plenty of water supply for your body will increase the supply of breastmilk. It also means more feeding sessions and more chances to clear clogs and discomfort.

Expert advice during breastfeeding includes drinking plenty of water. Make sure you drink 13 cups of fluids while nursing; it could be milk, soda, coffee, herbal tea, and/or juice.