3 Things You Can Do To Prevent Getting Mastitis
Posted on: 6 July 2016
Dealing with an infection in your breasts can be very painful and dangerous. An infection in nursing mothers is called mastitis. It is not uncommon to get this infection if you are pumping milk often, or if your child has suddenly had changes in their diet. Luckily, there are some things that you can do to prevent and treat mastitis. Here are some tips.
1. Pump or Nurse More
The more you can keep the milk flowing the better. Mastitis usually occurs when you have a clogged duct. This means that the milk is getting stuck in one area of the breast. As the milk sits there, it becomes infected. This is why it is important to keep circulating the milk.
While you are lactating, you should be pushing down on areas that have clogged ducts. You might even apply heat, such as a heating pad to break up the milk in the duct so that it can flow. Massaging the breast while you nurse is a great way to get the milk
2. Put Cabbage Leaves In Your Bra
Cabbage leaves have been used for years to help lactating women. There is an enzyme in the cabbage that helps to keep the ducts open and clear. This will prevent you from getting clogged ducts. You won't need to wear the cabbage leaves the entire time you are lactating, but it wouldn't hurt to keep them in the
3. Eat and Drink Grapefruit and Pineapple
Grapefruit and pineapple have great enzymes to help the production and flow of breast milk. In fact, drinking fresh pineapple juice will help to keep the ducts from getting clogged. The acid in the juice is great for fighting off infections. This goes for grapefruit as well. You can even get supplements of grapefruit seed that are wonderful for fighting off infections.
Recognizing that you are developing an infection is one of the best ways to prevent a larger problem. Pay close attention
By understanding what to do about mastitis you can protect a serious infection while using breast pumps.
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