Breast Infection Basics
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Breast infections appear suddenly and painfully! Some signs of an infection can include:
- Breast tenderness and swelling
- Fever or chills
- Fatigue
- Body aches
- Redness or red streak on the breast
I had chronic breast infections when I nursed my baby and because of that, I learned some important lessons during that most painful year! Firstly, it’s important to get treatment right away if you suspect a breast infection. The sooner you get treatment, the easier life will be. It’s important to continue nursing on the infected breast. This won’t hurt your baby at all, and will actually help you. Be sure to ask your doctor about pain relief when you go to your appointment! Sometimes, warm compresses can help minimize the pain as well.
Of course, getting extra rest and drinking more liquids while fighting the infection is a great idea too.
If you continue to get re-curring infections, it’s a good idea to check with a lactation consultant to see if she can figure out a cause. In my case, after reviewing the information I provided, the consultant found that I tended to sleep on one side of my body which constricted the milk ducts. If I was unable to get to a feeding on time, or didn’t have time to fully drain the breast(due to work schedule), it would bring on an infection.
I made sure to switch sides while sleeping at night, and I made the time to schedule regular pumping sessions during the work day. My infections stopped occurring!
Of course, as soon as we solved the mystery, my child decided to wean herself and I transitioned her to drinking from a cup. Figures!
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