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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffTo get your breast-feeding relationship with your infant off to its best possible start — and to avoid complications such as mastitis — consider making an appointment with a lactation consultant. A lactation consultant can give you tips and provide invaluable advice for proper breast-feeding technique.
Minimize your chances of getting mastitis by fully draining the milk from your breasts while breast-feeding. Allow your baby to completely empty one breast before switching to the other breast during feeding. If your baby nurses for only a few minutes on the second breast — or not at all — start breast-feeding on that breast the next time you feed your baby.
Alternate the breast you offer first at each breast-feeding, and change the position you use to breast-feed from one feeding to the next. Make sure your baby latches on properly during feedings. Finally, don't let your baby use your breast as a pacifier. Babies enjoy sucking and often find comfort in suckling at the breast even when they're not hungry.
- Non-cancerous breast conditions. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6X_Non_Cancerous_Breast_Conditions_59.asp. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- Dixon MJ. Lactational mastitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- Spencer JP. Management of mastitis in breastfeeding women. American Family Physician. 2008;78:727.
- Walker M. Conquering common breast-feeding problems. Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing. 2008;22:267.
- Breastfeeding: Common concerns. National Women's Health Information Center. http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/concerns/. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- FAQ on mastitis. La Leche League International. http://www.llli.org/FAQ/mastitis.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- Dixon MJ. Inflammatory disorders of the breast. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
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