Rhiannon Giles?s son, Rowan, was born premature and spent weeks in the NICU, which made breastfeeding difficult. Without her baby being able to sufficiently empty her breasts of milk, Giles often became engorged, which led to her getting mastitis, an inflammation of the breast. She suffered through it three times before Rowan was six months old. ?At its worst, my breast was very red and tender. I had a fever, chills, body aches, and was just plain exhausted. It was really miserable,? recalls Giles.
Mastitis commonly occurs in the first few weeks of breastfeeding, although you could get it at any point while you?re nursing (Giles also got it with her older daughter, Lorelei, when she was eight months old). It can come on because of a restriction of milk flow?whether that?s from a blocked duct, infrequent nursing, a poor latch or a tight bra?or from an infection entering your breast from a cracked nipple and getting into a milk duct. The good news is, once you?re aware of the signs to look for, you can try to get the milk flowing again to prevent mastitis from getting more serious.
1. Massage

If you feel a hard spot in your breast, begin massaging it immediately, preferably while nursing. This little spot is likely a plugged duct, which is more easily cleared before the breast becomes too engorged and tender, explains Tracy Hydeman, a midwife in Regina, Sask. That said, even if you are engorged and in a lot of pain, massage is key to clearing the clogged milk. ?I have see...