Do you have mastitis, but you want to avoid antibiotics if possible? Keep reading for treating mastitis at home!
I am a mom who likes to have fun. Sometimes, I just want to find a babysitter and go on a hot date with my husband and not come home for hours and hours and hours.
But as a breastfeeding mother, this can put a damper on things. A huge, milky damper.
There have been times when I underestimate the amount of time that I am away from my baby, and before I know it, my breasts are engorged and my milk ducts feel clogged. The swelling has begun and I can feel the infection threatening to attack my boobs if I don’t take action quickly!
Now, what do I do???
I am a natural kind of girl. I had an at-home birth and I don’t like taking medication just willy-nilly. So when I feel a case of mastitis coming on, I begin my mastitis treatment at home.
This post is all about treating mastitis at home.
5 EASY WAYS FOR TREATING MASTITIS AT HOME
I do ALL of these things whenever I feel like my breasts are extra full and are possibly on the verge of an infection.
Nurse like crazy!
The first thing I make sure to do is to continue to breastfeed (or pump). Go nuts! You want to drain your breasts to try to unclog any milk ducts and you want to keep milk flowing. This can be uncomfortable (it has brought tears to my eyes) and it can make you question breastfeeding, but don’t stop! Emptying the milk from your breasts will make them feel 100x better and help get rid of the infection! And breastfeeding is seriously the most precious thing. Melts my heart every time. You’ve got this!
Massage your breasts
Next, I give them a good massage. Massaging the affected breast will help unblock the plugged milk ducts and relieve swelling. Massage from the outer breast toward the center in small circles, applying more pressure on the infected areas. You can also use a few drops of vitamin E oil during the massage a few times a day. Just be sure to clean your breasts before breastfeeding your baby.
Apply Warm compress Or Take A warm shower
A warm compress will help to loosen things up. It can clear blockage, improve blood circulation and aid in milk flow. I will usually combine this with a massage or hand express milk while I’m in the shower, which I feel is quite helpful and soothing. Plus, you do two of the methods at the same time!
Drink fresh pineapple juice!
Drinking pineapple juice can help to reduce any inflammation and prevent the formation of other clogged milk ducts. You just want to make sure it is fresh pineapple juice. This is a personal favorite of mine. You can also drink a cup of pineapple juice daily as a precaution before mastitis even begins!
Drink Mastitis tea
When I experienced mastitis for the first time, my midwife recommended this tea. I personally use this the least because I am picky about tastes 😛 But I still wanted to share it in case you wanted to try it and see if it’s a remedy you want to keep around for yourself!
1 TBSP raw apple cider vinegar, 1 TBSP lemon juice, 1 TBSP honey, 1/8 tsp cayenne in 10 oz of hot water. Drink at least 3x a day for 2-3 days.
OTHER METHODS FOR TREATING MASTITIS AT HOME
Here are some more natural remedies for breast infection. I haven’t tried these methods below, but I know other people who have tried them and have had success. Maybe they will work for you!
Apply a Cold Compress
As mentioned above, a hot compress can help with mastitis. But a cold compress can also be helpful to reduce swelling and relieve pain. You can also switch back and forth between the two. Place the hot compress on the infected breast for 15 minutes, and then apply the cold compress for 5 minutes. Repeat 2 or 3 times.
Apply Cabbage leaves
Cabbage leaves are soothing for inflamed breasts, offering relief from clogged ducts and engorgement. Cabbage contains anti-inflammatory properties, but the exact reason why it is effective isn’t really known for sure. Careful though because they can reduce your milk supply.
Rinse your cabbage and clean it- make sure it’s fresh and not wilted. Pat dry. Chill a few cabbage leaves in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (room temperature cabbage leaves are equally effective, but chilled leaves might feel nice).
Place a cold cabbage leaf on the infected breast. You can wear a loosely-fitted bra to help keep the cabbage leaves in place.
When the leaf reaches room temperature, it is time to replace it with a new cold one. If you started with a room temperature leaf, leave it for about 20 minutes. Do this 2-3 times daily until the engorgement lessens or the infection clears.
Eat raw Garlic
Garlic has natural antimicrobial properties and can help fight off mastitis. Some people eat 2-3 garlic cloves whole, followed up with some orange juice since eating garlic raw is pretty strong haha! You can also cut them up small enough to swallow them like a pill, washing down with orange juice.
Apply apple Cider Vinegar
Not only can you prepare the Mastitis Tea with apple cider vinegar, but you can also apply an apple cider vinegar solution to your skin. Apple cider vinegar has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that not only help reduce inflammation, but also help to fight off any infection.
Mix 1 part apple cider vinegar and 2 parts warm water. Apply this mixture on the affected breast using a cotton ball. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes, then rinse it off with warm water. Repeat 2 or 3 times daily until the infection clears.
These methods are meant to be used to treat the start of mastitis. If you can’t clear it up on your own, it might be time to see your midwife or a doctor. Sometimes an antibiotic is necessary if there’s an infection that has spread too far.
Watch for signs of a fever, and if it doesn’t start to get better within 24 hours, or just gets worse, call your doctor.
Let me know if any of these methods worked for you, or if there’s a method I missed! All the moms out there would love to know any secrets you might know 🙂
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