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Prevention of mastitis

Medical expert of the article

Oncosurgeon
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025

Mastitis prevention is the measures a woman takes to avoid complications during breastfeeding in the form of an infectious lesion of the mammary gland. Mastitis is an infectious disease with inflammation of the interstitium of the mammary gland, which is characterized by a violation of the normal function of lactation. This is accompanied by forced measures to transfer the child to artificial feeding, which is not optimal for his normal growth and healthy development. Therefore, knowledge of the measures to prevent this pathology is very important for preventing the disease.

Prevention of postpartum mastitis

Postpartum mastitis is an inflammation process of the interstitium and ducts of the mammary gland, which occurs in the postpartum period and has its own characteristics of the course. During this period, the symptoms of mastitis can be very pronounced and the process is usually purulent. In the postpartum period, the uterus begins to gradually contract and return to its original shape, and the mammary glands are just beginning to function. Very often during this period, women still in the maternity hospital develop postpartum mastitis, which is associated with many reasons. First of all, the milk ducts begin to secrete milk, the amount of which may be greater than necessary in the first days of the child's life, and its stagnation occurs. Incorrect feeding technique causes the formation of cracks, which are a gateway for infection, so secondary infection occurs. This is how postpartum mastitis develops. Very often, such mastitis is difficult to correct, which can also cause an inflammatory process in the uterus, which is not diagnosed. Therefore, insufficient involution of the uterus in the postpartum period or the occurrence of septic postpartum complications can cause postpartum mastitis.

From these main reasons emerge measures for the prevention of postpartum mastitis:

  1. teaching the correct technique for the first breastfeeding;
  2. careful monitoring of the condition of the uterus in the early and late postpartum period and monitoring of the general condition of the woman with the prevention of infectious complications;
  3. early application of the baby to the breast in the delivery room in the absence of contraindications;
  4. expressing milk when there is excess milk in the first days of a child’s life to prevent stagnation;
  5. prevention of hypothermia and stressful situations in order to prevent disturbances in hormonal control of the lactogenesis process.

All these rules are necessary not only for the well-being of the woman and the prevention of mastitis, but also to ensure that breast milk becomes an accessible, constant means of nutrition for the child to ensure normal development, growth and protection.

Prevention of lactation mastitis

Lactation mastitis develops more often than all other types due to the fact that the rules of correct breastfeeding are not known to everyone and not all mothers adhere to them. Correct breastfeeding contributes not only to the nutrition and growth of the child, but also to the further process of lactogenesis. Feeding a newborn child should be carried out at his request, without night breaks. At the same time, the interval between feedings should not exceed three hours. Such an interval has a good effect not only on the child, but also on the secretion of milk. At night, under the influence of pituitary hormones, milk is formed in the mammary glands, and under the influence of night feedings, the production of the hormone oxytocin increases, which in turn affects the muscle fibers of the milk ducts and normal milk secretion into the milk ducts occurs. Such a process occurs normally, but there are cases when there is not enough milk and the child is fed with mixtures. In this case, the normal process of milk formation and secretion does not occur and this contributes to the disruption of the lactogenesis process. Then various pathological conditions arise in the form of lactostasis or, in case of infection, inflammation of the mammary gland occurs - mastitis. Therefore, it is important to know the basic principles of proper breastfeeding.

Prevention of mastitis during breastfeeding is as follows:

  1. feeding the child according to his needs, but not less than eight times a day;
  2. exclusion of the use of other mixtures, bottles, nipples in the absence of indications, which eliminates factors on the part of the child in the development of congestion and further mastitis;
  3. proper toilet of the mammary gland before each feeding - do not wash, do not wipe the breast before each feeding, only a daily shower is enough - this reduces the chances of maceration of the nipple and the formation of cracks. Also before and after each feeding, the nipple should be wiped with a drop of milk;
  4. the correct diet and rest regimen for a nursing mother prevents lactostasis and mastitis;
  5. correct technique for feeding a child;
  6. avoiding hypothermia;
  7. timely correction of lactostasis and toilet when cracks in the nipple appear;
  8. When physiological lactation crisis occurs, the baby should be put to the breast more often.

Prevention of lactostasis and mastitis should be targeted actions, since untimely treated lactostasis can be the cause of mastitis. Therefore, when foci of milk stagnation appear, it is important to use therapeutic massage, physiotherapy and proper breast care.

Preventing mastitis during breastfeeding is a very important task for every young mother, because not only her health, but also that of her child depends on it. Preventive measures are not as difficult as they seem at first glance, and if the child is fed correctly and the mammary gland is cleaned, this disease can be completely avoided.


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