It is saddening that this is the part moms hear most about from friends and family – sore and bleeding nipples, full and leaking breasts, blocked ducts and mastitis…no wonder the task seems daunting.
The good news is that many of these issues can be prevented by getting the basics right. With good advice in the early days and by getting help sooner rather than later, most mothers will be able to breastfeed without major problems.
And then, if you do end up experiencing difficulties there are lots of tips and tricks to make things easier for you. Read on and let us know if you cannot find a solution to your problem, or if you need referral to a lactation consultant in your area.
Worried You Don’t Have Enough Milk? Feeling anxious about milk supply is one of the most common breastfeeding concerns for new moms — and also the main reason many stop breastfeeding earlier than planned. Yet, true low milk supply is rare. Most mothers produce enough milk once they understand how supply works and get the right support. If you’re only wondering whether your experience is normal, check out our article on false alarms for low milk supply — it might[...]
Worrying about not having enough breast milk is one of the most common fears new mothers face. While some truly experience a low milk supply, many mothers mistake normal baby behavior for signs of insufficient milk. This often happens when mothers haven’t had much exposure to breastfeeding—perhaps growing up in families where few women breastfed or not having close friends who did. Without this reassurance, it’s easy to misread what’s normal. If you genuinely suspect a supply problem, read our[...]
Mastitis is the term used to describe a spectrum of conditions, including breast engorgement, breast inflammation, blocked ducts, nipple blebs, bacterial mastitis (once an infection kicks in), and breast abscesses. There are two main causes of mastitis, and they work together to form an evil circle that can cause simple engorgement to lead to a devastating complication like a breast abscess. These are hyperlactation (too much milk or insufficient emptying), and dysbiosis (an imbalance in microbiome (or good bacteria)[...]
In 2022, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) released Clinical Protocol #36, a major update on how healthcare providers manage the mastitis spectrum. This new protocol was developed after new technology completely changed how we view the anatomy of the breast. It also revolutionised the treatment of engorgement, mastitis, breast abscesses, and plugged ducts. This protocol is still new — many doctors, nurses, and even lactation consultants may not yet be aware of it. Unless they’ve kept up with the[...]
“I’ve never felt that terrible before,” is something many breastfeeding mothers say after experiencing mastitis. Mastitis refers to inflammation of the breast tissue and can cause pain, warmth, swelling, and redness. It often affects one breast but may occur in both. In 2022, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine released an updated protocol that changed how professionals understand and treat mastitis and related breast complications. This article forms part of our series on Engorgement, Mastitis, and Breast Tissue Complications. Please follow[...]
Few moms will search for ‘breast oedema’, or even be interested in it, so I assume your reached this page via our features on engorgement and mastitis. If so, you are probably not feeling great right now. Occasionally full, sore breasts in the early days may be caused by too much fluid in the breasts, and not by too much milk. This is called breast oedema, or swelling. It is most likely to happen if mom received lot of intravenous[...]
