How to Fight Mastitis Naturally

OUCH! Mastitis. You think you have it, or you know you have it. Either way, you know that your poor milk makers are hurting. You may have heard that antibiotics are necessary to treat this, and sometimes that's the case, but it isn't true for every time!

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What is mastitis anyway?

It's a clogged milk duct that causes inflammation of the breast tissue that can lead to infection in the breast. It happens to mothers who are breastfeeding, and usually within the first three months of baby's life, while mama's supply is still trying to regulate. Mastitis comes on very quickly and should be remedied as soon as possible.

What are the symptoms of mastitis?

Tender breasts, usually centralized in one or various locations on the breast, which would indicate where the clogged duct would be, a fever, flu like symptoms, and/or redness on the breast.

What causes mastitis?

Mastitis can be caused by a handful of things, some of them being only theories still. A lack of resting (doing too much), poor milk transfer from breast to baby (usually due to a tongue or lip tie), wearing too tight of bra's, sleeping or resting on your breasts, lack of wholesome nutrition, milk supply still trying to regulate, engorgement, and I'm sure there are more out there.

How do I rid myself of mastitis?

I am going to put this disclaimer that I am not in any away a medical professional and any advice I have is not me recommending a medical treatment for mastitis, rather sharing my personal experiences in remedying mastitis my own self. If you feel it is bad enough, please contact your primary care provider and seek medical attention.

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Getting Rid of Mastitis Naturally

I have had mastitis many times during my 4+ years of nursing and counting, and thankfully I have been able to avoid antibiotics every time! Here are some remedies that I recommend:

• Hot compress, Massage, Nurse, Repeat

To get the clog to break up, you are going to want to use a hot compress on the site of the soreness. A hot shower works great! As does a hot bath, heating pad, warm rag, etc. Leave the heat on it for a few minutes to encourage the clog to break up & loosen, then gently massage. You can either gently massage towards the nipple or up towards your armpit into the lymphatic system. The choice is yours and I haven't personally noticed a notable difference either way. From here, you will want to nurse baby, hand express, or pump (or all 3 in some cases!) Give your breasts a rest but do not let your boobs fill back up to full. You want to avoid your breasts filling, especially to the point of engorgement, as this will not help and only worsen mastitis. After about 30-60 minutes, repeat the process. Repeat this until your breasts are less tender and mastitis symptoms go away.

• Garlic & Honey

Garlic is known for its ability to fight infections. It's one of natures antibiotics, if you will! Take one clove of garlic, mince it up and consume it with one teaspoon of (raw) honey. Taking it on a spoon and swallowing the garlic/honey like a pill has been the most effective way for me. This way you can bypass the spiciness of the garlic, and the honey really makes it palatable, as well as adding its own medicinal properties. Do this every 2 hours until symptoms go away.

• Phytolocca Decandra

This is a homeopathic medicine. You will want to get 30C or 200C. Start by taking the recommended dosage every 15 minutes for an hour, then scale back to taking the recommended dosage every 2-3 hours until symptoms go away.

• Happy Ducts Tincture by WishGarden Herbs

This is an herbal tincture that supports lymphatic function in the breasts. Take 2-3 dropper fulls (in water, juice, or by itself) 2-3 times a day or every 2 hours as needed. Use code ASHLEY20 for a discount on your order from wishgardenherbs.com - I get no personal gain from this, it's just a little gift from me to you!

• Sunflower Lecithin

This acts as an emulsifier, mixing the fatty milk with the more watered milk, aiding in the prevention of and helping resolve clogged ducts. This would be a great supplement to take regularly if you are prone to clogged ducts (like me). 3600mg-4800mg of sunflower lecithin seems to be the dosage for clogged ducts. Take one dosage as directed on the bottle and do this throughout the day as needed to reach the 3600mg-4800mg.

• Eat, Drink, Rest

If you are able, use this time to nourish and rest your body. Your body is trying to fight off an infection, so be kind to yourself. Eat real, whole foods, drink lots of fluids (coconut water and bone broth would be ideal), and rest when you can.

Do these things every 2 hours until symptoms reside, and remember to seek medical attention if you need it. Untreated mastitis can lead to an abscess, which I don't have to tell you is no bueno.

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I'm sure there are other remedies out there, but this is what has personally worked for me and avoided and antibiotics. Have you ever dealt with mastitis? What has worked for you and have you tried other things that aren't on my list?

As always, be blessed!!

Xo, Ashley