Common breastfeeding complications
a. Improper latch
b. Nipple and breast pain
c. Nipple soreness and tenderness
d. Mastitis
e. Breast engorgement / clogged ducts
f. Thrush or yeast infections
g. Cracked nipples
When should you see a lactation professional for breastfeeding issues?
A visit or consultation with a breastfeeding support professional may occasionally be required for the mother’s and the baby’s feeding issues. Following are the three situations where the mother has to get medical help right away.
a. Mastitis
One of the most common problems is mastitis or a breast infection. This condition may arise on its own, as a result of an unattended blocked duct, or as a result of untreated thrush. A fever and a general sensation of malaise are among the symptoms, along with a breast that becomes hot, swollen, and red.
Mastitis should always be treated by a doctor, since untreated instances can develop into breast abscesses. Typically, a woman will receive antibiotic treatment for 10 to 14 days while she should continue to nurse her infant often to help the clogged ducts clean up and prevent recurrence.
b. Candida infection (Thrush)
Nipple discomfort or pain that is characterized as burning or stabbing during or after feedings, together with a pink or red rash, might indicate a fungal infection. Your baby may have symptoms like white spots on the inside of his or her lips, cheeks, or palate because yeast infections are contagious. Thrush is more likely to affect women who have recently finished antibiotic therapy and have low iron levels.
As soon as you start experiencing symptoms, you should see a doctor because prompt treatment is advantageous and speeds up healing for both mother and child. Even if only the mother or the baby exhibits thrush symptoms, both should be treated. A doctor will either write a prescription for a yeast medication after making the diagnosis or will provide over-the-counter remedies.
c. Tongue-tie
Ankyloglossia, also known as tongue-tie, is an abnormality brought on by the tightness and shortness of the thong (the frenulum) of a baby’s tongue. As a result, the baby is unable to properly cup the breast by thrusting his or her tongue up and bringing it forward, which hurts the mother’s nipples. When the baby’s tongue grinds on the end of the nipple and causes pain, the tip of the mamilla is frequently injured.
A doctor will advise a quick procedure to clip the little flap of skin and untie the baby’s mouth if the tongue-tie is painful and interferes with nursing. After the operation, a woman should be able to resume nursing, and the entire wound should recover in 24 to 48 hours.
Get the help you need
See a lactation professional if you are having trouble latching or if you are having problems with nipple and breast soreness, engorgement, or other breastfeeding issues. See your obstetrician or pediatrician if you have any of the nursing problems above that could be serious. Remember that breastfeeding should not be painful. Even though a sore nipple or a little discomfort is normal, breastfeeding is not usually painful.