Tag Archives: mastitis

When you are sick, you and your baby will almost always benefit from continuing to breastfeed. There are very few illnesses that require a mother to stop nursing. Since most illnesses are caused by viruses that are most contagious before you even realize you are sick, your baby has already been exposed before you even develop symptoms (such as fever, …

Candida (also called yeast, or thrush) is a fungus that occurs naturally in the mucous membranes and on the skin. Use of antibiotics promotes the overgrowth of yeast by killing off the ‘good’ bacteria that normally keep the yeast from multiplying too quickly. During pregnancy, yeast infections are more common because high levels of estrogen lead to elevated levels of sugar, …

Some mothers nurse several babies and never experience plugged ducts or mastitis (breast infection), while others have recurrent episodes. There are many reasons for these problems to occur, but treatment is essentially the same: rest, apply heat, breastfeed often on the affected side,  and use antibiotics only when medically necessary. A plugged, or clogged, duct is a sore, tender lump …

Sore nipples are one of the most common reasons new mothers give for discontinuing breastfeeding, often during the first week of nursing. This is quite unfortunate, for nipple soreness is almost always a short-term problem, and can usually be corrected in a matter of days. Breastfeeding isn’t supposed to hurt, but the fact of the matter is that most mothers …

Ask Anne… Question: I’m nursing my three month old baby, and I’m having a hard time getting over a head cold. Now I’m developing a cough. Is there any medicine that’s safe to take while breastfeeding? Answer:  Most medications are safe for breastfeeding mothers. In  nearly all cases, the risk of side effects in your baby is extremely small. When taking any medication during pregnancy …

Ask Anne… Question: I’m exclusively nursing my 4 month old. I’m going to have a D&C next week. I’m wondering if I can still breast feed right after having anesthesia, or if I should use the milk in my freezer and pump and dump. I’m planning on pumping right before I go in, so she can still eat while she …