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What Causes Mastitis?
What causes mastitis? My daughter in law is a new mum, with a 10 week old baby, who she is breast feeding. She has been diagnosed with mastitis. She has been told, by well meaning older folk that mastitis is caused when demand feeding, and that she should only be feeding 4 hourly. I think she is doing a great job, and don t want to join the group of ill informed advice givers.... Is mastisis linked to failing to empty the breast with a feed? I was unable to breastfeed when I had my turn, so can t draw on any experience from way back then, but many friends did breastfeed, and I was certainly around when various breastfeeding issues were discussed.
posted on
Sun, 27 Sep 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Sun, 5 Apr 2020
Answered on
Wed, 8 Apr 2020
Last reviewed on
Hello,
Mastitis is usually bacterial infection from cracked nipple in most of the cases. There is not the causative pathway that when you do not breast feed there is mastitis, but yes certain cases do present with abscess formation post mastitis if there is milk collection over a period of time gets infected with bacteria responsible for mastitis. She must inspect both of her nipple carefully for presence of any tear, fissure or crack which is the inciting event of mastitis mostly.
Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Bhagyesh V. Patel, General Surgeon
Mastitis is usually bacterial infection from cracked nipple in most of the cases. There is not the causative pathway that when you do not breast feed there is mastitis, but yes certain cases do present with abscess formation post mastitis if there is milk collection over a period of time gets infected with bacteria responsible for mastitis. She must inspect both of her nipple carefully for presence of any tear, fissure or crack which is the inciting event of mastitis mostly.
Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Bhagyesh V. Patel, General Surgeon
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