Should a woman breastfeed if suffering from mastitis? (Query)

My friend delivered a baby recently. When I visited her last time, she was suffering from an infection of the breast known as mastitis. She had a bad time dealing with it. Can a woman breastfeed if she suffers from an infection or mastitis? Is it safe for the baby? Is there a way to prevent the infection? Please explain. The query is answered by Dr Sidharth Sahni, Senior Consultant, Breast and Oncoplastic Surgeon at Apollo Indraprastha Hospital. Mastitis is an infection of the breast tissue, which causes severe breast pain due to an inflamed breast tissue. As this infection is commonly caused during breastfeeding, it is also known as lactation mastitis. However, this doesn't mean that the condition cannot affect other women. There might be many risk factors of mastitis, however, one of the most common is having a cracked nipple. This is because even a slight crack in the nipple acts as an effective medium for the infection to spread to the breast. Hence, it is advised that a woman should not breastfeed if suffering from an infection of the breast as the infection can spread to the infant. It can be  painful for the woman as well. Just like any other infection, mastitis can be treated with medications, which usually involves a combination of ultrasound guided pus aspiration and antibiotics. Surgery is not commonly preferred now as it leads to a whole spectrum of post-operative complications. However, a woman can breast her baby from the unaffected breast if the antibiotics fall under the safe zone criteria as recommended for pregnancy and lactation by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Not just cracked nipples, here's more on common breastfeeding woes and tips to dodge it. Can it be prevented? Yes, mastitis can be prevented. As a cracked nipple is one of the main cause of mastitis, lubricating the nipples not only prevents cracking but also lowers your risk of infection. Hence, it is recommended that a woman should start lubricating the nipples from the 7^th to 9^th month of pregnancy, which can prevent up to 92% of infections seen in breastfeeding women. However, if you are diabetic or have gestational diabetes then the risk of suffering from an infection is very high. The risk of an abscess during this time can be also be prevented by lubricating the nipples. Here are a few ways to heal cracked nipples due to breastfeeding that can help. Image Source: Shutterstock