Symptoms of mastitis in breastfeeding mothers

Mastitis is inflammation in breast tissue. One area may feel firm, hot, swollen, or wedge-shaped, and touching it can hurt. You may also feel tired, achy, feverish, or chilled. Symptoms can affect one breast and may appear quickly. A breast infection can develop, but breast inflammation does not always mean infection.

Continue breastfeeding or expressing milk as comfortably as you can; milk removal usually remains safe for the baby. Rest, drink fluids, and use a cool pack wrapped in cloth for short periods to ease swelling. Avoid forceful massage, tight clothing, or trying to empty the breast aggressively, because extra pressure can worsen inflammation. Check that your baby’s latch is comfortable and arrange a lactation consultation if feeding remains painful.

Contact a clinician promptly if you feel very unwell, have a high or persistent fever, worsening redness, increasing pain, or a soft area that may contain pus. Seek urgent help for fainting, confusion, severe weakness, or breathing difficulty. If symptoms are not clearly improving after home measures, arrange an assessment; you may need an examination and treatment for infection.

Ask whether your symptoms suggest inflammation, infection, or an abscess; whether you should continue feeding from the affected breast; and which pain-relief options are suitable while breastfeeding. Ask what change should prompt a same-day review.