Mastitis 101: What Every Mum Should Know

Understand mastitis, its signs and how to support yourself with the latest care guidelines.

Understanding Mastitis

If you’re breastfeeding, you’ve probably heard the word mastitis. But what exactly is it — and how do you know if you’ve got it?

Mastitis simply means inflammation of the breast. It can pop up when things like engorgement, damaged nipples, or oversupply cause a bit of chaos inside your breasts.

Sometimes there’s an infection involved, sometimes not — think of it as a spectrum of inflammation that can range from mild to “oh wow, I need to lie down right now.”

Let’s walk through the signs, the do’s and don’ts, and the smartest ways to recover and keep it from coming back!

Signs & Symptoms

Flu-like Symptoms

Fever, chills, maybe even a racing heart.

Breast Changes

A patch of your breast looking red, swollen, shiny or streaky.

Pain & Tenderness

Heat, pain, and tenderness in part of your breast.

Sudden Onset

Feeling suddenly unwell might be your first sign.

⚠ Don’t wait it out if symptoms aren’t improving within 12–24 hours (or sooner if you feel very unwell). Untreated mastitis can sometimes turn into a breast abscess — and we definitely want to avoid that.

The Latest on Mastitis Care

New guidelines from the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (2022) advise against old practices like deep massage and aggressive emptying. The focus is now on reducing inflammation and addressing the cause.

Read the guidelines

Image created in Canva link for creative team/Christine - Mastitis - Instagram Post

What Really Helps

✔ Feed on demand

Let baby guide milk removal. Hand express for comfort if too full.

✔ Gentle Pumping

Avoid over-pumping; match baby’s intake. Ensure proper flange fit.

✔ Cold packs

Use for comfort, swelling, pain and inflammation reduction.

✔ Support Bra

Wear a well-fitted, supportive bra to reduce swelling.

✔ Reduce Inflammation

Use ibuprofen or paracetamol. Consider lecithin for milk flow.

✔ Manage oversupply

Too much milk increases congestion and mastitis risk.

✔ Consider Probiotics

If probiotics are used, the probiotic should contain Limosilactobacillus fermentum (formerly classified as Lactobacillus fermentum) or Ligilactobacillus salivarius strains. It is important to understand that only selected strains of these bacterial species may be effective against bacteria involved in mastitis.

What to Avoid

✖ Deep Breast Massage

Can worsen inflammation. Use gentle lymphatic sweeps if needed.

✖ Nipple Shields during Mastitis

Can hinder milk removal and affect baby’s latch.

✖ Unnecessary Antibiotics

Save for true bacterial mastitis to avoid resistance and microbiome disruption.

Who provides this advice?

This information is based on the recommendations from the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. For further information read the full Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Clinical Protocol #36: The Mastitis Spectrum, Revised 2022.

As always, we recommend seeking individualised breastfeeding support and help from your healthcare professional, such as your local doctor, midwife or lactation consultant/IBCLC!

Read More Get Help

Breastmilk Microbiome Matters

Inside every drop of breastmilk is its own little ecosystem — a mix of bacteria that can protect your breast health. When “good” bacteria levels drop and “bad” bacteria overgrow (often Staph or Strep), it’s called dysbiosis, and it can set the stage for inflammation and mastitis.

Supporting Your Microbiome

Maintaining your health, reducing unnecessary pumping, and supporting your microbiome can keep your milk and breasts healthy.

Qiara Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Contains Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716, a probiotic strain from breastmilk. Research shows it helps increase good bacteria, relieving symptoms and reducing mild mastitis occurrence.

*Seek medical advice if mastitis symptoms persist for more than 12 hours or you start to feel unwell.

Vanessa S. ★★★★★

“A Qiara a day, kept mastitis away. In the first few months of breastfeeding, I had a few bouts of painful mastitis. Qiara was recommended to me and guess what? It worked! A definite must for breastfeeding.”

Alisha H ★★★★★

“Changed my life! I only discovered this product after my third pregnancy and battling mastitis AGAIN. I wasn’t prepared to get mastitis over and over again... and am happily still breastfeeding because of this product!”

Read More Stories

Want to Learn More?