Breastfeeding strengthens the bond between mother and baby, provides the child with the best food and strengthens immunity, but it can be a big problem for some mothers.
One of the most common complications at the beginning of breastfeeding is mastitis, a condition that is rarely talked about and affects many mothers.
Lindsey Bliss, a mother of six children from New York, breastfed all of them, but it wasn't until the sixth that she experienced the hard side of breastfeeding.
Despite having experience with breastfeeding and even teaching other women how to breastfeed, Bliss was ill-prepared for what lay ahead.
In addition to one breast being swollen, milk was leaking uncontrollably and she had a fever.
"It was as if someone had hit me in the chest," she told "Cosmopolitan". "No one warns you how severe mastitis is. Because of one breast, the whole body can fail".
Mastitis occurs most often in the first three months of breastfeeding. It's usually the result of a blocked milk duct, bacterial growth, stress and exhaustion, missed milk or the pressure of an inadequate bra.
If you are affected by mastitis, breastfeeding can help you and you can continue to feed the child freely. However, you will definitely be in pain, so it's important to take some anti-inflammatory medication and keep a warm, moist compress on your breast for 15 to 20 minutes several times a day.
If symptoms persist for more than 24 hours, you should see a doctor.
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