BREAST HEALTH
When you’re lactating, looking after your breast health becomes very important. It’s possible to develop complications such as mastitis or plugged ducts, which can cause misery and pain for some. Studies have shown that in order to treat and prevent mastitis, we actually need to look a little bit deeper into the microbiome. The microbiome is the collective name that we give for all of the different types of healthy bacteria. They naturally live within the human body and help to provide optimal health.
A few years ago, research started to emerge showing that dysbiosis, or an imbalance in the microbiome, is one of the leading causes of mastitis in lactation. When probiotics were provided, not only did symptoms improve (without the use of antibiotics) but in some cases it also provided protection and up to 60% reduction in recurrence of mastitis with regular use.
What we have learned from these studies is that if you add probiotics into your normal routine, you can help to prevent future problems before they emerge. The important thing to remember here is that not all probiotics are created equally. At the moment probiotics are considered a food supplement, not a drug, so they are not currently regulated by the FDA. As a result, it's a bit like the wild West. You never know what you're gonna get from brand to brand. When it comes to the question of which type of probiotic do you choose, we would suggest always going back to the research. When we look at the studies, specific strains of bacteria were found to give the best results.
The particular strain of bacteria that's associated the most with breast health is called lactobacillus fermentum. So when you're buying your own probiotic, make sure that this is the primary strain of bacteria used in the product that you buy. There are lots of products that claim they are for women or breast health but this may just be marketing and not based on the science. Here are some examples of the right strain of bacteria that we want.
Another issue that can cause breast pain when lactating is a plugged duct. This is basically a plug or a blockage in one of the little pathways that the milk travels down to get to the nipple. Remember the breast is like an orange, it has sections all the way around. Each section or lobule will produce milk independent from the others. If the only exit from one of these lobules happens to be blocked, that milk will back up in that particular section and you may experience a lumpy, bumpy, firm area that can be painful and sore. It might even get red and inflamed which can eventually lead to Mastitis if not addressed. We want to clear that blockage as soon as possible so that we can drain that milk and make you feel more comfortable.
There have been lots of studies regarding plugged ducts. The one thing that's been most effective in treating and preventing them is a substance called Lecithin. Lecithin is essentially just a healthy fat that you can add to your diet to increase the fat content of your milk. It can be found as a soy based oil or a sunflower oil (if you are sensitive to soy). This healthy fat will lubricate the ducts to help clear an active blockage, but you can also take it as a preventative measure to stop a blockage from ever forming.
In the studies they recommended one 1200mg capsule per day to prevent plugged ducts from forming, but if you have a current blocked duct you can take up to 4 capsules per day to help clear this.
As with any supplement or probiotic, always check with your OBGYN or PCP before taking them to make sure there are no contraindications or drug interactions. If you suspect mastitis, always seek medical advice from a doctor, midwife, or lactation consultant.
If you have any questions about the information we provided feel free to get in touch: info@pacificnorthbreast.com
The Breasties!
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