No there are many tones of colour we see from pale pink to hot red. On darker tone skin it can be trickier to spot so
look for a difference in tone to the other breast.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. We see both situations in clinic and both get better. If you are really sick it may be a
good idea. The tricky part to this question is that there is:
1. Inflammatory Mastitis
2. Infectious Mastitis
And they both can present the same. We encourage our clinic clients to see their doctor when they are really sick.
Some women are dead–against antibiotics so we encourage them to really work at the techniques we’ve demonstrated
here in these videos.
It is definitely up to you and your physician to assess you for that one.

No. In fact it usually causes confusion because firm breast massage causes so much tenderness that you end up sore
for longer and not sure even if it is the mastitis anymore.
Remember you are sweeping “water” down a floppy walled tube. It is not muscle massage.

When the problem has gone, it’s time to stop the massage. But we recommend you continue with the fascia techniques
to keep all the breast tissue lovely and mobile to optimise fluid travel in and out of the breast. Prevention is better than
cure right!

Antibiotics are only designed to help the infection. But we have treated many mamas that had recurrent bouts, that
finally ceased when they had some hands–on work, which they carried on with at home. So there are plenty of cases
that require more than antibiotics.

Our experience with this says NO. The massage appears to work better on bare skin with something to lubricate.
Remember work from the edges of the lump and not right on the painful centre.

Lecithin acts as an emusifier. What this means is that it makes the fatty parts of your milk,
mix better with the watery part. Much like dishwashing detergent when you are cleaning a
greasy pan. So the reasoning behind this is that the lecithin will reduce the stickiness of your
milk. Many women have had success with lecithin although there are currently no studies we
could find on its effectiveness.
Why do I massage in front of the duct first? Collapse
This is simply to give the blockage a path. It’s also quite uncomfortable and difficult to push
a blockage from the milk build–up behind it. Make sure you try some of the wiggling of the
duct techniques we have videos on.
This is my first blocked duct. Does it mean I will have more? Collapse
Not necessarily. The best you can do is learn about your body and get your breast health in
the best condition you can. Our fascia stretches maybe a perfect way to improve your breast
health.
Then check off the other known factors:
• tight top/bra
• stress/fatigue
• engorgement
• latching issues
• missed feeds

Well done if you cleared that. It’s solidified milk, fatty milk. Sometimes baby starts coughing
after clearing a blockage and mama has seen the long string in their mouth. Don’t worry, it’s
just milk.

An engorged breast is solid all over.
A blocked duct is solid in a segment of the breast and normal elsewhere.

Blocked ducts often have a pale pink tinge on the skin. They can lead to mastitis though so
keep an eye on it!

Blocked ducts may be accompanied by a low–grade fever. Mastitis is usually a hotter fever
with sweats and chills. Monitor your symptoms for any progressions.

Early postpartum engorgement has a lot of other fluids filling out the breast tissue such as
blood flow to supply products to make milk, and lymph fluid which is fluids needing to be
drained away. Lymph fluid occurs with “working” tissues. All tissues have lymph drainage,
we just need a big effort from the lymph drainage of the breast early on .