Mastitis, Blocked Ducts & Low Milk Supply: Expert Breastfeeding Help in Perth’s Northern Suburbs

Mastitis. Low milk supply. Blocked ducts. These are three of the most distressing breastfeeding complications a new mum can experience, and they are far more common than many people realise. If you’re in Perth’s northern suburbs and you’re in the middle of any of these challenges right now, experienced help is closer than you think.

Tracy Steele from Breastfeeding Solutions is a certified lactation consultant who provides expert in-home breastfeeding support across the northern Perth metro area, from Joondalup and Wanneroo to Mindarie, Clarkson, Butler, and beyond. This blog covers what you need to know about mastitis, low supply, and blocked ducts, and how hands-on support can help you through.

Understanding Mastitis: More Than Just a Sore Breast

Mastitis is an inflammation of breast tissue that can involve infection. It affects up to one in five breastfeeding women, often in the first few weeks after birth, though it can occur at any stage of breastfeeding.

Signs and Symptoms of Mastitis

• A hard, red, painful area on one or both breasts
• Skin that feels warm or hot to touch
• Flu-like symptoms, fever, chills, body aches, fatigue
• Swollen lymph nodes in the armpit
• Pain that worsens during or after feeding

Mastitis often develops quickly from a blocked duct that isn’t resolved. Milk that can’t flow becomes stagnant, and bacteria can enter through cracked nipples, leading to infection. If not treated promptly, mastitis can develop into a breast abscess, a painful collection of pus that may require surgical drainage.

What You Should Do If You Suspect Mastitis

• Continue breastfeeding or pumping, this is the most important step. Stopping feeds can make mastitis worse
• Feed frequently on the affected side first if possible
• Apply warm compresses before feeds to encourage milk flow
• Gently massage the affected area toward the nipple during feeds
• Rest as much as you can, your body needs energy to fight the inflammation
• See your GP, antibiotics may be needed if there is infection
• Contact a lactation consultant, improving latch and drainage technique can significantly speed recovery

Many cases of mastitis can be resolved quickly with the right combination of medical treatment and improved feeding technique. A lactation consultant home visit can help you optimise drainage, correct positioning issues that may have contributed to the blockage, and prevent recurrence.

Blocked Ducts: Catching Them Before They Become Mastitis

A blocked (or plugged) milk duct occurs when milk isn’t draining properly from part of the breast. You may notice a firm lump, localised pain, or a red patch, without the systemic flu-like symptoms of mastitis.

Blocked ducts are common in mums who:

• Skip or delay feeds or pumping sessions
• Wear a bra that puts pressure on breast tissue
• Have an oversupply of milk
• Have a shallow latch that doesn’t fully drain the breast
• Sleep in a position that puts pressure on the breast

The key to treating a blocked duct is prompt, thorough drainage. A lactation consultant can assess whether the blockage is related to your latch, your positioning, or milk supply dynamics, and give you techniques to clear it effectively.

Low Milk Supply: Causes, Concerns, and Real Solutions

Low milk supply is one of the most common reasons mothers stop breastfeeding before they want to. But the reality is that true physiological low supply is less common than perceived low supply, and both are worth addressing with professional support.

Signs Your Supply May Be Low

• Baby is not regaining birth weight by 2 weeks, or is losing weight
• Fewer than 3 wet nappies in 24 hours after day 4
• Baby feeds very frequently but seems unsatisfied or lethargic after
• You rarely feel fullness or let-down
• Breasts feel ’empty’ very quickly after feeds

Common Causes of Low Supply

• Infrequent or inefficient feeds, supply depends on demand
• Shallow latch, baby can’t extract milk effectively, so supply decreases
• Tongue or lip tie, restricts baby’s ability to drain the breast
• Hormonal factors, thyroid conditions, retained placenta, polycystic ovaries
• Previous breast surgery or injury
• Supplementing with formula too early, reduces the stimulus for milk production

Tracy provides a thorough assessment to identify whether supply is truly low or whether there is a feeding management issue affecting how much milk baby is removing. Interventions may include improving latch and positioning, adjusting feeding frequency, introducing pumping strategies, and reviewing your diet and hydration. In some cases, galactagogues (herbs or medications that support supply) may be considered alongside medical advice.

Why In-Home Support Makes a Difference

There is something invaluable about having expert support in your own home, not in a busy clinic waiting room, not over a phone or video call, but right there with you and your baby during an actual feed.

Tracy can see things that a phone consultation simply cannot, how your baby approaches the breast, how the latch forms, whether baby is actively swallowing, how your breast tissue responds. This real-time observation is how she identifies the root cause of problems, not just the symptoms.

For mums in Joondalup, Wanneroo, Clarkson, Mindarie, Kinross, Butler, Merriwa, Quinns Rocks, Currambine, Ocean Reef, Edgewater, Hillarys, Duncraig, and all surrounding northern Perth suburbs, this expert in-home support is available now.