Mastitis pain drives Kenyan mothers to quit breastfeeding too soon, experts warn

Barely a month into her breastfeeding journey, first-time mother Gorreti Atieno found what she had imagined to be a joyful bonding experience quickly unravelling into one of the most physically and emotionally painful challenges of her life.

“I was so excited to breastfeed my baby,” she recalls. “I thought it would be natural and effortless. But instead, it became something I feared.”

Within just a few weeks, Auma developed cracked, sore nipples and painfully swollen breasts, with the left one becoming red, hot, and increasingly tender to the touch.

Initially, she assumed it was normal engorgement. But when fever, chills, and intense pain followed, she discovered she was suffering from mastitis — a painful breast infection caused by blocked milk ducts.

“While my right breast was okay and my baby fed naturally from it, the left one felt like it was on fire,” Auma says. “It was heavy, hard, and extremely painful. I didn’t want my baby anywhere near it, especially because he was still learning how to latch. Every attempt was torture.”

The physical pain was only part of the struggle. Auma was emotionally overwhelmed — exhausted, discouraged, and confused. She considered giving up exclusive breastfeeding.

In pain

“I felt like I was failing,” she admits. “I wanted to be strong, but I was in pain, I had a fever, and I didn’t know what was going on. I even thought about switching to formula milk just to get some relief.”

A doctor confirmed Auma had mastitis and urged her to keep breastfeeding — even from the painful breast — to help clear the blockage and support healing.

At first, she struggled to understand how something so excruciating could actually aid her recovery.

“But I trusted the doctor,” she says. “So I forced myself to keep feeding from the left side. I would sit there, clenching my teeth, fighting back tears, just trying to get through it. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”

After about a week of rest, warm compresses, and continued breastfeeding, the pain gradually subsided. The swelling went down, her fever broke, and the redness began to fade as her breast slowly healed.

Now, just a month into motherhood, Auma speaks with a renewed sense of strength. She’s learned how to manage engorgement and prevent blocked ducts — using warm water, gentle massage, and ensuring both breasts are properly emptied during feeds.

Overwhelming

Still, there are moments when the journey feels overwhelming.

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“Sometimes I get discouraged,” Auma says. “When my breasts are full and the baby won’t latch, I think about stopping and just using baby formula. But then I look at my baby — healthy and growing—and I remember why I started.”

For Auma, breastfeeding has become more than just nourishing her baby — it’s been a journey of endurance, sacrifice, and self-discovery. Though only a month into motherhood, she’s already uncovered a resilience she never knew she had.

Mastitis often strikes unexpectedly, catching new mothers off guard.

The pain and discomfort can be so severe that many feel they have no option but to stop breastfeeding.

Formula milk

In search of relief, they turn to formula milk, unaware that doing so may deprive their babies of the vital nutrients and immune protection found in breast milk.

Dr Esther Mwaura, a medical practitioner, sees this all too often.

Working closely with breastfeeding mothers — especially in those vulnerable early weeks — she notes that many women simply don’t know what mastitis is or how to manage it effectively.

“Some mothers ignore the signs because they think it’s just part of breastfeeding,” she explains. “Others stop feeding from the affected breast altogether, which only makes the problem worse.”

Mastitis is a painful inflammation of the breast, often triggered by a blocked milk duct. If not treated promptly, it can lead to a bacterial infection.

It typically occurs within the first few weeks after childbirth, but can develop at any point during breastfeeding.

Symptoms

The symptoms are unmistakable—breast swelling, redness, warmth, sharp pain, cracked or bleeding nipples, and in severe cases, fever, chills, or even pus.

Many mothers assume the best remedy is to stop using the affected breast, but Mwaura cautions against this approach.

“When a mother stops breastfeeding from the painful side, milk continues to build up. That trapped milk creates pressure and can lead to a full-blown infection,” she says. “It becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.”

Though it may seem counterintuitive, one of the most effective ways to manage mastitis is to keep breastfeeding from the affected side, as this helps clear the blockage and ease breast pressure. Warm compresses, gentle massage, and proper latching can also relieve discomfort and promote healing. In more severe cases, doctors might recommend soothing creams or prescribe antibiotics.

Mwaura explains that mastitis doesn't appear out of nowhere—common risk factors include skipping feeds, not fully emptying the breasts, favouring one side, wearing tight bras, poor hygiene, and improper latching. Even small habits, like not washing hands before feeding, can lead to problems, especially when nipples are already cracked.

Powdered milk

While formula milk is available, Mwaura advises mothers not to turn to it too quickly. Powdered milk has its role, she says, but it shouldn't be the go-to solution when the mother is producing enough breast milk.

“If a mother is producing milk and is physically able to breastfeed, she should be encouraged to continue,” she says. “The key is education and support. Mothers need to know how to relieve the pain, how to improve latching, and when to seek medical help.”

For many women, mastitis can feel like a personal failure, as though their bodies are malfunctioning or they’re somehow falling short in caring for their babies. In reality, mastitis is both common and treatable, and it should never be seen as a reason to stop breastfeeding.

In Kenya, the condition appears to be more widespread than commonly believed.

A large household-based survey conducted across four East and Southern African countries found that 12 per cent of Kenyan women who had recently given birth reported experiencing mastitis, nearly double the regional average of 6.7 per cent, placing Kenya among the countries with the highest rates in the region.

Of those affected, over 60 per cent had experienced multiple episodes, and nearly one in five mothers stopped breastfeeding altogether because of the condition.

Infectious mastitis

The most commonly reported symptoms included breast tenderness (25.9 per cent), redness or warmth (11.5 per cent), and lumps in the breast. Many women also experienced fever or flu-like symptoms, which are typical signs of more advanced or infectious mastitis.

Globally, the trend is similar.

The World Health Organisation estimates that about 10 per cent of breastfeeding women develop mastitis, though some studies report rates as high as 30 per cent.

A meta-analysis of 26 studies from various countries found that mastitis occurs at a rate of about 11 episodes per 1,000 breastfeeding weeks, with the majority happening within the first four weeks postpartum — a critical adjustment period for both mother and baby.

The risk factors seen worldwide closely mirror those in Kenya: poor latching technique, cracked or sore nipples, missed feeds, tight bras or restrictive clothing, and inadequate hygiene.

In Kenya, additional barriers such as limited access to lactation support, cultural stigma, and misinformation can make the condition even harder to manage, often leaving mothers to suffer quietly.

Yet despite its prevalence, mastitis is typically manageable with timely treatment, proper breastfeeding support, and accurate information.