Infection

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If you develop a fever following birth, it's important to figure out if you have infection and where it might be. Sometimes infections after birth can happen in your breast/chest, your internal genitalia/uterus, or inside a wound, like a cesarean birth scar or an internal genitalia/vaginal tear.

If your breast/chest feels sore, hot, firm or have red streaks usually only on one side (for 24 hours or more), and you feel flu-like, you may have mastitis. Even if it feels sore, keep nursing on that side. You may find that hot compresses (like a washcloth) and massage feel good and may relieve the soreness. Mastitis is an infection of your breast/chest tissue and milk ducts, often because of a blockage of one of your ducts and a backup of milk inside. Blocked ducts can look and feel like mastitis, but usually will resolve within 24 hrs. Engorgement can also look and feel like mastitis but usually occurs on both sides and will resolve within the first few days after your milk comes in.

Endometritis is an infection of the endometrium or uterine lining which occurs more often in people who have a cesarean birth, a prolonged labour or assisted vaginal birth. This is usually accompanied by foul-smelling blood or discharge and pain in your abdomen.

If you're concerned you may have an infection, see a healthcare provider who will diagnose it, and prescribe medications and pain relief if needed. See the links below for more information on what to expect, and how to prevent and manage mastitis.