A woman’s breasts are ideally suited for the task of feeding a baby, and nursing provides many benefits to both mother and baby that bottles and formulas do not. For example, mother’s milk is much easier to digest, prevents constipation, and lowers the incidence of food allergies, and protects the baby from many infectious diseases. Nursing also promotes healthy oral development, satisfies suckling needs, and enhances bonding between mother and child. Breast feeding is beneficial to the mother in that it reduces the chance of hemorrhaging from the placental site, gives the mother an opportunity to rest, and encourages the uterus to contract, returning it to its pre-pregnant size. Women who breast-feed are less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than women who don’t.

In breast-feeding, as with anything else that is new and unfamiliar, problems may occur.  Engorgement which is temporary problem that mostly occurs between 2 or 5 days after childbirth. It is caused by combination of increased blood supply to the breast and the pressure of newly produced milk, resulting in swelling of the tissues in the breast. A low grade fever may be present; the breasts feel full, hard, tender, and tight.
Plugged duct is also related to breast-feeding problems. Plugged duct is caused by incomplete empting of the milk ducts by the baby, or wearing tight bra, can cause it. Soreness and a lump in one area of a breast is an indication of it.
Other common problem related to breast-feeding is mastitis if the plugged duct is not taken care of, mastitis can result. Acute mastitis is an infection and swelling of the breasts, usually occurring as a result of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) entering the nursing mother’s breast through cracks or fissures in the nipples. Symptoms include soreness and redness in the breast, fever, yellow puslike secretion from the nipples, general tiredness, and flu like symptoms.
Sore nipples are usually caused by improper nursing positions and nursing schedules, or incorrect sucking by the baby. They can be caused by infection, most commomly with the fungus Candida albicans.

HOME REMEDIES

Apply the bitter gourd extract over the breasts. This will kill the germs, soothes the infected skin, and gradually helps in the releasing puss and blood.
Eat alfalfa or take it in capsules, it stimulates lactation, improves quality and quantity of milk. 
Fenugreek and blessed thistle in tincture form (liquid) work great when combined for increase in milk production. One dropper of each 3 times a day.
Carotenes are the proteins that are present in various food stuffs. Eat food rich in carotenes as they are good for nursing mothers.
Chaste tree Increases flow of milk, by affecting pituitary's prolactin secretion. 
Olive oil is very beneficial in preventing cracks, tears and chapping of nipples. Use this throughout the latter part of the pregnancy and beginning weeks of nursing.
Chamomile helps in controlling inflamed breast.
Get plenty of rest.
To prevent engorgement, feed your baby on demand and without delay, and allow unrestricted suckling time.
If you breast become swollen and painful, apply warm, and moist packs two or three times a day.
Chinese use a herb called codonopsis to increase lactation and strengthen the blood. 
You can also apply some tea bags on the sore nipples. It will help to reduce the pain of the sore nipples.
Make a strong decoction by mixing 2 oz. of Squaw vine with 1 pint water. Add an equal amount of good cream and boil it to a consistency of soft salve. Once cool, strain and apply over the nipples after feeding. For cracked and painful breasts simmer handful of elderberry blossoms in 1/2 cup oil for 20 minutes. When cool, strain and apply it on the breasts.
Cumin is useful home remedy to increase milk production. Mix powdered cumin seed in water and make a paste. Gently apply it over the breasts. This helps in fast release of puss by killing germs.
Take fennel tea and almonds to increase milk production.
Use vitamin E oil externally to alleviate pain.
Garlic and onion both can be applied over the puss. This will help in killing the germs and help in releasing out the puss.
Apply fresh aloe vera gel to heal sore and cracked nipples.
If your nipples become sore, carefully sponge them rubbing with alcohol, rinse them with clean water.
Dandelion is very effective herbal remedy to treat mastitis.
Drink lot of clean water.
Take a clean cabbage leaf and place it inside of your bra. This will not only help relieve pressure but you will notice that the milk production would also be less.
Apply avocado oil, calendula ointment, lanolin, and olive oil (separately or in combination) to the breasts to help soreness while feeding.
Nettle leaf has a tonic effect and contains iron, in addition to many other nutrients.
Phytolacca Decandra is very useful in cases of breast infection, mastitis and cracked nipples.
For relief rub the nipples with resin of Balsam fir.
Herbs like blessed thistle, dandelion, fennel, horsetail, and raspberry all are useful in healing the cracked, swollen and sore nipples.
Nurse on the least sore side first. However, if both breasts are sore, hand-express (massage the breast) until letdown occurs and milk is readily available to the baby.
Use of Yarrow leaf poultices - or Yarrow infused oil provides instant relief from cracked, sore and chapped nipples.
Application of Comfrey ointment softens and strengthens the nipples. It is useful for sensitive nipples.
An ancient treatment for increasing milk production, fenugreek seeds have an oxytocin-like effect on the body, stimulating milk production and the typical dosage that herbalists recommend is 1/2 to 1 ;1/2 teaspoons of seeds per day, or up to 600 to 700 milligrams in capsule form a day. Start with a low dose and slowly increase it if necessary.
It is suggested that brewer’s yeast contain rich supply of vitamin B, iron and protein. You can mix about 1 tablespoon of brewer’s milk powder in tomato juice and can drink it daily to treat low breast milk supply. It can help mothers whose supply of breast milk has reduced because of stress, thereby treating low breast milk supply.
      Brewer’s yeast is also used for brewing of beer.
Goat's rue this herb has been used by midwives for hundreds of years to improve breast milk production by as much as 50%. 
Vervain encourages milk secretion and flow, it also increases absorption of nutrients from food and helps with postpartum depression.
Roast turmeric powder in low flame. Take 4-5 tablespoon of roasted turmeric powder and make a paste using water. Apply it gently over the breasts. It kills germs and releases the puss.  
You could use plain steam or try adding a few drops of eucalyptus or peppermint oil. Hot soups and broths also help and are anyway good and strengthening for new mothers. If you eat meat, try a soup with chicken or mutton stock.
Oatmeal has potential to increase a woman's milk supply.