Clogged ducts

MaryBB77

How do you know if u have one. I've naturally lumpy breasts so its hard to tell. Anyway to avoid them?
Thanks

VitaLuna

Oh trust me, you will know. They hurt like the dickens. I had a lot of tiny clogs (maybe ?) when my milk first came in that weren't painful and went with feeding. All the others I've had are hard, feel like a pea under the skin, and hurt.

Some things that can help prevent them are not wearing poorly/tight fitting bras and avoiding compression while baby is eating (so don't leave your thumb pushed down in one spot, for example). Sometimes they just happen, though.

kaiteygrl

They hurt like nothing I've felt.  Literally couldn't move my arm on that side.  There's normally a lump in the area that needs to be massaged out.  I feel my breast after a feeding and see if there are any hard spots left.  Compare that to what you feel on the 'normal' breast after a feed, and you should be able to tell if there are any lumps.  I had to stop wearing nursing tanks or anything other than a really soft loose cotton sleep bra.  Also changing LOs position while nursing and making sure breasts are being completely emptied.  If you start to get multiple clogs there are supplements, but they are really only necessary if you get a lot of clogs.

BLPL101

I get clogs often and they don't always hurt. Sometimes they are just small bumps and I massage them and they go away. I take sunflower lecithin due to getting so many and it's helped. I also avoid saturated fat.

DahliaFlower

BLPL101 said:

I get clogs often and they don't always hurt. Sometimes they are just small bumps and I massage them and they go away. I take sunflower lecithin due to getting so many and it's helped. I also avoid saturated fat.

I get clogs too.  I wouldn't say they are extremely painful most of the time - just a tender lump that doesn't go down after feeding as you would expect. I am also taking lecithin.  Avoid poorly fitted bras - twice this gave me mastitis!