Recurrent plugged ducts, potatoes and baby sleeping throughout the night?

macbook

I posted before but I've had a problem with recurrent plugged ducts:(! Two weeks ago it led to mastitis and I had that treated with a course of antibiotics. Then two days ago I came home and baby wasn't too hungry so I just gave her one breast. I honestly forgot about the other one until an hour went by and I felt the pain set in...ugh! That led to another plugged duct - i had been in the clear for one week after I stopped the antibiotics and then one slip up, and it recurred. So i started feeding all on the right side to relieve the plug and then I got one on the left!

Anyway, I tried heat, nursing more etc and nothing seemed to work except potatoes! So weird, but I swear it was so effective. I don't understand what the mechanism is but it truly seemed to work. 

My question is would it be useful to put potato slices on the breast every few days as prophylaxis? Anyone heard of this?

Also, as the baby sleeps longer at night, for those with a predisposition towards plugged ducts what do you do? My body simply cannot go hours and hours without breastfeeding. They say that the body should down regulate at night but have others found this to be the  case? I know given my state, even if my baby wants to sleep throughout the night, I can't not feed. 

vvvvvfee

i don't know why you couldn't do the potato treatment prophylactically, but it seems like kind of a pain. i think it's supposed to decrease local inflammation. it might be easier to just take advil.

are you taking a lecithin supplement? that is something you can do prophylactically that's easier.

is there anything else that might be contributing to clogs? wearing an underwire bra? sleeping on your stomach or side? always carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder?

you could try hand-expressing briefly if you wake at night just to keep things flowing. you do want your body to adjust to your baby's needs, assuming your LO is on the older side and it's okay for him/her to STTN from a weight-gain standpoint.

macbook

I am taking lecithin 3 times a day (sometimes I forget and it ends up being twice). 

I don't think my breasts like the pump too much. I have a hospital grade pump which is a lot better but if i pump once, the next time i have to breast feed otherwise things get bad. Also, if i get home a little later than usual and the timing of her feeds are such that she isn't too hungry, any the breast doesn't get emptied i run into trouble.

TheBorg7of9

Try hand expressing into the sink or take a warm shower and hand express in there.