swollen ducts, pumping, etc. etc. etc.!

randcbaby

I am feeling overwhelmed by BFing my six-day-old son, and the lactation center is closed for the holidays, so I thought I'd reach out here!

OK, so we had some issues in the hopsital mostly due to my inverted nipples, so we were sent home with instructions to pump 15 minutes after every feeding and to supplement with a syringe at every feeding. A day later, my milk came in, and it came in fast, so I stopped supplementing (with pediatrician's blessing) and then stopped pumping because I was worried about encouraging too much supply. I am soaking through breast pads multiple times a day, and while he eats on one side, the other side will often leak through breast pad and bra (half of the laundry we're doing is my milk-soaked clothes!). My nipples are still being pesky, and I've been using Medela breast shields for engorgement/inverted nipples, but they started draining too much milk in just minutes, so I stopped. I also still use a nipple shield on the left--he just won't pull that nipple out by himself right now, and its too swollen for him to latch on as is.

OK. So there's the background. Now I realize I have swollen ducts (at least two lumps) in my right armpit.

 I really don't know what to do. I'm applying heat to the swollen armpit, and I'll try to get him to nurse as long as possible there at his next feeding (and massage those lumps while he's at it). But should I be pumping too? If so, how often, and how much? Wouldn't pumping encourage more supply--and is oversupply part of my problem here? If I pump, should I do it to replace a feeding and feed him instead with expressed milk, or should I feed him and then pump? And how much expressed milk would I give a 6-day-old for one feeding?

 I appreciate any advice you can offer. I am doing the best I can to figure this out, but I really don't know what I'm doing! Thanks so much in advance!

 

 

TJ1979

I wouldn't pump. Just keep with the heat, press on the lumps while nursing, lean over LO while nursing so your breasts dangle, and point LO's chin towards clog. Take a hot shower and massage all you can take. You can also take ibuprofen for pain and swelling. GL, I know it hurts, but nursing is the best way to fix it.

lil_jen051708

I'm on my phone so I can't see your questions... Just going off memory.

I went through a million breast pads at first and was painfully engorged. My LC recommended pumping before feeding DS to relieve some engorgement and allow DS to latch. If I were you, get inthe shower as much as you can and hand express in there. Once the hot water got going, my milk would just squirt out.

It will get better and if you need to pump, do it just enough to take the pressure away. Don't empty your breast or it will make a painful oversupply. I would freeze that milk and not replace feedings with bottles at this point.

CLLDLL

It might not be a clogged duct, but instead a swollen lymph node.  I had one in my right armpit right as my milk came in.  It swells because it is working over time trying to drain all the excess fluid and stuff from birth and your milk coming in.  

If you only feel the pain in your armpit and not further into your breast I would guess lymph node.  If it is a swollen lymph node it should go down on it's own in a few days.  If it's a clogged duct, I second the advice PP gave.  No pumping, just massage, heat, shower, and lots of nursing.  The two clogged ducts I've had took around 48 hours to go way.

RevivingOphelia

In regards to how much you are leaking, give these a look:
https://www.mymilkies.com/milksaver

I don't use them, but I have heard wonderful things about these. They will save your milk & your clothes.

carebear054

I tend to a clogged duct every 2-3 weeks. They can be painful, so I totally sympathize.

What has worked best for me to unclog them is to take a really hot shower (we have a massaging shower head that comes off, so I can apply the hot water directly onto the swollen area - works wonders!), massaging the swollen area to work the clog to the top, and it usually comes unclogged in the shower. (You'll know it comes unclogged when a small stream of milk suddenly starts spraying out!)

But, just in case that didn't do the trick...I do the above about 20-30 minutes before a feeding. If it didn't come unclogged in the shower, I keep a heating pad on it until baby is ready to eat. He then usually sucks the clog right out.

Hope that helps! I know how annoying the swollen ducts can be. =(