This duct will NOT unclog

tamaratoday

My little one is 3 weeks old and I EP. I've had a plugged duct for about 4 days now. The first time I noticed it, I pumped immediately for a good half hour and nothing happened.I tried a heating pad and frequent pumping sessions but I still developed a fever of 99.9. After a hot shower and two tylenol, the fever and pain went away, but the clog did not. Since then, I've tried everything from frequent pumping sessions, a heating pad, hot showers, manual expressions, changing the settings on my pump and nothing is unclogging this thing. For reference I have a Medela PISA. I'm worried that this duct is going to dry up. My supply from the affected breast has dwindled from 3 oz to barely 1.5. and while it's no longer painful, I can still feel the plugged duct. I'm putting in a call to my regular doctor and a lactation consultant tomorrow morning, but any advice is welcome. I tried google, but couldn't find anything about what to do when a duct will not unclog.

bfstacy

wish i could help...plugged ducts really suck...

i would get them on a daily basis in the beginning. Honestly, all I did was pump and massage until the bump dissolved, which sometimes made for a very long pumping session. (I also have a medela PISA and EP). I'm now almost 4mo in and definitely have not dried up lol. Honestly, the heat packs, and showers didn't do much for me. I did go out and buy the heat/ice packs specifically for your breasts (a hole in the middle to go around your nipple) never used them for heat and always kept them in the freezer, but that helped me with the breast soreness with the clogged ducts...eventually i just stopped getting them...i was at least a month in tho

good luck! 

jlsimon56

My longest clog lasted 6 days which is forever IMO when you have one, haha!  I started taking Lecithin and noticed that the time that the clogs lasted went down.  Like, they barely lasted 24 hours.  Then I didn't get any.  I would recommend.  Read on www.kellymom.com for more info.

pepomntpat

jlsimon56:

My longest clog lasted 6 days which is forever IMO when you have one, haha!  I started taking Lecithin and noticed that the time that the clogs lasted went down.  Like, they barely lasted 24 hours.  Then I didn't get any.  I would recommend.  Read on www.kellymom.com for more info.

This has worked well for me also.  

tamaratoday

Thanks ladies, I have a call into my doctor about the Lecithin.

Into+the+Kitty

I know this was a couple of days ago, and hope yours has cleared up, but my LC had told me when I was experiencing clogs in the beginning to nurse with the baby's chin pointing at the clog. It was awkward if it was on top, but I would just lay DD down and feed her upside down. Basically, she said that the suction is most powerful in that position.