Community› The Bump Message Boards› Babies: 3 - 6 Months
Babies: 3 - 6 Months
New Discussion

What do you do for clogged ducts?

ToraniTorani member
in Babies: 3 - 6 Months
After DS's marathon nap yesterday, I think I have a clogged duct.  I'm too lazy to look it up online, what worked for you to relieve it?  I tried pumping after DS went to sleep, and got a whopping 1/2 ounce to come out.  Is it heat or cold that helps?  I'm taking my manual pump today to work in case he does it again!
Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
Report Reply to Post

Re: What do you do for clogged ducts?

  • catycombscatycombs member
    Put a hot compress on it for about 10 minutes, then let him eat or pump. You can also massage it after the compress.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker BabyName Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • ms_mellorms_mellor

    imagecatycombs:
    Put a hot compress on it for about 10 minutes, then let him eat or pump. You can also massage it after the compress.

    Exactly this.  And it may take a few times for it to work.  GL...they sure are painful!! 

    Report Reply
  • kreeper611kreeper611 member

    I would take a hot shower and fold up a washcloth on the spot, then let water run right there.  It was less painful than water just shooting on to my boob.

    Mine would usually go away the next nursing.

    Report Reply
  • NeverKnewNeverKnew member

    Ditto the hot compress.  Putting baby to the breast with either chin or nose placed in the direction of the duct is best.  If that's not possible, I've been successful at unclogging ducts by using the following method:

    Start pumping and wait until milk lets down.

    Place your thumb over the pump's breast shield where the clogged duct is.

    Push down and inward (toward your nipple) on the breast shield, effectively smashing the shield against your boob where the troublesome duct is, and continue to let the pump draw out milk.

    Whenever I did this, I immediately started to notice creamy hindmilk being extracted from that duct.  A couple of pumping sessions like that and the ducts were cleared.  I accidentally used a smaller shield once while I was weaning DS and I got clogged ducts out the freaking wazoo.  Felt like a bunch of bb's sitting under my skin.  Very alarming, but this cleared them up!

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • ToraniTorani member
    Thank you for the tips ladies!  Hopefully I can clear it soon!
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • MrsCarroll.6-10-07MrsCarroll.6-10-07 member
    My clogged ducts were always huge giant lumps in my boob, not just near the nipple, and I got them a lot. I found that taking a super hot shower and massaging my boob, using a heating pad and massaging my boob, pumping and massaging my boob, and nursing while massaging my boob usually got rid of it within a day or less. GL
    Lilypie Pregnancy tickers Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers Lilypie Second Birthday tickers
    September 2015 Siggy Challenge - Happy Dance
    image
    Report Reply
  • Breezie17Breezie17

    Oh my gosh, with my first I experienced the worst clogged duct ever and nothing mentioned from the prior posts worked for me at all.  I googled til my fingers hurt and finally found the only thing that worked for me.

    It is gonna sound gross and weird but it works and I have passed this along to countless women.  Squeeze your nipple and milk will come out in many spots...but you will likely notice one spot that looks like it has a white spot on it, which is sealed over.  Take your nail (make sure your hands are clean) and scrape off the white spot that has sealed the duct closed.  When you do that, milk will spray like crazy until it empties the duct the out. 

    I did that once while I was pumping at work when I had the worst most painful clogged duct ever and OMG...I soaked an entire burp cloth.  And it was the best sense of relieft in my life! 

    Report Reply
  • SaturnmazzSaturnmazz
    imageBreezie17:

    It is gonna sound gross and weird but it works and I have passed this along to countless women.  Squeeze your nipple and milk will come out in many spots...but you will likely notice one spot that looks like it has a white spot on it, which is sealed over.  Take your nail (make sure your hands are clean) and scrape off the white spot that has sealed the duct closed.  When you do that, milk will spray like crazy until it empties the duct the out. 

    This is what works for me.

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"