WTH, my clogged duct won't go away!!!!!!

Ardmhs83 · December 2010

Why on earth do I keep getting a clogged duct in the same breast in the same exact spot?!?!? Grrrr!!! Once it goes away, it returns a few days later. I've already been to my doctor twice and he even had an ultrasound done on my breast to be on the safe side. They saw nothing, thank God. I'm sitting here with a warm compress right now and I've tried hand expression while rubbing the area and rubbing while nursing. It seems once DS nurses it does get a bit smaller, but only to get bigger in a few hours. WTH! This is the first time in 4 months breastfeeding that I've had any issues w/ my breast, why now? Sorry I am just venting!

That last thing I want to do is pump after DS nurses, I pump 3X a day at work and really don't want to do it at home! :-( The area isn't warm and I have no fever, but I'm worried if it keeps coming back its going to turn into an infection.

Help!

kirac · December 2010

Sorry, I don't have any advice. I just wanted to let you know I'm having the same problem actually. I have been pumping and then letting her feed and that worked initially, but I think it's just encouraging an oversupply.

kelleylk · December 2010

I have the same issue as well. I haven't figured out what to do about it. My clogged duct has turned into mastitis 2x, but I have yet to take antibiotics for it. Just in case you do get mastitis, you can eat raw garlic pieces and put raw slices of potato on the infected area. This helps get rid of the infection. That way you don't have to keep taking antibiotics.

My OB said if the duct clogs up one more time, she may have to drain it in her office. (She didn't tell me how she was going to do this.)

MWoodside · December 2010

That kept happening to me. I just made the decision that I HAD to pump even at home. FOr sure I had to pump in the morning after DD BF & at night right before bed. If I didn't I had recurrent clogged ducts on the right side in the same 2 spots. It was annoying, yes, but I stopped getting them. At 6 mo I started to wean off the night pumping. Now I only get a couple oz when I pump instead of like 12oz. It is taking a long time to wean it out completely, but I am avoiding the clogged ducts.

sweetie_roo · December 2010

Oh my gosh, you poor ladies. My middle name is plugged ducts. I think I can help.

For one, unless there is an abscess (caused by an infection left untreated and diagnosed by an ultrasound and/or exam), there's nothing to drain. Your boobs don't have pockets of milk. I don't wanna think about how much draining an itty bitty plug would NOT help. (ahem, hurt).

There's a doctor in CT who specializes in lactation, named Christina Smillie, M.D. If you call her at Breastfeeding Resources in Stratford, CT, she may email you her awesome plugged duct self treatment tips. It's extremely helpful and full of info that you might not have found online.

For me, the only thing that finally got me in the clear, after 8 months of repeated infection, was expressing milk EVERY SINGLE DAY. By hand. In the shower and after nursing. Pumping is just not that helpful, because it is ineffective at extracting milk and it encourages an oversupply. Instead, use your hand and try to focus your efforts in the problem area. When you are massaging your breast, look at your nipple to find the bulging duct. You must find your problem ducts and work on them (gently, though! maybe 2 minutes at a time and with love and kindness. You're not a cow!)

Soy lecithin is also wonderful. You can take it every six hours. I think I was on something like 4800 mg/day (read the bottle!) It helps the fattier milk move through instead of getting stuck. This really really helped me.

Finally, probably the most helpful thing you could do is contact your local LLL. These women can really help you out and get you in touch with knowledgeable IBCLCs and doctors, if needed. It helps to have someone in person who can show you how to take care of your hurty breast.

Sorry for the long response, but when I saw 3 replies all of women suffering from something so familiar to me, I really wanted to help. I don't know if this helps, but I've been there. I got so sick that I actually thought I might die from mastitis. If there's any way I can support you all, I'm here.

Ardmhs83 · December 2010

Thank you all soooo much for all your helpful responses. Mine actually went away, for now! All I did was went to bed with a warm compress on my hurt boob and a couple hours later DS woke up to nurse. By morning it was gone. I just don't want them to ever turn into mastitis b/c I used all my sick/personal days on maternity and if I have to take days off from being sick, I won't get paid. :-( I do have a LLL lady that I call/text often and if it happens again I will def. contact her. Thanks again and hope everyone gets some relief as well. The things we go through to give our LO's the best. :-)

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WTH, my clogged duct won't go away!!!!!!

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