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November 2015 Moms
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Help! Clogged Milk Duct, but haven't given birth

kfnheatkfnheat member
in November 2015 Moms
Okay so yesterday I started freaking out when I found a lump just below the skin above my areola of my left breast. Thought maybe it was cancer, but found out it's more than likely a clogged milk duct. Well, here's my dilemma... most remedies involve breast-feeding your baby and I won't have one until November 12th! It's not terribly painful, but rather sore to the touch and looks red and hot. I have tried taking a hot shower and massaging it a bit, but that did nothing. Has anyone else had this happen or know of a way to get the lump to go away?
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Re: Help! Clogged Milk Duct, but haven't given birth

  • Cook3133Cook3133 member
    I've heard tea bags or cabbage leaves to. But I was going to say take a bath and place a warm/hot wet towel over your breast. You should be able to massage or "milk" it out.
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  • MadBloomMadBloom member
    Hot shower and really get in there with your thumb and massage towards your nipple.
    YCSWU
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  • mattymommattymom member
    MadBloom said:

    Hot shower and really get in there with your thumb and massage towards your nipple.

    This. It'll hurt a lot, but just keep doing it until the clog moves out. A hand breast pump while in the shower also works really well. But I'm assuming this is your first baby, so may not have one but just for future reference.
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  • megandchasemegandchase member
    Talk to your doc before using any kind of pump. Pumping can cause contractions and put you into labor. My doctor had me pump with my last pregnancy to try and induce labor naturally.
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  • oliarnmom1517oliarnmom1517 member
    I had one too but mine resolved itself after a few days.. Sometimes they will fix themselves but not all the time but my OB told me to massage it while in the shower and it helped a lot..
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  • Pontot31Pontot31 member
    MadBloom said:

    Hot shower and really get in there with your thumb and massage towards your nipple.

    Yup. This. A warm compress can help too. But a hot shower and lots of massaging will get it out.
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  • Pontot31Pontot31 member
    megandchase said:

    Talk to your doc before using any kind of pump. Pumping can cause contractions and put you into labor. My doctor had me pump with my last pregnancy to try and induce labor naturally.

    Pumping just one side shouldn't affect you too much. To induce labor you have to pump each side for a certain amount of time and use a warm compress on the other. It's a big process.
    But 5-10 minutes of pumping for a clogged duct shouldn't affect much, unless you're already at risk for preterm labor and having contractions.
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  • pink*sheeppink*sheep member
    I second @dogsombrero, I had mastitis with my first (after his birth though), and it suuuuuuucked!
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  • mamavbsmamavbs member
    Yep @dogsombrero is totally right. You wanna try and avoid mastitis, get to the docs, hopefully before it becomes a bigger problem. Mastitis isn't fun! I wouldn't pump until you've spoken to someone medical about it
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  • MadBloomMadBloom member
    My go to for after baby gets here is a manual pump in the shower but I didn't want to suggest that since it's not usually recommended to pump while pregnant. Although it usually only takes a few min with a good manual pump and massaging at the same time if you can manage it.
    YCSWU
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  • mza919mza919 member
    I found a lump in my left breast too.  I spoke with my doctor who got me in urgently to check it out.  They are scheduling me for an ultrasound of that breast to be sure its just a clogged milk duct and nothing scarier.  If its hot that is usually a sign of infection and should definitely be looked at by your OB's office.  (considering this thread was weeks ago, i bet you already did that but this is for those like me who are searching the subject more recently)
    I was informed by my OB's office that most breast cancers begin while you are pregnant, so any cyst or lump that you find you should absolutely have checked out as soon as possible.  
    Since the lump is painful and not hot to the touch they did recommend a hot shower and massaging the breast/ if its too hot for a hot shower (it is hot as blazes outside right now so a hot shower would probably make me faint at this point) to use a hot compress and massage that way.  I have been trying that and the lump is still there but it has not been painful the last two days.  Just waiting for the ultrasound now. 
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  • pink*sheeppink*sheep member
    mza919 said:

    I found a lump in my left breast too.  I spoke with my doctor who got me in urgently to check it out.  They are scheduling me for an ultrasound of that breast to be sure its just a clogged milk duct and nothing scarier.  If its hot that is usually a sign of infection and should definitely be looked at by your OB's office.  (considering this thread was weeks ago, i bet you already did that but this is for those like me who are searching the subject more recently)

    I was informed by my OB's office that most breast cancers begin while you are pregnant, so any cyst or lump that you find you should absolutely have checked out as soon as possible.  
    Since the lump is painful and not hot to the touch they did recommend a hot shower and massaging the breast/ if its too hot for a hot shower (it is hot as blazes outside right now so a hot shower would probably make me faint at this point) to use a hot compress and massage that way.  I have been trying that and the lump is still there but it has not been painful the last two days.  Just waiting for the ultrasound now. 
    I'm not trying to say I'm qualified to argue this point, but I have honestly NEVER heard about "most" breast cancers beginning while pregnant...telling a patient something like that surely would lead to panic imo. But definitely get lumps checked out! Hope everything is ok on your end though and it's a quick fix.
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