Clogged milk duct?

[barbarhow]

I think that is what it is. DS slept 8 hours last night. I woke up engorged and after feeding, my L breast still feels engorged but not all over. I tried to pump thinking I might still be engorged but did not get much. Its a lump but not all that small. Maybe slightly smaller than an egg. I am trying to massage it and am about to nurse him again. Would appreciate any feedback. Thanks

Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03

[Rachels]

An egg! Yikes! It does sound like a plugged duct, but a bad one. You need to REST REST REST to avoid courting mastitis. Nurse like crazy out of the affected breast. You can try a warm compress before you nurse, and massage from behind the lump as you nurse. No kidding-- go to bed, take the baby with you, and lie around and nurse all day. If you see a little white spot on your nipple that looks like a pimple, you can gently open it with a sterilized needle and then massage and nurse, and that will clear the plug. Also, send somebody out to the drugstore for some lethicin capsules, and take 1200 mg three times a day. That will help clear the plug and minimize the chances that you'll get another one. Hang in there!

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[nigele]

Barbara,

Plugged ducts are no fun!! I seem to have luck with hot showers while I massage the area behind the plugged duct. It's always taken a couple of days for the plug to work itself out and I have never had to taken any further measures - I guess I'm lucky.

Good luck and I hope you "work it out!"

Oh - one thing my LC told me to do was use ginger w/ a warm compress - you might try that.

[KathyO]

I'm another one who's had good luck with hot showers and massage. Aveeno makes a bath oil that we use sometimes; I found that squirting some of that on the breast made the massage easier and a touch less painful. With some blockages you really have to work away on them, or do more than one session. I've also heard that using nursing positions where the baby's chin points towards the lump/blockage helps in clearing it. This was awkward - my blockages tended to be in the 11 o'clock to 2 o'clock zone - but I'd lie on my side on the bed and position the baby with feet at my head and head at my breast.

It _IS_ kind of scary - you wonder if your poor boob is just going to explode! - but it can be dealt with. However, if you start feeling feverish and ill, or even nauseous, you may have mastitis. Get in to the doctor right away - you can get really miserably sick, and the treatment really throws a wrench in the breastfeeding works, so fast action is a good thing in this case. Rachel is right - rest rest rest!!

Hope that helps!

KathyO

[barbarhow]

So much better. I got in the shower and massaged away. Spent along time in there and then when nursing also massaged. It is definately much better if not gone. Thank you!!!! I am so relieved since I am not sure I could have handled another monkeywrench in my breastfeeding. I am still recovering from yeast in my ducts...
And have one of my best friends coming this weekend. Hopefully it will be fine.

Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03

[Denyse]

Just for future reference...

I know it's already cleared up but I wanted to ditto everyone on the showers and nursing like crazy. I wanted to add that my LC said that it's a good idea to position the baby so that their nose is pointed towards the plugged area. (If possible)

[spu]

Hi Barbara,

I've had alot of plugs while nursing my 2 babies (twins) and have found several things to help them go away - and also to help them from returning.

First off- it's important to take action as soon as you discover the plug. Sometimes, you might feel overall achiness before even finding the plug. Once you realize it's there, plan on spending the next 24 hours resting, nursing, and treating it. The last thing you want is for it to turn into mastitis.

When nursing your baby on the affected side, position the baby so the chin or nose is pointing in the direction of the plug. As others mentioned, heat also helps to loosen things up. Try taking a warm bath or shower right before nursing. Massage like crazy all the way from under the armpit, down the sternum, and to the center of the breast using small circular motions. Press kind of deeply but not too hard - kind of like doing a breast exam. Eventually, the plug will clear and the pain and lump will go away.

Prevention is the next thing.
Nurse often. With breastfeeding, it's not really such a great thing when the baby starts sleeping long stretches - for you or the baby. I've had the most engorged breasts that they felt like they were filled with rocks so I know how painful it feels for you.

Nurse using different positions. In addition to massaging while nursing, changing positions (and sides) will help keep things moving too.

Try lecithin. My LCs from Beth Israel Hospital in Boston suggested I take lecithin and it has helped tremendously. I take it 2x per day - 1 capsule in the am and one in the pm. (1200 mg. capsules). They said it's like coating the ducts with teflon!

Once you try everything else, you may need to go in and feed the baby right before you go to sleep - even if the baby is asleep. Yes, i know... never wake a sleeping baby - but even if it's just a tad little bit, it will help both of you in the long run and eventually your body will get the hint to make less milk in the middle of the night.

Be careful about pumping in the middle of the night to relieve engorgement. It's good to do - but just for a few minutes - literally 2-3 minutes... you want to pump just to comfort - not to drain the breast. I was getting 7-8 oz when pumping and it made matters worse.

For me, the best way to avoid plugs was (in addition to resting) to nurse often, take lecithin, nurse right before I went to bed, and wake to nurse sometime in the middle of the night. Once I started doing all this, the plugs seemed to keep away, making me very happy and alot less cranky!!!

My babies will be 10 months next week and I'm so glad I made it through the rocky days. You're doing a great job! Keep up the great work!!

susan

twin girls 7.20.02
charlotte & else