[alouette]

Hi gals,

Been awhile since I've visited here! Anyway, bf'ing has been going smooooothly since DS was born. However this am when I woke up one of my boobs was very very tender. Is it a clogged duct or what? It just happened out of nowhere. Everything was going fine until this am and man was I hurtin'. It feels like I'm engorged again which I'm obviously not. I couldn't even carry DS on the right side b/c it was too painful.

If a clogged duct, anything I can do besides warm water and massage? When does it go away? Does it sound like anything else?? TIA

[burberryprncess]

Try this to treat a clogged duct:

Rub and massage the area while in a warm shower or bath. Apply moist hot packs to your breast. The heat enables the milk duct to open better and allows for better milk drainage. Use massage and heat on the affected side while you breastfeed. After applying heat and your breast is still warm, massage from your armpit down to your nipple. Avoid putting pressure on one area of the breast for an length of time and wear a comfortable and well fitted bra. Get enough rest, which may be impossible to do due to the pain.

Try to remove the milk plug. It is safe to squeeze out the milk plug as long as it is done gently and hygienically. It is sometimes possible to massage the affected breast until a white head at the end appears at the end of a duct on your nipple. Apply moist heat and carefully pop the blister with a sterile needle. By gently squeezing, you will unplug the nipple opening. You may need to use an antibiotic ointment for a few days to prevent infection.

If the plugged duct persists and is accompanied by additional symptoms, it may be a sign of an infection that requires medical treament. Call your doctor if you experience fever for 24 hours, sudden onset of chills, general feeling of being sick, or nausea. Most plugged ducts will go away within a couple of days without developing into mastitis if treated promptly. If the milk flows freely through the ducts, bacteria is flushed out. However, if it doesn't, this may allow bacteria to grow. That's why your first step in treating a plugged duct is to empty your breast frequently and completely. If an infection develops, your doctor may prescribe you antibotics.

Hope this helps. I've been there before.

[Mrs. MC]

Is the tenderness where the lump is ? You should call your gyn. I have had lumps under my armpit bf related, a clogged duct/abcess that was bf related but almost a year after I stopped bf. Also I have had Fibroadenoma which I had before my children and comes and goes but has been biopsied, when I went to see about having it removed, it had gone away after bf my last child. Anyway I have a breast specialist that I go to so when this latest incident of a lttle infection happened to me, I called him and he advised me to do the hot compresses and it went away. I would call just to make sure.

[ellacoach]

I occasionally got clogged milk ducts while I was breastfeeding and the best thing that worked for me was my husband would take a washcloth and wet it then put it in the microwave, for maybe a minute...I can't recall the exact time, but to a point where it was really hot, but I could stand it, and I would place that on my breast. It really worked!

[twochubbycheeks]

oh gosh! glad I've read this thread. I had just experience this the other day.. I was so scared and thought something's wrong with me. All I did was try to massage where it hurt/feel like my boobies were engorged.. it really REALLY hurt! then I had more than 2x of hot shower... after the 2nd day, it went back to normal. So it was probably a clogged up duct. I wasn't able to carry DS on the side where it hurt as well.. never experienced this before with my first child, so I kinda freaked out.

[ladyeeboutique]

Originally Posted by burberryprncess

Try this to treat a clogged duct:

Rub and massage the area while in a warm shower or bath. Apply moist hot packs to your breast. The heat enables the milk duct to open better and allows for better milk drainage. Use massage and heat on the affected side while you breastfeed. After applying heat and your breast is still warm, massage from your armpit down to your nipple. Avoid putting pressure on one area of the breast for an length of time and wear a comfortable and well fitted bra. Get enough rest, which may be impossible to do due to the pain.

Try to remove the milk plug. It is safe to squeeze out the milk plug as long as it is done gently and hygienically. It is sometimes possible to massage the affected breast until a white head at the end appears at the end of a duct on your nipple. Apply moist heat and carefully pop the blister with a sterile needle. By gently squeezing, you will unplug the nipple opening. You may need to use an antibiotic ointment for a few days to prevent infection.

If the plugged duct persists and is accompanied by additional symptoms, it may be a sign of an infection that requires medical treament. Call your doctor if you experience fever for 24 hours, sudden onset of chills, general feeling of being sick, or nausea. Most plugged ducts will go away within a couple of days without developing into mastitis if treated promptly. If the milk flows freely through the ducts, bacteria is flushed out. However, if it doesn't, this may allow bacteria to grow. That's why your first step in treating a plugged duct is to empty your breast frequently and completely. If an infection develops, your doctor may prescribe you antibotics.

Hope this helps. I've been there before.

Excellent advice. Thank you much. :)

[galligator]

Also, if it is a clogged duct, nurse that side frequently & make sure it doesn't stay engorged while you are working on clearing it up.

[alouette]

Thanks so much for the advice!!! Today I was wondering why it hurt so bad to nurse on that one side. I assumed he was using my nipple as a teething toy since he's getting his upper teeth as we speak. Then it didn't hurt on the other side so I was perplexed. Well I see a "whitehead" on the tip so I know it's a clogged duct now. I'm massaging and doing the whole damp hot compress. Guess that's the only thing that works eh?

Hopefully it'll clear up soon....man it's a doozy! Felt like I was back in the newborn stage all over again! AAAHHHHH!!!!

[addicted2chanel]

UGH! I feel your pain, believe me!! Since I've been breastfeeding (for almost 4 months) I've gotten THREE, YES, THREE clogged ducts. They are SO painful. But they do go away!! You should massage it as frequently as you think about it (I'm dead serious too) and nurse on that breast first (always) even if it's not as full as the other one. I do this when I get them, and it's gone within two days!!
There are several things that cause clogged ducts some of them are, holding your breast while nursing (pressing down on one spot) baby latching on wrong, too tight of bra. Just keep massaging it, and have faith

[alouette]

^^thx!!!! I'm happy to report that it went away after a few days! My DH offered to help me massage it (LOL). I declined his kind offer b/c I'm not ready for baby #2!

[galligator]

Glad you're doing better. I also recall being told that baby's tongue should be at the side of the clogged duct because there is greater suction toward the area of the bottom lip/tongue. Just a thought should you have a recurrance - knock on wood & all that.

[alouette]

ah yes, now I remember someone telling me about that also..thx for the future heads up!