Breastfeeding mamas- clogged duct advice please! OB doesn’t open until tomorrow.

We had a busy weekend and my 9m babe barely nursed all day then made up for it by nursing all night. She mainly nursed on one side despite my efforts, and that’s the clogged boob.

The lump and pain is middle under boob which is weird for me, and I do plan on having it checked by my OB. I took some sunflower supplements, but I don’t know if I should continue nursing more on that side or not.

I read that clogs could be from only nursing on one side, but that u should continue to have her nurse on the clogged side. Do I carry on as usual? Neglect the unfavorable boob? What bra should I wear? What’s your clog advice?

in Mommitby Nuggslette

100%

2mo

pasinpeter

2mo

Check the breastfeeding sub. Last year (?) the guidance completely flipped from recommending heat and massage to ice and ibuprofen. I only had a clog once and did everything under the sun within a 4 hour period and it was gone the next morning so I have no idea what worked or not. Best of luck!

SillyDJ

2mo

I had my first clogged duct a month or so ago, I followed the newest guidelines. Took some ibuprofen, and iced my boob. There was no pain the next day, completely gone by day 3.

pasinpeter

2mo

That’s so good to hear! Now that I know what to look for for earlier detection, and these new guidelines, I’m hoping to save myself from future clogs next go around.

SillyDJ

2mo

I caught it super fast. I felt the lump on the side of my boob in the shower, it hadn't had time to get super inflamed. I see so many posts on r/breastfeeding I knew what it was and got on there to see what the most recent consensus was on how to resolve it. I was so happy it worked! We've been nursing 19 months and I only had the one clogged duct. We're working our way towards weaning so I'm glad I know what to do, it'll probably happen again!

fyjvfrhjbfddf

2mo

I get repeated blocks and ibuprofen deals with them straight away. Gone within 12 hours. I don't increase nursing/pumping and I don't massage. If it is a minor block I don't even bother with ice. It is the ibuprofen that sorts it out.

yourgirlsamus

2mo

DANGLE!! When it’s in that spot, dangle is the only way. It’s uncomfortable and awkward and it WORKS! ♥️

seuce

2mo

Ahh, memories of being on all fours over my infant and hoping he could nurse out the clogs

User deleted comment

2mo

SpiritualDot6571

2mo

I think you can also try dangle nursing, like leaning over the baby. That’s supposed to help clogs!

catjuggler

2mo

Make sure you keep an eye on your temperature so you notice if it spikes. The first time I had mastitis, I was like 9 days pp and my temp sent me to the hospital because I didn’t realize what was happening.

Try a pump if nursing doesn’t get it and consider supplementing with lecithin.

Strophix

2mo

When I had a really bad clog once I literally had crusty milk that had formed over one of the “holes” on my areola that I had to almost pop out of the hole like a pimple in the shower and then immediately when I removed it a ton of milk started spurting everywhere from that hole and it was such a relief!! This was after days of massaging and trying to dangle feed etc and nothing working

hhhhhwww

2mo

Same! The stringy / lumpy milk that came out once i finally got the plug out was super gross but definitely felt better for getting it out. I found having babes chin to clog whilst feeding helped with most small clogs, but the bigger ones I had to deal with myself

Mountain-Blood-7374

2mo

This happened to me twice! I noticed a white dot that wouldn’t go away and messed with it. The first time idk how I got rid of it but the second time I was able to pop it like a pimple and it came out. I didn’t realize it the first time what it was though. Both times I had a clogged duct for days and the second clogg had been there for long enough I was going to call my doctor the next day

Gatorgirl007

2mo

Heating pad, hot shower blasting the water on your boob while massaging the lump, nurse as much as possible - try dangle feeding. I ended up falling asleep with the heating pad on low, which I wouldn’t necessarily recommend, and it resolved it.

TurtleScientific

2mo

Ice packs and ibuphrophen. Absolutely keep feeding from that side.

SqueegieeBeckenheim

2mo

I used to take a warm shower and then pump while holding a heating pad on the clogged side. Worked like a charm every time.

BookOfTemp

2mo

Edit: seems like the guidelines might have changed since I BFed (about a year ago last). So take this with a giant grain of salt.

Warm shower and massage the lump.

If it's a lot of discomfort you can also try something cool, just to alleviate the pain and discomfort.

When was the last time they nursed from that side? Overnursing might make it overproduce in the future, but at the same time the best way of getting rid of clogs is having the baby nurse (Turn them so that their chin is in the direction of the lump).

SillyDJ

2mo

The guidelines have changed. Heat and massage can make it worse. I had my first clogged duct a month or so ago, I followed the newest guidelines. Took some ibuprofen, and iced my boob. There was no pain the next day, completely gone by day 3.

BookOfTemp

2mo

Oh, seriously? Dang, it was just over a year since I stopped BFing, but I guess these things does go fast.

SillyDJ

2mo

It's been in the last year, so pretty recent. I think they found that the clogs were actually inflammation happening. So the massaging and heat was actually making it worse 😬

BookOfTemp

2mo

Yeah, that would make sense. I was under the impression that it was a literal clog of milk in the ducts (in which case massage and heat would make sense). But yeah, I can see how that would make it worse if it's actually an inflammation!

QweenieDog

2mo

Try lymphatic breast massage. There's some good tutorials on YouTube

Turkey-legs

2mo

This is what usually worked for me if you have a haakaa: mix epsom salt in warm water and fill your haakaa about 3/4 full so that you can still secure it to your boob. Massage and let the suction do its thing. Warm shower and dangle feeding helped, but this was the best.

Sorry - seriously so painful!!

Affectionate-Ad1424

2mo

Ok, so this is kinda gross, maybe, but I've known women who have had their husband help clear the duct. Because he can suck harder than a baby.

If you have a pump, that can help too.

Comfortable_Cry_1924

2mo

Self express. It’s uncomfortable but you can feel where the lump is and massage it, you’ll see and feel when it unclogs. It can be kind of painful but much better than letting it progress to worse issues.

fyjvfrhjbfddf

2mo

This is old advice. The new protocol is ice and ibuprofen without massage.

Comfortable_Cry_1924

2mo

It’s what actually worked for me

Comfortable_Cry_1924

2mo

and massage is still advised

fyjvfrhjbfddf

2mo

Is it? In the UK I was told not to as it increases inflammation.

Comfortable_Cry_1924

2mo

Yes. Advice also changes all the time, doesn’t mean this time it’s certain. I’m speaking from my own experience of what worked

fyjvfrhjbfddf

2mo

Advice changes, but at any given time we can only work with the best evidence currently available. That is ice and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Anecdotally, something may appear to work for you or may genuinely work for you, but it isn't part of the guidance for a reason (increasing inflammation) so we should be cautious about suggesting it here without caveats.

Comfortable_Cry_1924

2mo

We can also use our own critical thinking.

fyjvfrhjbfddf

2mo

Yup! And the current advice really fits with that. If I have inflamed tissue anywhere else in my body I ice it and take NSAIDs. I might get a professional sports massage, but I certainly don't go poking around at injuries and making them worse.

Comfortable_Cry_1924

2mo

You can blindly follow whatever advice you want. I can say whatever I want on Reddit. Mastitis is not an injury. It is literally trapped milk. No one appointed you the hall monitor of online forum, now kindly F off

fyjvfrhjbfddf

2mo

Dude, chill out. You were out of date, it's no big deal.

Continue thread...

Comfortable_Cry_1924

2mo

Where else on your body is making and storing breast milk ? It’s not the same thing

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