Clogged milk duct comes and goes - advice please!

[megmcgarry]

I have developed a clogged duct that has plagued me all weekend. I experienced flu-like symptoms all weekend, but the fever and chills seem to be subsiding greatly. Physically, the rest of my body is feeling better -(although even though I have been pumping or nursing very frequently to alleviate the pressure in my right breast my milk production seems to be dwindling when I do pump) - but my breast is still quite painful and lumpy underneath my armpit area. I have been using a heating pad, taking hot showers sometimes twice a day, massaging the area, nursing frequently, pointing the baby's chin in the direction of the lump and just today started taking the vitamins recommended above. Any other suggestions?

(Like I said, the rest of me is starting to feel better but the breast does not appear to be getting better.) It has been 3 days. My temperature has dropped to around 99 degrees and I am feeling more comfortable as far as my achy joints and headaches...

Am I to understand from a previous post that someone can actually PUSH the clog out manually with their own hands? If this is true, please explain further so I can try it out... I am tired of being bedridden and my baby is getting totally bored with me! (Not to mention my husband! ha ha) Thanks so much!

[evan's mum]

Hi!
It's frustrating isn't it? It took five days for the duct to get back to relatively normal size - It still is a teeny bit larger than before i got it, but I think that's from all the massaging and the surrounding tissue might be a bit aggravated. It doesn't hurt, though. As for pushing the clog out, I didn't actually see any kind of "plug" pop out. My CG said that it could be very, very small in size, and baby could actually have swallowed it during nursing (with no ill effects), or it could have come out in a stream of milk in the shower and i wouldn't have seen it. She also said i could take Tylenol for the discomfort and swelling, which I did, and it really helped the aching feeling. Keep on with the showers and massage, and I hope you feel all better really soon.

[mmortensen]

Does anyone have suggestions on how to work through a clogged duct when you aren't nursing. My 8 month old quit nursing about 3 months and I have been pumping since. I have had mastitis twice before in which nursing through it helped. Unfortunately, now that I have it again, I am a little stuck. My fever is gone, as are the rest of the flu-like symptoms, but my breast is still painful, hard and not fully draining. My mastitis streak is actually growing and with previous bouts would go away in about 1 day. I am on day 3.

Next question. Does anyone know why you are supposed to ask your doctor before taking ibuprofen for the pain and fever?

[PaddyNHenri]

I suffer from the same thing. My clogged duct is under my left arm- and showed up when my milk came in with my first. It came and went, and now I am 31 weeks pregnant with second and about two weeks ago it returned- same place!! And I'm not even nursing...grrr...lol Anyways, I find that massaging the clog, even if its a little uncomfortable, helps to make it go away. Just take your first three fingers and slowly move downward over the bump. Good luck!

[The Three Bears]

My doctor (who was not really educated ont hese things) also said Tylenol. Dr. Sears and my LLL leader said Advil is ok and I did also take Advil in the hospital post-partum.

You need to relieve the inflammation and Advil is better for that than Tylenol. I couldn't even bare to get my son ont he breast until I took two doses o the antibiotic and some Advil to relieve the welling and inflammation before I got back to nursing. My problem did get better a bit once he nursed all day today. Not sure if mine is mastitis or plugged duct but doc felt some inflammation and treated me with antibiotics before things got worse.

It was sooo painful and I was ready to quit but it did get better today and my LLL leader was so helpful over the phone.