Kinked milk duct - Tiktok are you about?

[UnsureRightNow]

A friend who I am supporting - via internet as lives a distance from me - with breastfeeding has had recurrent mastitis then thrush and is on the verge of giving up BFing.

She said that her peer supporter has told her that she prob has a 'kinked' milk duct as her latch (checked by several people) is fine. Baby also been checked for TT etc. Is putting on weight and having plenty of wet and dirty nappies.

I am a trained peer supporter but never heard for a kinked duct before and can't seem to find anything online.

Does it exist? What can she do?

I'm off out now but will be back on later to check.

Ta

Hi, unsure. Kinked duct is sometimes suggested as a reason for recurrent mastitis - it's more of an inference than a 'diagnosis' as we can't see the ducts, obviously. The ducts are not straight - we do know that - and it could be that milk gets stuck in a 'corner'. But there is no certainty about it, and I would be exploring other reasons for repeated mastitis - what has she tried so far?

Thanks for your reply.

She has tried feeding from the affected breast and massage/warm flannels - the usual really.

She has decided to give up but doesn't really want to. At the moment she has been advised to drop every 4th feed but is feeling fuller and as tho she is making even more milk atm

Just wanted to see if there was anything else I could suggest.

I have asked her to get DS checked for TT and she has - all fine. She has had her latch checked by 5 different people and all said perfect....

Sounds like your friend could do with a thorough discussion about it all with someone experienced and knowledgable - peer supporters are great but their role is not really one of fixing difficulties like this one.

Sometimes, mastitis needs medical intervention eg antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, ultrasound, and a chance for these solutions to work. Repeated mastitis can sometimes be the 'same' mastitis, which has never been successfully treated and which flares up.

It's a real shame if she stops when she wants to continue.

Can she contact a breastfeeding counsellor or a midwife or HV who knows about bf?

Thanks Tiktok I have passed this info on to her :)