Owww my poor boob - blocked ducts!

[NoisyBrain]

Advice needed on blocked ducts please. I woke up in huge pain in the early hours (v annoying as DS was sleeping soundly at the time). Online info says to feed frequently and massage the affected area under a hot shower. I've done the latter and tried to offer the affected boob more often today, through gritted teeth!
It does feel very slightly better now but is there anything else I can do? It would have to be the side that's got a flipping cracked nipple as well wouldn't it! If it's relevant, DS is 12 weeks and mostly bf (has one bottle of formula in the evening).

Get under a hot shower with a wide tooth comb and comb from armpit to nipple.

Feed with baby lying on their back and you on all fours with their chin towards the blockage. Makes you feel like a cow but the gravity really helps.

Ouch, it is agony....I would also recommend massaging the sore area whilst feeding, it will be such a relief when it's all unblocked and not sore anymore! And make sure your bras fit well, it was badly fitting bras and carrying baby in a sling squished against engorged boobs that caused mine.
And be aware of mastitis as well, for me it was fever and flu like symptoms and you need to get that treated quickly.
Hope you feel better soon

Thanks peeps. Lol @ the idea of combing my boob! I'll see if I can find a wide tooth comb in the house. I'm paranoid about getting mastitis!
Now I think of it, a couple of my bras may not be the ideal fit...

Have you got a decent pump OP?

Keep feeding as much as you can and have a very hot bath and express and feed and use the wide toothed comb in the bath.

Good luck!

I have a Medela Swing pump. It's been sitting in the cupboard for a few weeks since I got fed up of expressing Looks like I need to bring it out of retirement then...

noisey I am also suffering from a blocked duct, woke up like it this morning! It is so sore isn't it.

My dd is 7.5 months, it has only started happening over the last two weeks (this is the third time!!) I found feeding her in the rugby ball position helped first two times but today I have just not been able to shift it.

She feeds at least 4 times over night so I'm hoping it will clear by itself. I may have to get the pump out too, I hate the thing though!!

If the nipple is cracked, could it be blocked by a scab/dead skin? That happened to me! In the end the only way I could deal with it was a long hot shower to soften the skin then exfoliate it with gritted teeth (used a flannel then dried with the towel). Followed by more lanai oh than usual.

Soaked the towel as the plug came off the end. I could see my boob deflate!

Good luck

Ibuprofen for inflammation can help. Some find using your fingers to pulse like you are holding a bag of marbles helps shift it, either while feeding or just as and when throughout the day. Cold can help relieve - bag of peas/ice. Empty breast lots of rest. Some find dropping extra formula until blocked duct resolved helps. Can always wake LO to feed in night if really uncomfortable, start on painful side.

It's feeling a lot better today
Thanks for all the advice, I'll keep implementing it til I'm sure the blockage is sorted.

A word to the wise: If it has not cleared up in 48hrs, get to the GP. I had what I thought was a blocked duct, it turned out to be mastitis that turned into a huge abscess (because I was fobbed off with a blocked duct for several weeks).

I wish advice on this was clearer - If your boob has a lump/ feels hot/ looks red and is painful, make sure you get it checked fast to avoid the hell I've been through.

Hope it continues to clear! :)