Blocked milk ducts

[trebleclef101]

I'm currently suffering from blocked milk ducts, and have so far tried massage during feeding and in the shower, pumping, "dangle" feeding, hot compresses before feeding and of course lots of feeding, but the blockage doesn't seem to have shifted and I'm getting increasing uncomfortable.

I have one section of breast that is rock hard and feeding on that side is agony.

Does anyone have any suggestions or home remedies I haven't tried yet?

Someone has already suggested cabbage leaf but don't have any in the house at the moment.

Sorry no other advice than what you have tried, and to keep going with the massage and hot compresses. I used them fairly constantly n the couple of occassions I had blocked ducts. I also took paracetamol. It is hellish, you have my sympathy. Make sure baby is latching properly, I realised too late I was pulling away because it hurt and ended up with nipple blisters.

What worked for me was a bowl of water as hot as I could stand. Lean over it so your breast is submerged. Then massage and manually express into the water. You'll need to be quite firm on the hard areas, working towards the nipple. Then get little one to feed right after.

Lots of paracetamol for you self and straight to the doctor if you get a rash (sign of mastitis) I remember feeling like I was wasting the doctors time and being told off for not making use of the out of hours service.

Good luck

Top tip I read somewhere was to use a nappy as a heat pad as they hold heat for longer than a flannel and you can stuff in your bra. One thing that worked for me was using something that vibrates to massage the lump with. Hope that helps! I was nine months in to breastfeeding my little one when I got blocked ducts and it took a week to clear. Mine finally dislodged overnight.

Oh and using the shower head to massage

Thanks all.

I've had it once before and it pretty much cleared itself over a 24 hour period but it seems more stubborn this time.

I remember last time having one overnight feed that was agony from start to finish, not just initially, and wondering if that was the one that cleared it.

In the shower you can take a wide tooth comb and 'comb' over the blocked areas towards the nipple. It helps if you get some soap suds on the comb first. Sounds bizarre but it definitely helped when I had mastitis.

I had a blocked duct last week and the NCT breastfeeding helpline's top tip was to feed your baby in the bath. I couldn't persuade him to do that (he thought it was hilarious!) but I fed as soon as I got out the bath and it did the trick.

Good luck!

Try hot compress before feeding then a cold one after, I have used a nappy before but one that had been in the freezer as it doesn't actually go solid so stays soft and easy to fit in your bra.

I did see the doctor today as been suffering with a very painful lump and was told to feed rather than express.

I get these quite a bit and have become an expert at unblocking. I tend to get two types of blockage. First near the nipple. If you look really closely you might see a tiny white dot or bleb. This is the blocked duct. I alternate between squeezing the bleb like a spot and squeezing the breast from high up to try and force it out under pressure. Doing this in the shower works well. You have to be v forceful. If you are really lucky it will pop like a spot.
If the blockage is further up you might notice some cheesy type milk come out. Keep going with hot water bottles and massage.

I have one at the moment and now feeling very shivery and ill. Is this normal for a blocked duct or do you think I need to pop to GP for antibiotics tomorrow?

Thanks so much

If you have flu like symptoms go to the doctor as it could be mastitis which will need antibiotics to clear the infection but still carry on using compresses and massage to clear the blockage as the antibiotics will not do this bit.

The onlybthing that works for me - and I have become much more experienced in this that I'd like - ia dh massaging it out. I think it is because it is hard to massage yourself hard enough because it hurts like nuggery but he just does it and says I make sex faces while he hurts me

It does work
Sorry typos I'm bf an octopus

What poocatcher said.

Also cabbage and whatever kellymom.com suggests.

I always found heat made it worse, personally, so avoided hot baths.