Clogged milk ducts - trying everything to unclog

[sallybombally]

I recently switched from breastfeeding my 12 week old to pumping because his latch is so poor. I was already combination feeding at this point so only pumped four times in the first 24 hours of my new plan. I must not have pumped enough or something because suddenly I noticed one breast was hard swollen and full of painful lumps which I'm assuming are clogged ducts. I've tried hot compresses, lots of massage and more pumping to unclog them but no joy. I'm really worried about it turning into full blown mastitis - had that before, felt utterly horrendous! What else can I try to unblock multiple blocked ducts in one breast??!

I’m so sorry to hear you’ve got clogged ducts. It really is a toe curling sort of pain.

The guidance changed recently & they now recommend treating them for inflammation so ibuprofen & paracetamol, cold compresses, very gentle massage and limited pumping. Aggressive massage and hot water apparently makes the problem worse.

If you can take it, I would start the painkillers today and call the National Breastfeeding Helpline as they helped me quite a few times when I had blocked ducts (caused by a bad latch!)

Only other thing I can think of is changing the angle you pump at. Try to use gravity as well and pump practically on your front. (I say practically as Im not sure the pump would work completely flat.)
Could also try hand expressing into to pump at the same time as pumping.

I agree with changing the angle that you pump at, and change the way he feeds, so across your front and under your arm.
Make sure you gently run your fingers down each segment of your breast towards the nipple when pumping/feeding, imaging it like an orange cut in half.

Sounds weird but all my blockages were actually at the nipple itself. I’d spend ages trying to unblock. Eventually in the bath realised the was almost a tiny small spot/ lump swelling on my nipple and the tiniest white thing, almost like a sugar crystal stuck right at the surface. Was able to gently pick it out and solved two days of blockage.

To echo PP, I was advised to take ibuprofen for blockages.

Is letting him feed directly an option, just to help clear the blockage?

Have you a Hakka at all? If so if you put Epsom salt and warm water in it it's great for helping to draw out blockage, worked many a time for me. Feel for you, it's horrendous!

I second taking ibuprofene and doing the haakaa trick, it worked for me. Also, if you don't pump efficiently, it might be due to a wrong flange size and/or bad quality pump. Make sure you check those.

I used to get them a lot but the only thing that ever cleared them was feeding baby at multiple weird angles. I guess that would work with a pump too

Keep on with the ibuprofen and also changing feeding position while gently massaging the breast. I also found that sleeping with a hot water bottle on the boob helped too, but this was in the middle of winter!

Agree with @Lifesapurpledream

Try expressing by hand and have a good look at the nipple to see if you can see any bulging white spots or areas where milk is conspicuously not squirting out. Could be a milk bleb (thin film of skin/dried milk that’s plugging the duct). So annoying but soooo satisfying to remove.

Thank you all so so much for your helpful suggestions. I felt like it was getting worse all day today but then suddenly this evening, it's soooo much better - I used the Hakka with Epsom salts and I also spent quite a long time massaging my boob with an electric toothbrush. So I'm guessing one or both of those things did the trick!

You've just given me flashbacks of combing my boob! Someone recommended pulling a wide toothed comb across the blockage, that plus lots and lots of feeding.