Hey there, dear mamas,
Many of you may already know how common it is to suffer from plugged milk ducts in the fall/winter months (why it's so much more of a problem at this time of year I'm not entirely sure, although I have a few theories.) I do know it's always been a problem for me, especially when nursing a newborn, despite making sure to drink plenty of fluids and not wear an underwire bra (two of my most common culprits.) Anyway, a few nurslings ago, after a particularly nasty bout with plugged ducts that turned into full-blown mastitis
, I discovered lecithin capsules and I just can't recommend them enough, so I wanted to mention them. 
Not only do they really help to unplug a currently blocked duct, but if taken daily as a dietary supplement, they also really help to prevent future plugged ducts. Last week, most of my family came down with H1N1 and Duncan's nursing pattern got thrown off b/c of his congestion. Sure enough, two days later, I had an entire breast full of plugged ducts, red streaks starting, extreme pain, and fluish symptoms beginning in full force = mastitis, here we come, right? Well, I did all the usual things: took Tylenol, expressed milk in the bathtub, nursed a lot on that side, AND took the lecithin, and 6 hrs. later, apart from some residual soreness, I was back to normal. I've been taking the lecithin ever since prophylactically, b/c Duncan's still pretty stuffed up, and all has remained well.
Just wanted to share this tip in case any of you might also be dealing with this right now.
Guin
Many of you may already know how common it is to suffer from plugged milk ducts in the fall/winter months (why it's so much more of a problem at this time of year I'm not entirely sure, although I have a few theories.) I do know it's always been a problem for me, especially when nursing a newborn, despite making sure to drink plenty of fluids and not wear an underwire bra (two of my most common culprits.) Anyway, a few nurslings ago, after a particularly nasty bout with plugged ducts that turned into full-blown mastitis
, I discovered lecithin capsules and I just can't recommend them enough, so I wanted to mention them. Not only do they really help to unplug a currently blocked duct, but if taken daily as a dietary supplement, they also really help to prevent future plugged ducts. Last week, most of my family came down with H1N1 and Duncan's nursing pattern got thrown off b/c of his congestion. Sure enough, two days later, I had an entire breast full of plugged ducts, red streaks starting, extreme pain, and fluish symptoms beginning in full force = mastitis, here we come, right?
Well, I did all the usual things: took Tylenol, expressed milk in the bathtub, nursed a lot on that side, AND took the lecithin, and 6 hrs. later, apart from some residual soreness, I was back to normal. I've been taking the lecithin ever since prophylactically, b/c Duncan's still pretty stuffed up, and all has remained well.Just wanted to share this tip in case any of you might also be dealing with this right now.
Guin
