Plugged Ducts--Boo!

[Laurski]

Ugh.  My left boob keeps getting plugged ducts.  I finally got around to buying some lecithin granules today, which I'm hoping will help.

Any suggestions for taking the granules?  I've read they're good on oatmeal...any experience?

It's so aggravating, though--it feels like my left boob is on strike, since I'm also have some major nipple soreness this week.  I'm assuming the two may be related, but it's still a major bummer.  Grr!

[gradstudentmommy]

I keep getting these too. I think the babywearing is causing them.

I take soy lethicin granules every day. I don't mind the taste so I either put them on cereal, oatmeal, or just mix them in juice and drink. I've even put them in coffee before. My breast doctor told me to take one heaping tablespoon a day.

What do your plugged ducts feel like?

[Laurski]

Thanks for the tips about ingesting lecithin...So sorry to hear you're also suffering from them!  I definitely think my Pikkolo has contributed to the proliferation of them, since many seem to be where the straps go.

When there's only one isolated plug, it feels like a tender, somewhat hard lump.  When there's a whole collection of them (like on the side of my left boob), the whole area is hard and tender.  What about yours?

I'm now really worried about developing mastitis.  It's pretty red, sore, and warm where there's a cluster of plugs, but I don't know if  that's been caused by the heat and massage I've been doing, or if it's the beginning signs of an infection...

[rainbow_mandala]

The best advice I received when I had plug ducts with my first was from a LLL leader who told me to get a bowl, put some warm water and a spoonful of salt in it and then hang over the bowl with the affected breast submerged (as much as you can fit) and let it soak for 10 minutes.  It sounds kind of funny but it WORKS!!  I kept getting plugged ducts in the same breast, too, and tried different remedies but this is the one that helped immediately.  To make it extra effective, nurse your baby right after you do this on that breast in a position you don't normally use (like football hold).  When I did this, I didn't have any issues after that.

[gradstudentmommy]

Mine feel like a tender, hard area also. I was also having some burning/stinging after feedings but that's probably from the atypical breast infection I have (that isn't responding to antibiotics).

I hope you don't get mastitis. Do you have a fever? I would think it would only be red for a little while after you massage it. If it's red all the time, maybe you should have a doctor look at it. The most important thing is getting your LO to drain the breast fully though (from what I understand).

[Galatea]

Originally Posted by rainbow_mandala 

nurse your baby right after you do this on that breast in a position you don't normally use (like football hold). 

Yes - wherever the baby's chin is, that is the ducts that are getting the best drainage, so get in a position that puts the chin by the bad ducts.  Also massage downwards over those ducts while the baby is nursing.

[Laurski]

rainbow:  thanks for the tip!  I'll try it tonight.

Originally Posted by Galatea 

Yes - wherever the baby's chin is, that is the ducts that are getting the best drainage, so get in a position that puts the chin by the bad ducts.  Also massage downwards over those ducts while the baby is nursing.

Galatea:  that's fascinating and immensely helpful!  I actually had to start using the football hold today b/c Ellie is refusing to nurse at my left breast otherwise, so hopefully this will be a nice ancillary benefit...

gradstudentmommy:  that's awful you have to deal w/plugged ducts *and* an infection.  I don't have a fever, which makes me think it's not mastitis.  Hopefully the redness is from the compresses/heating pad...