Clogged duct and infection already?! Help please!

[sweeteleanor]

I suffered a few of these with both kids.  Terrible!  High fever, body aches and just miserable.  Ended up on antibiotics each time as it would not go away.  And now LO is only a week and a half and I feel one coming on already!  Oy!  IDK where it is exactly, I never get a big hard lump, just some pain and then here comes the fever.  Hate it.

Any ideas on what to do so that I don't have to suffer from this over and over again?  I don't use underwire, I TRY and keep dry but that's another issues, the let down on both sides with milk eeeeverywhere all the darn time.  I try and sleep enough but you all know how that goes.  I drink lots of water.  If you have any ideas I'm game.  TIA mamas!

The only thing I can think of is pumping (when it gets here) to ensure they empty totally at least once a day.  You think?

[Mrs-Mama]

I got a clogged duct the other day, DS was just over 2 weeks.  I do tend to get a big, hard, painful lump with mine, though.  My LC recommends ibuprofen for pain and to thin out the clog.  I did a warm compress and then gently massaged while pumping and it unclogged fairly easily.  My LC also recommends a cold pack on the affected area after nursing/pumping to reduce supply at that spot.  Good luck.  I get some stubborn clogs from time to time and in fact, I have a galactocele from a clogged milk duct in 2006 that gradually gets smaller with time but is easily re-irritated so I try to be diligent about trying to get emptied out. 

[rainbow_mandala]

Discovered a really awesome trick when my son was a newborn.  Get a bowl of warm water, add a spoonful of salt, mix it around, submerge the affected breast until the plugged duct is covered by the water...stay like this for about 10 minutes.  Immediately breastfeed with that breast after the 10 minutes...works even better if you put the baby in a position you don't normally use (like football hold).  I had a pretty bad clogged duct, kept trying different remedies, this one worked like a charm the first time I did it.  I learned it from a LLL leader, by the way.  Even if you don't get a big hard lump, if you can tell which breast is affected then that's good enough.  Also, as far as prevention goes, yes, emptying them as much as possible is good as well as making sure you place the baby in different positions when you nurse. 

[Baby_Cakes]

DDCC to recommend getting some Poke Root asap!  It has worked wonders for me for knocking out mastitis quickly, and unplugging clogged ducts within a day.  Also, yes keep switching positions.  Learn as many as you can so different areas of the breast are drained completely.  Feel better, mama! 

[clutterbug]

DDDC - Everyone else has good suggestions.  Another thing to look into for recurring clogs/mastitis (you definitely sound prone to them :(  ) is soy lecithin.  Mentioned in this link, along with some other remedy ideas...

http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7:blocked-ducts-a-mastitis&catid=5:information&Itemid=17

[sweeteleanor]

Thank you all!  I went to the doc today after a horrific evening, night and morning.  Temp at 103, killer headache.  Becasue I have a mitral valve defect, and becasue none of the self help tips were working I got antibiotics.  Not happy about that but I'll crank up the probiotics when I'm done and then start a daily pumping routine, along wtih  lechithin.  Also going to keep up with major garlic doses and keep poke root on hand.  

I am on 800 mg Tylenol and feeling better, but know that rest is important.  I know that this is one of the reasons I got it.  Trying to do wayyy too much.  I just feel so good, I didn't realize I was overtired and putting myself at risk. 

[Mrs-Mama]

This is me, too.  I feel amazing despite the fact that I am 3 weeks out from my c/s.  I even ran the vacuum yesterday .  Another clog today :(
 

Originally Posted by sweeteleanor 

Trying to do wayyy too much.  I just feel so good, I didn't realize I was overtired and putting myself at risk.