Blocked Duct? And What to Do?

[Zadee]

One breast is hard and lumpy on one side (all of a sudden - I was fine at this time yesterday). Nursing is somewhat painful. I haven't had any issues for almost a year now and am sort of trying to remember what to do...is this a blocked duct? No? Either way, what to do?

[Llyra]

Sounds like a plugged duct to me; that's how mine are. The most important thing is to keep nursing; nurse as often as you can get your DC interested. Applying heat before nursing can help, and get some rest. Mine have always cleared within a day. Pressure massage can help, too.

[RachelGS]

Vitamin C at high doses and lecithin and homeopathic phytolacca work really well, too!

[Demeter9]

I would use a back massager that vibrated, and mix up some castor oil with mullein and lobelia and apply it to the area that was started to become a problem. I would go back and forth between the massager with the castor oil-mullein-lobelia and the pump. This tended to get the plugged area to let go a little bit.

The lecthin really helped me this time with preventing plugged ducts.

[~PurityLake~]

Keep nursing.
Position baby so their chin points directly toward the clogged duct.
This helps to work it loose.

Cabbage leaves, raw, wrapped around your breast.
I don't know why it works, but it does.

[Zadee]

Thanks, everyone!

I used the "nurse until you drop" method and sure enough, it worked.

[juliebird]

I'm so glad you caught it before it became mastitis...unfortunately I didn't and while I'm waiting for the antibiotic to kick in, I've been nursing like there's no tomorrow. BUT, now I have BLISTERS on my nipple. If you can believe it.

Does anyone know what to do? I've noticed htat I'm already slowing down on nursing on that side. Hurts sooo much

[Llyra]

I just noticed you're nursing twins, too. We twin mamas are apparently more prone to plugged ducts, because we have such an ample supply. Anyway, I'm glad you got yours cleared okay. I have recurrent plugged ducts, because of DS's erratic sleeping and nursing habits and my own laziness and refusal to pump at night, and so I know how painful they can get.

[ChristineIndy]

I'm also prone to plugged ducts, and after a bout of severe mastitis (I would rather give birth 10 more times than go through that again - seriously) I'm always hopping on my "regimen" at the first sign of a clog.

1)Hot, long showers - let the water run over the breast and manually express/massage the area
2)Nurse nurse nurse
3)Tons of Vitamin C (Usually 3,000 mg/day)
4) Hot compresses
5) If I feel like I didn't catch it at the very first twinge, I'll sometimes take some ibuprofin - it seems to reduce the swelling enough to let the plug move.

Also, plenty of liquids!

Feel better soon. . .