Monday, May 1, 2017

How to treat PLUGGED DUCTS


Ive been looking forward to throwing away my breast pump (or donating it) for 10 months!! I thought the day was ALMOST here.. until I got a plugged duct!!! TWICE in ONE WEEK!!! I didn't even know it was possible to get a plugged late 10 months into nursing. I had Mastitis when baby girl was 2 weeks old, so my BIGGEST FEAR was the plugged ducts progressing to MASTITIS.

  • The first plugged duct involved the outer top quadrant, which has the most ducts and the most milk production. Im not exactly sure what caused the plugged duct. Most likely causes for me may be increased time between feedings/pump or lying on my stomach. Other causes include tight clothing, tight bra, trauma. 
    • TREATMENT 1 : Hot showers, heat before nursing, pumping after nursing,  using electric toothbrush or clarisonic to break up clots, lecithin pills, hydration, motrin 600mg every 6 hours. Dangle nursing really helped as well. Changing the position of baby for each nursing session helped also.
5 days later..........
  • plugged duct was in the inner top quadrant. I tried everything that I did before but nothing worked. My nipple was starting to hurt so I examined my nipple and saw a MILK BLEB (white bubble around an area where I can USUALLy express milk).
      • TREATMENT 2 :  Pop the bleb! I washed a sharp tweezer with soap and hot water and popped the white bubble ( Doesn't hurt!) and milk just starting coming out. I washed my nipple with soap and water and then pumped to relieve my plugged duct.  Relief came RIGHT AWAY!!

I have a love/hate relationship with BREASTFEEDING. Clogged ducts can affect milk supply, so I guess this may be the road to weaning! *fingers crossed* but c'mon, How can I say NO to this sweet face???



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