What happens if I can't unclog a clogged milk duct?

[Anonymous]

I have a really bad one, it woke me up during the night. I have put hot compresses on it, hot shower with shower head right on my breast, pumped w/ the manual and electric pump, had the baby nurse a lot. It seems a little better but it still hurts. Do I just keep doing above things, what happens if it doesn't go away do I need to go to the doctor? Thanks

[Anonymous]

it will go away.

[Anonymous]

If worst comes to worst, a doctor can always use a needle to unclog it. But mine always went away, even the worst ones that lasted more than a day.

[Anonymous]

Don't forget to get in there with a fingernail. My worst clogs always ended up being right at the surface, and I could scrape/ squish them out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it will go away.

This really isn't true. Sure for some women they might, but not all of us are so lucky. If unplugged, it can led to matastis- not fun at all. I know this from personal experience.

Last clogged duct I worked on for 2 days in the ways you described. It was still obviously clogged and painful. Last resort I did something I read on here: I had DH suck it out. He was able to get the solidified milk to the nipple surface, which I then scraped out. Milk just sprayed out for minutes. What relief!

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Keep working on it, it will either come out, stay there acting harmless, or cause mastitis. I had one that just hung out for a while..a week or so.. and eventually went away (in my armpit). Others I have been able to pump out.

If you start feeling under the weather, take your temperature and call your doc if you spike a fever (especially if your breast turns red), they will generally just call in a prescription for antibiotics if it sounds like mastitis.

One thing you can try is upping your dose of Vitamin C. It always works for me. Take two Emergen-C's daily.

[Anonymous]

Can take up to 2 weeks, but def. keep working on it, and watch for signs of fever.

[Anonymous]

I had two of these that wouldn't come out - hot compresses, showers, pump frequently. After a week, I had DH suck it out and it worked instantly. Just have him do it and get it over with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had two of these that wouldn't come out - hot compresses, showers, pump frequently. After a week, I had DH suck it out and it worked instantly. Just have him do it and get it over with.

This is what the ER doc told my sister to do when she had to have an absess drained. That sounded harsh to me but I've had more than my fair share of breast infections so I know it can get really bad. As soon as I started to feel flu-ish I would get on antibiotics. And I would start all nursing sessions on the infected side and turn the baby so his chin is facing the clog. You want his tongue to be working right where the clog is. I would lay him down on the bed and get on all fours over him. Gravity helps, too. And pump on the infected side after nursing. Get that thing out!

Also, go to bed, rest and drink tons of water.

[Anonymous]

I've done all of the above for my clogs but for a really bad one, I got on all fours and dangled my breast, turned the pump on the max speed, massaged the breast toward the nipple (this is VERY painful) and 10 minutes later, milk came out...a lot of milk. Good luck! Those things are so painful. I can't believe you've been able to tolerate it this long.

[Anonymous]

I used to get in a hot bath. Totally submerge your breast (so you're basically lying on your back), and massage it in there for a good 20 minutes or so. When it would unclog, milk would go spouting everywhere in the bath, which is kind of gross, but it gets the job done!

[Anonymous]

I don't really have any new advice for you, but I had a few of these while nursing and it was one of the most painful things I have had to deal with --- and I had a natural childbirth! Hope you feel better soon!

[Anonymous]

two things that helped me that i don't think have been mentioned: soaking in epsom salts and (this is key!) put cotton pads soaked in olive oil in your bra. the constant application of oil really softens the skin. i think my clog may have even come out with just a pump, not baby (or DH, LOL). good luck, it's so miserable!

[Anonymous]

Leaving a clogged duct can lead to mastitis. If you start to see any red streaking on your breast, it feels hot or you start to feel feverish call your OB immediately. Mastitis sucks.

For a clog that is hard to get out - get in the shower and run the hottest water you can tolerate over the breast. Soap up a wide toothed comb and comb your breast over the affected area towards the nipple. Pump or nurse baby as soon as you get out of the shower.

Sounds crazy, but I've had more clogs than I can count and this has always saved me with the stubborn ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've done all of the above for my clogs but for a really bad one, I got on all fours and dangled my breast, turned the pump on the max speed, massaged the breast toward the nipple (this is VERY painful) and 10 minutes later, milk came out...a lot of milk. Good luck! Those things are so painful. I can't believe you've been able to tolerate it this long.

Just to clarify my above statement, I was prepared to sit on that pump for hours if that's what it took because obviously clogs only get worse with time. Fortunately, it only took 10 minutes.