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

[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.

This saved me. Thank you. Have been struggling with my blocked duct for almost 5 days. Mastitis had formed in both breasts.

Did everything. Dangle feed, dangle breasts in Epsom salts, football hold, massage - doing that every day for 5 days.

I realised I wasn't targeting the lump enough while feeding my babe. So I hand expressed into a cup and could use one or two fingers to massage from the lump directly to the nipple. Could see milk solids start to express at the nipple and then a big spurt of milk. Now I knew I was onto it.

Did this for a while before moving to the pump as guided above. Same thing. two fingers on the lump massaging HARD directly to the nipple. Solids and thickish milk expressing before spurts of liquid milk. Worked on every lump until they were massaged out.

Few health professionals told me not to massage as this would further inflame but nothing else was working and after this experience, I can't see how it could have come out without the firm massage.