Plugged duct

[MandaMommy2]

I woke up this morning with a plugged duct on my left side this morning. LO has been favoring this side but today she doesn't want to eat as often. I've tried pumping massage and heat pump its really starting to get painful. I'm worried that its going to turn into mastitis. How do I get ride of this lump? And why does this keep happening? Last time it look a few days for it to finally Let go. Although this time it it hurts a lot worse so I don't think I have days before I have An infection.

[TrennaII]

My midwife had me put tea tree oil over the area. Just over that spot though, not anywhere else. It dries up milk, apparently. Worked for me!

[Jenn135]

Make sure you rinse off the tea tree oil before nursing. It is poisonous when eaten, even small amounts.

I wonder if eating garlic would act as antibiotic and knock it out before its full blown

[Teexie]

I got plugged ducts almost weekly for the first year or so of nursing. It's no fun. For me the triggers were bras, really any bra...I went without as much as possible and wore motherhood sleep bras while out of the house when I could get away with it...also sleeping on my side, and being away from baby for a couple hours. Taking lecithin regularly helped a bit. I think some people are just more susceptible to them.

Take hot showers and baths (nurse in the bath once its cooled down a bit), drink lots of water, get plenty of rest, and keep baby nursing on that side as much as possible.

[MandaMommy2]

Originally Posted by Teexie I got plugged ducts almost weekly for the first year or so of nursing. It's no fun. For me the triggers were bras, really any bra...I went without as much as possible and wore motherhood sleep bras while out of the house when I could get away with it...also sleeping on my side, and being away from baby for a couple hours. Taking lecithin regularly helped a bit. I think some people are just more susceptible to them. Take hot showers and baths (nurse in the bath once its cooled down a bit), drink lots of water, get plenty of rest, and keep baby nursing on that side as much as possible.

I think sleeping on my side leaning over on my tummy was the cause. I usually sleep on my back now but my husband was out of town so my son snuck into my bed and was kicking the crap put of me so I rolled over to get away. Then when I woke up this morning so much pain.

[MandaMommy2]

Originally Posted by Jenn135 Make sure you rinse off the tea tree oil before nursing. It is poisonous when eaten, even small amounts. I wonder if eating garlic would act as antibiotic and knock it out before its full blown

I'll try garlic. Minot sure I can even use the tea tree oil because the lump is so deep. This breast is just difficult. Even when not pregnant or nursing I had mastitis on this side.

[MandaMommy2]

It still hurts. I just keep trying to drain it but I've stopped drinking the mothers milk tea for now. I might have to go to the Ob tomorrow. I really didn't want to have to though. Can you have mastitis without a fever?

[bluecandi]

I stood in a hot shower, and kept massaging and expressing. First it was orange, then gloppy gunk, then it thinned out to bloody milk. I had this one duct that got all mastitisy about every other month.
Oh I also took a lecithin supplement...its supposed to make the fat in your milk less sticky. I have superfat milk. I dont think I had very many problems after that.

[SurprisinglyCrunchy]

Take a hot shower and brush a wide tooth comb against your breast (at the plug) toward your nipple. It works better if you bend at the waist so your breast is hanging down. It sounds really weird, but that's the only thing that has consistently worked for me.

If you have issues with recurrent plugs, you can take lecithin. http://kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/lecithin/

[SurprisinglyCrunchy]

Ha! We posted at the same time! I'm glad you seem to be getting it moving.