Straight From the Bottle

Ouch!  I assume you've already tried pumping, right?  Also, soy lecithin. Helps prevent clogs. Heat right before nursing/pumping, cold pack between attempts, and sometimes gravity helps. I used to pump leaning over toward the floor pushing like mad behind the clog.  If you happen to have a milk blister, clearing that will help. Rub it with a damp washcloth to open it.

If it's any consolation, I had a lot of pain with my left breast at first, but it improved by about 3.5 months.

Not to suggest what might be obvious, but have you tried ibuprofen (like 3-4 Advil)?  Aside from being a pain killer it is an anti-inflamatory and from the sound of it ("blowtorch on fire"!!!) you've got just a bit of inflamation going on.  Maybe it will at least take the edge off . . . I know when I got it, I had to resort to the Percocet they gave me after my C-section.  Hang in there!

If i were you I would have actually started to nurse with my right side more actively, so that new milk flow would only go there and not to the left boob. Then I would nurse with the left one little by little, everytime like 20 min with the right and 5 min with the left. The duct would eventually unclog. I have done that several times, it always took me one day to get rid of a stone-like boob.

Hmmmm... Doctor told me to nurse left boob so clogged duct wouldn't turn into abscess which freaks me the fuck out because then you have to get it surgically drained!!! Ahhhhh!!! Also, been taking Tylenol here and there but because I'm nursing I don't want to take anything stronger. Antibiotics (though approved for nursing) I feel like is already enough in terms of polluting my leche.

So sorry!  I actually had mastitis 5 times within my sons first 3 months, not just the blocked duct, but the flu symptoms that knock you down!  I was stictly pumping at the time as he wouldn't nurse, but thankfully he started nursing and we're doing fine and dandy know.  As much as it sucks keep Fable nursing on that side and hopefuly she will help clear it up.  I feel for you, mastitis is worse than childbirth in my opinion!  Good luck!

I had the boob-flu too, only once. But it was hellish. It actually cut my milk production in half for good, it was so bad. My doc prescribed me some pain killers that were so strong I have since been able to sell the leftovers for some hard cash. Not really. But almost.

I agree with the soy lecithin, make sure to get the granules, Whole foods has them. Usually in an old school style coffee tin.  Take with whatever 2-4 Tablespoons per day.  I swear this works.

Jack Newman has a great fact sheet on it. www.drjacknewman.com/.../Blocked%20Ducts%20&%20Mastitis.asp

I had a series of clogged ducts at 8 months of nursing.  WTF?  Another thing that worked for me was pointing baby's chin towards clogged part. It's supposed to help with sucking.  Since I had an upper right clog, that made for an interesting feeding position. ;-)  Good luck! Nicole B.

ok, this is probably going to sound insane, and i know you didn't exactly ask for advice, but have you tried cabbage leaves?

(i know, i know, but i know a couple of people this worked for. not a mom myself so no first hand knowledge, but...maybe?)

Have been doing the chin thing, too, which is easy because clog is on lower left side and although it feels smaller than it was Sunday its still very much there, protruding and painful. Also the boob flu? Horrible. I don't remember feeling that bad in many, many years.

Youch! That doesn't sound like fun at all. Nor does nursing around the clock. You must be exhausted!!

Try Lecithin.  It's very good for reoccurring plugged ducts.  Here's a link with the lowdown.  I've had several friends use it with very good results!

www.kellymom.com/.../lecithin.html

It really does. Just slip a nice, big cool leaf of it in your bra...when you're not nursing, that is.

Yo, friend of BMC here... big fan of boobs. ;) I had hideous recurrent plugged ducts and mastitis, suck suck suck. Lecithin and ultrasound. find a PT who can do therpeutic US on your boob and then either pump or nurse IMMEDIATELY after. brilliant. good luck!

I had a blogged duct and somewhere in my reading I came across the advice to use a large toothed comb to "comb" the area of the boob with the blocked duct to help the blockage move along.  I did that while running warm water over said boob several times, and it actually seemed to help.  

I had mastitis.

I had a fever of 105 that had me delusional on the couch, and my doctor didn't call me back [or call in my prescription] for SIX hours, so at midnight my husband brought me and a newborn to the emergency room.

After that, and I don't know why, my milk essentially stopped? It was a bummer, but I'm going to be honest here and say I was kind of relieved I could have my life back, and switch over to a little poison formula

This is going to sound like an old wives tale, but I know from experience that it works. Try putting a cool cabbage leaf on your left breast for a half hour to an hour. Cabbage can decrease your milk supply, so you have to be careful not to overdo it, but it really works at relieving clogged ducts.

Sorry.  It's rough; I know because I had a BR, too.  Just make sure you don't get thrush after taking the antibiotics.  That's no fun either.  Good luck!  I'm sure you're squeezing, too when you nurse/pump?  Cause that helps work it out too.  And taking warm showers and heat packs and drinking lots of water are good, too.

this is hard to do, but make sure babies lower jaw is at the sorce of the clogged duct. The harder the suck, the quicker it will get cleared out.

try massaging it while hanging your boob in a bowl of warm water. sounds and looks and feels RIDICULOUS (like if that doesn't make you feel like a cow I don't know what does) but it works. I continued to do it throughout a year of breast feeding whenever I could feel a lump coming on and it seemed to really help. good luck! oh ya, and keep on the probiotics so you dont get a yeast infection...because then she can get thrush and then you're in a whole other world of hurt...yikes.

When I had a plugged duct I held a heating pad on the hard area and massaged it during before and after nursing and it made a huge difference. I feel for you. Good luck, I hope it goes away!!!!

My nursing mother's companion told me to use a needle to poke the clogged duct.  I nearly crumpled to the floor with watery eyes when I read that.  It was the final straw to what I found to be the worst punishment ever, breastfeeding.  But, I kept on nursing no matter what as I was too lazy and cheap to consider buying and mixing formula for a baby that nursed around the clock.  A few plugged ducts later (no fever though, just plugged and painful) and I poked.  I still can't believe I did it, but it actually worked.  

Lots of vitamin C too.  Perhaps I should have mentioned that first...

Ok:

1st each breast makes milk independent of the other, so your doctor is right. You need to get the milk flowing.

2nd, I strongly recommend you visit drjacknewman.com and buy his book if you don't have it. He is awesome at explaining how to deal with all this bf bs.

3rd, follow drs orders, rest, and even thought it hurts you need to push with your knuckles or fingers on the plugged duct to do compressions to get  the milk out as you pump. It may hurt but then you will get relief once the clog moves! This is actually dr. newmans advice.

I've done it and it won't do any damage to your boob.

Good luck1

Mastitis is horrible!  I don't have any additional advice since it seems like you are doing all the right things, but I am just writing to sympathize with you.  I felt like I was going to die until I went on antibiotics and advil. This happened to me when my babe was only a month old.  She's 9 months now and we're still happily breastfeeding.  Best of luck dealing with this.  You're doing a great job!

oh yeah- had that once. def feels like the flu. even my hair hurt!! i was like a baby crying in the shower. got antibiotics and got over it with the quickness. sorry yours hasn't been as cooperative :(  good luck.

Having suffered mastitis 3 times, I feel for you.  In my experience, stress and too much pressure (bad bra, too many hours with AJ in the moby wrap, ill-fitting ring sling, etc.) were the culprits.  Soy lecithin, Emergen-C, lots of water, and lots of rest helped heal and prevent the boob flu.  While I agree that you should follow your doc's advice and nurse a lot on the affected side, don't neglect your good boob or you could end up with the same issue there, too!

Okay, clearly I'm a dumbass about this stuff, but you're saying you have a big nasty infection and Fable is supposed to suck it out and SWALLOW it??

(I love you. Feel better.)

ugh!  i totally feel (felt) your pain!!  i'm so sorry.  and it was the same... fever!  pain!  red lump!  oh, and the feeling that i was going to pass out when i stood up.  the doctor told me to nurse nurse nurse and even pump to get rid of the infection and it actually helps to build the immunity of the baby.  hope you feel better.  the medicine they gave me helped within hours.

Ouch -- that brings back painful memories. I got a huge one once and called my hospital's baby line.  This is what they told me, which worked after about a day:

1.  Warm, moist heat for 10 min before each nursing session (now for the strange part)-- Pour some water into a clean diaper and put it in the microwave until its warm, but not too hot (about 30-60 sec).  Put it directly over the blocked area.  The diaper holds in the moisture and the heat really well.

2. Always start nursing on the clogged side first, and nurse extra on that side (do left, right, then back to left again)

3. After nursing, ice it down for a few minutes to reduce the inflamation (frozen peas work well).

Also, you can take ibuprofin when you're nursing.  That's one of the pain meds they have you take if you have a c-section.

Good luck!

I nursed my four kids, and had mastitis multiple times.  Moist heat, positioning baby with chin toward duct, and nursing as much as possible all helped.  But my secret weapon was gravity-assisted nursing.  I put the baby on her back and got on my hands and knees over her and nursed that way.  It sounds strange and looks even stranger, but it really does work.  I did nurse the baby in the cradle hold for a couple of minutes first, so they wouldn't be overwhelmed by the initial let-down.

Ouch! I had four boob flus, love the term :) so hugs to you. I too would reccommend lecithin, vit C, and lots of warm compresses, and rest if you can squeeze it in. Feel better soon.

I'm going through this exact same thing right now. I highly recommend Advil - it has helped me a ton. Also, in addition to the antibiotics I'm eating lots of yogurt and taking a probiotic (Culturelle) to replace good bacteria in my system. Good luck and keep nursing through the pain. Hopefully you'll feel better soon.

When I had a clogged duct my friend (an old pro at clogged ducts) told me to look and see if there was a tiny white dot on my nipple, and if there was, to pick it off.  At first there was no white dot and I thought she was crazy.  But after a day of nursing, pumping, and applying heat, I happened to inspect my nipple and - sure enough - the tiny white dot was there!  I carefully picked it off and milk started shooting out like a geyser.  I popped the baby on there and within five minutes or so the clog was gone.

So...if you see a white dot, pick it off immediately!  It might be the clog that has risen to the surface and is stuck in there like a plug.  Good luck!

Dude, do not use the cabbage leaves if you are concerned about reducing your milk supply, because that is their side effect. Ditto on the not nursing as much on the infected side. The clog itself is in danger of reducing your milk supply already, so you definitely want to keep it up by having F nurse as much as possible there.

At the beginning of my now almost two-year-long b'feeding career, I had clogs like a mo'fo' all the f'in time. The wonderful psychologist at the parenting center that I did my new mom's circle at told me that women with naturally big boobs actually have a tendency towards more b'feeding problems re. latch and clogging because of the length between the top of the duct and the nipple. A long and winding road. She gave me some good tips, including the one I shared with you a couple of weeks ago about soaking your boob in a bowl of hot salty water and massaging downwards. Thanks to the arsenal of defense I got from the parenting center, I have never had mastitis, even though I have had clogged ducts very frequently.

Here is what I used to do when Miss M was F's age:

a. Do the soaking while massaging thing. Or sometimes I found it equally, if not more effective to take a very hot shower while running a wide toothed comb over the clog until it was loose enough to get my fingers into it.

b. Remove any white dots on the nipple if they are present. It works best and hurts less after a good soak.

b. When the breast was nice and warm, I would often get my bitch, I mean, husband to do some massaging one, because I could then completely relax my body which makes a difference to milk release, and two, because this was the most booby action he was allowed to get at the time.

c. Then I would start Miss M on the bad breast, because the suction is stronger and faster when the baby is hungry at the beginning of a feed. Then I would switch her over to the other breast before she was completely full to remove some of the milk. Even though my normal method is to feed with one breast at a time, during a clog, I find that this method is both effective for getting rid of the clog and for maintaining even milk production on both breasts. It is possible to get lopsided milk production and you don't want that. If baby still seems willing, put her back on the infected side to finish the feed.

d. During the feed, I discovered that getting my husband to do reflexology on the same side as the infected breast was very helpful in getting the milk flowing. If nothing else, it will distract you somewhat from the pain. The part of the foot that pertains to the lymphatic system and the milk ducts is along the top of the foot. Get H to run his thumb downwards in the spaces between the veins that go towards your toes. He should end up between your toes.

e. I kept a heating pad on the clog all day long. I would imagine that icing the area after a feed might be smart too, but I could never tolerate the cold. For me, the constant heat kept the area as relaxed as possible. Feeling cold would always cause my body and by extension the ducts to restrict.

f. Take soya lechitin. This is a long term measure that helps to prevent clogs by reducing the viscosity of your milk. It never completely prevented me from getting clogs, but I think it helped. Also, during a clog, do not eat things with animal fat - no milk, butter, or cheese. I always find that there is a correlation for me between eating lots of cheese and getting clogged. I know you are a vegetarian, so no worries on the bacon front.

g. Take acidophilus. It helps keep up your natural flora while on antibiotics and boosts your immune system in general. There is a correlation between low immune system and clogs, so when you are tired, run down, or stressed, you are most susceptible. When Miss M was an infant, I got clogged every we went to visit my mother-in-law. Every f'in time, for shizz. Try to get extra sleep. It's probably impossible with a toddler around, but I was told to stay in bed with the baby all day until the clog resolved.

h. Last thing I can suggest is instead of nursing in a seated upright position, try lying down with your head and neck well supported by a pillow and baby under your arm. Fully relaxing your arms, neck, and shoulders in this position might help the milk to flow more freely and pass the clog.

Best of luck, Rebecca. I hope this resolves for you very very soon! By the by, I have also been obsessed with Anais Nin since I was about 15. Never came across anyone else who felt the same - I was always pissed at the camp that claimed that hers was a "minor literature." Wx

cabbage has been brought up in previous posts. It does work and if it helps you to get rid of mastitis faster then there won't be any side-effects mentioned above. The longer you have mastitis the worse it is, no?

I've used cabbage leaves while BF 2 children. At first it helped me to cope with with the initial milk-flow and then  mastitis about 3 times. I've experienced it to be the easiest, healthiest, fastest, not to mention cheapest cure.

Ohhh, I'm sorry you are going through that.  Hope it goes away soon--it sounds like it totally sucks.  And my right boob was always a BFing wimp.  Low on production, slow to let down and then once it did let down, it was a gusher, so the baby hated it b/b it would make him choke.  Now its smaller than my left one--I'm hoping when I stop nursing they go back to semi-the same size.

Sorry about the mastitis, i had it too and it totally sucks!  And whoohoo for Obama!

On an unrelated topic, I remember reading in a previous post that Archer slept with you until he was 6 months old and you plan on doing the same with Fable.  My son is just about 6 months old and naps really well in his crib during the day but sleeps with us at night.  Every attempt we have made to move him to his crib at night has failed miserably.  Any advice?  how did you do it?

I've only had three breast infections but this is what I know:

1. Cabbage works wonders.

2. You can nurse your baby in a warm bath. I got so fed up with one infection I drew a warm bath and nursed my baby while I was in the tub. I did that three feedings in a row and everything got better.

Note: Be sure not to drown baby!!!

Hi Rebecca,

My friend, who is a doctor (and big-time breastfeeder), told me to do the following when I was just beginning to develop a hard lump in one of my breasts, and nursing wasnt unclogging the duct (it might be too late to do this for your mastitis now, but maybe for next time?):

1. Completely sterilize a needle (I used an open flame and then rubbing alcohol)

2. Put a warm compress on the sore area for a few minutes.

3. Look for a white dot on the nipple of the affected breast. (it wont look like a pimple/white head. It will look like a tiny white speck, smaller than the head of a pin) It should be somewhere on the tip of the nipple.

4. Poke the white speck with the sterilized needle. (It shouldnt break the skin, although Ive had to do this a handful of times over the past year, and a couple of times, the speck has bled a tiny bit.)

5. Once you poke the speck, a stream of milk should squirt out. You can apply a bit of pressure on the sore area, and even more milk will squirt out (in my case, the milk shot across the room in a huge arch for 45 seconds straight).

Basically, you unclog the duct this way. This will immediately make the pain go away. Sometimes, you have to repeat this process over subsequent days, as the clog works itself out. Keep feeling the area where the caking happened, to see if the pain returns. It may not. Many times, it works in one shot. I always clean the nipple afterwards with neosporin, especially if it bled at all.

Hope this is helpful. My friend tells me, it's a proactive way to prevent a clogged duct from becoming mastitis. Good luck!

Yeesh! I have no words of advice because I was lucky enough to escape this, but I do hope you feel better soon.

I had a recurring clogged duct on the left side as well, although the comedy of it was that it was at about 11 o'clock in terms of where it was on my boob.  Everything I read said the thing about nursing so the chin is over the clog and I was all "how the hell am I supposed to do that - hold the child upside down?".  Then a neighbor who happens to be a surgeon told me to lay on a bed and have the baby nurse such that he's over my shoulder.  Out of desperation I attempted this, with my husband serving as spotter.  The kid was having none of this eating as acrobatics crap and instead proceeded to headbutt the poor, throbbing boob in protest.  

So yeah, I feel ya.  Good luck.  Mine all went away eventually, and it sounds like you are doing everything right, so at some point your body just has to step up and clear that plug - trust me, you'll shot like a geyser once it dislodges.  

Had this once.

Thought I was dying.

Kind of wanted to.

I am so, so sorry.  Hang in there.

Rebecca, you really deserve that medal you recently awarded yourself...

I have had mastitis too many times to count.  Ugh, I feel for ya.  What works best for me to clear it up is to take a hot shower and massage (by massage I mean pushing the clog toward your nipple) while pumping (in the shower), then nurse right after the shower (also massaging).  Sometimes nursing while the baby is laying down and you are on your hands and knees is best.

i agree with everyone who mentioned cabbage, because it fucking works wonders for the pain and swelling.  i don't have mastitis experience, as i only nursed for 5 weeks with my son, but when i had to turn off my faucets, the cabbage was miraculous for the pain and the rock-hardedness.  head to the grocery.  buy a head.  place head in fridge until chilled.  peel off leaves and start stuffing the bra (sports bra works best if you can find one that fits over those melons).  as soon as the cabbage is warm from your body heat, swap out for newly chilled leaves.  good luck!

Okay so my duct unclogged yesterday! No idea what did (maybe Fable sucking the H out of my boob?) Still on antibiotics, though. Want to make sure that baby is GONE FOR GOOD! Of course the day I finally feel like myself again I get an IUD ... so now the pain is coming from the cramping in my uterus. AINT WOMANHOOD GRAND?

so glad you're feeling better! wooo! and so much awesome advice here too, note to self to remember this blog for possible future reference. (hopefully not.)

I've has mastitits EIGHT times between my three kids.   I feel your pain :)  The first time was the worst because I didn't know what was happening.  Now I'm a pro at detecting onset.  However, the last two times I've had it, the symptoms came back as soon as I finished antibiotics so I would have to get a new prescription immediately.  

Also, my left boob has never recovered.  I'm lopsided now and I have had to start supplementing with formula a couple times a day.  boo. hiss.  Not quite sure how I can fail at breastfeeding the third time around....  

Be well (and don't try the needle trick, that's nuts!)!

oh yay on the IUD!  and yay on the no more mastitis!  but no yay on the cramping.  boo cramping.  been wondering what you decided on the mirena IUD discussion.  glad to hear that you got the ultimate sperm blocker!!!  too bad cabbage doesn't work the same way for cramps as they do boobs...  you could put some leaves down your pants and test it out though, just for kicks.  :)~

I'm glad its better.

Not to totally freak you and everyone out but this is how bad it got for my cousin... her's became an abscess which they were about to have drained. She went to get a shower at the hospital before the procedure and it literally burst. The nurses layed her down and squeezed the rest of the infection out. It soaked her gown! Then she had to have a nurse come stay with them because they had to clean and pack the hole it left behind. BTW, her baby was like 3 weeks old when it happened. I still hurt when I think of it.

I know - TMI.

Lindsee --  I was so afraid of an abscess because it hadn't gone away in four days but on day five? It finally fled the scene. As for the IUD? I'll write about my experience here in a few days. Basically? It pinched a little going in, cramped for about four hours (also kinda felt faint) and I've felt fine and dandy ever since.

I agree with the Advil and uber-pumping--crank that baby up to 11. I had this at about 15 months, and again when I weaned at 17. It sucks. But Advil is fine--check with your doc, but I remember them telling me it was OK. And it really does help!

Hang in there! (ba dum chik!)

Owww!!!! I feel for you!!!  It's been over 10 years since I had a breast infection but I CLEARLY remember having a death grip on the arm of the couch to get ready for him to latch on!  *shudder*

Having suffered form clogged ducts, lumps and engorgement, a lot, but esp with #2, my secret weapon and speed dial number 1, is my PHYSIOTHERAPIST.  I go and I get massaged (I chose a woman, but any of them can do it), because they will massage harder then you ever will.  They also do a bit of ultra sound, which is so soothing and also helps reduce the lump.  They also do laser for sore nipples!  So worth it!  Hope you feel better soon. x

Thank you, ever-helpful Rebecca. I've been dealing with a plugged duct all day, but I think I have the tools to deal with it now before it gets out of hand.