Episode 03: How to Unplug a Plugged Milk Duct
Today we are discussing how to unplug a plugged milk duct!
You need to do 3 things over and over in order to unplug a plugged duct:
Express milk often (nurse your baby more, pump and hand express)
Put a warm compress on the area (specifically a moist warm compress, my favorite compress is a clean diaper, filled with water, warmed in the microwave 1 minute)
Massage: massage your boob focusing on the affected area. Try to massage it toward your nipple, but honestly you just need to massage the crap out of the entire area going any which way you can. Also, use a vibrator to massage it out!
According to KellyMom.com a plugged duct is: "An area of the breast where milk flow is obstructed."
What causes them:
Failure to remove milk
Going too long in between nursing sessions
Pressure on the area (example: wearing an underwire bra)
What does it feel like:
It hurts!
It feels hard
If its red in appearance and if its warm to the touch: it might be mastitis.
Symptoms are the same, but it is also accompanied by the area looking red and being warm to the touch, as well as you feeling like you have flu-like symptoms.
My experience:
Started getting them when my daughter was 3 months old
Got them weekly for 6 months
I researched and tried everything to get them out and keep them from recurring
Warm compresses:
My favorite warm compress is a diaper that you fill with water, fold up and heat in microwave for 1 minute
At the first sign of a clogged duct, apply a warm compress right away and use it on the area frequently
Alternate applying the compress with massage.
Massage:
It will hurt and you wont want to touch the area
You need to massage the area to help break up the clog and to encourage milk to flow from the duct that is plugged.
You should massage before expressing, during and after
Use a vibrator to massage your affected boob, it is often more effective than just your fingers
There are Lactation Massagers on the market too
Expressing:
Express as much as possible by nursing, hand expressing and pumping
Do not neglect the boob that doesn’t have the clog, or else you could get another clog in that boob.
Follow your normal schedule of nursing your baby,
I recommend always starting your nursing session on the boob that you have the clog in
If you pump, you need to hand express after you pump
Also, when you pump I recommend using the LactaMed Simplicity Hands Free Bra, you can massage more effectively while you pump with this type of bra
Other things to keep in mind:
Some take an hour, some 4 days
Don’t panic if it does take several days, just keep repeating the process everyday!
Plugged ducts reduce milk supply temporarily
When clogs come out it will be obvious in most cases!
The hard as a rock feeling goes away
Milk will be able to flow like it did before
It will feel bruised for awhile after
To recap, to get a plugged duct out:
Express milk often
Put a warm compress on the area
Massage your boob focusing on the affected area