Clogged Milk Duct

I had my baby three weeks ago tomorrow and have been exclusively breast feeding. It’s all been going well until this weekend when my left breast got really hard in one spot where the milk comes in—almost like it was engorged. I’m realizing now that it’s totally clogged. I haven’t started pumping yet and am wondering if anyone has any tips to help unclog it? I’m using an ice pack now and will try to express in the shower. Maybe I’ll try to pump tomorrow too I just haven’t tried it yet. It’s slightly red and irritated in that spot on my skin too but not terribly so, also wondering if/when I should call my OB?

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Massage & express under a hot shower, was the best thing when I had mastitis early on. My husband also has helped unclog some ducts!

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thank you so much! I just tried this and it definitely seemed to help. I’m thinking maybe I’ll try again in the morning too and it’ll be resolved. Appreciate it!!

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thank you so much! I don’t have a temperature but it took me a couple of days to realize I was clogged and not just engorged so it’s a little red I think from me like trying to express it with pressure? Will keep an eye.

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thank you!! Is the mastitis something to be worried about or can it just resolve itself naturally? I’ve read online about it too but wondering from your experience

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A warm compress would be better than an ice pack. You want to dilate the vessels and ice is going to constrict everything and make it worse. As others have said, warmth and expressing will help move things along

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I use to put a warm compress on ans massage around and hand express and it wouldn't help. Clogged ducts are awful. I also had mastitis early on hopefully it doesnt turn to that but mine was red mark and i felt ill but it did go away by itself with what i did ^^

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Express hard too lolol you gotta borderline hurt yourself 😂

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Oh dear - see a lactation consultant and doctor. I had this happen and ended up in hospital for 5 days with a breast abscess. I did all the warm compress and tried unclogging with the Haakaa, turns out it was all the wrong and old advice. This was my 2nd baby too.

All the advice has changed to cold compress only and to have ibuprofen straight away to reduce inflammation. Now that I had my 3rd baby 5 weeks ago and the hospitals are telling this to us now (in Australia).

Also best get on antibiotics specifically flucloxacillin from your doctor if infected / mastitis asap.

Having had this before and had it turn out so terribly for me, I strongly advise going to the doctor as soon as possible. GL hun x

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I'm getting clogs daily for the last couple of weeks, they're horrible but I've found a hot shower and massage and look at your nipple. You can kinda often see them (or atleast i can) as tiny white dots when you're expressing, if you pinpoint them you can apply a little more pressure more targeted and I've found they will pop out (usually in my eye) and drain down my boobs (literally can feel and see the pockets of milk drain out with no assistance). Applying a hakaa with hot water and epsom salts in it for some time also helps.

I've started taking sunflower lecithin as that's supposed to help (can take soya as well), only been a few days so not sure if it's working yet. If it gets red or you get a temp or start feeling sick see a doctor. Don't over express either as this will increase your supply and make it worse rather than better. Good luck, I literally can feel your pain right now!

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You need to fill up a haakaa with warm water and some epsom salt and let it drain out the clogged duct. If not have your partner if possible try and suck it out after you try the warm water in the haakaa

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https://a.co/d/5joN2E1

Lactation massager helped me a ton, the heat and vibration during pumping or breastfeeding helped release a lot of milk

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mine wasn’t very severe, I had flu like symptoms for one day and it started to resolve itself and got a lot better after a long hot shower but I still got some medicine from my midwife just in case

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thank you! Going to my OB tomorrow to get medicine!

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