BF poll: plugged ducts

[noodleoo]

I'm having a disagreement with my sister and I'm curious if I'm overreacting. How normal are plugged ducts? I was complaining to her about them because I keep getting them and they are SO painful. I've had 5 this week alone and they are killing me. I keep waking up from the pain, lots of tears, etc. she keeps telling me that they are just part of breastfeeding, not a big deal unless they get infected, she got them and they weren't a big deal, no one she knows has ever complained about them. It is really starting to bother me that she's making me feel like a baby. She also said she never had to do anything to clear them, where I have to work pretty hard to and it is overwhelming. 

Anyway, am I a big baby and it is just totally normal?

[Deleted]

Maybe a handful of times in 4 years, but I never did anything about them really. I also didn't (have to) pump, though.

[karinothing]

If I have had one, I did not notice. They do not sound pleasant though.

[Deleted]

I didn't vote because it was different each time. With J I got maybe 2 the entire time I was nursing/pumping.

With the girls I got them often, wvery month or so. I had to work to clear them because I was always afraid of mastitis. One time it didn't clear and I got mastitis. The girls were around 13mos at that point. I haven't had any since then but they only nurse 2 to 3 a day now at almost 17 mos.

[sparrow]

Never, but have only been BF six months so it may still happen in the future

[pooh8402]

Weird, I was going to start a thread on this very subject today. I've had 3 in the last 2 weeks, always in the same spot (right breast, 12 o'clock to 3 o'clock). My LC said some women are just prone to them, and to make sure I'm draining my breasts, and change positions when nursing. I just cleared one last night, and each of these have taken 24-36 hours to clear, with lots of work on my end.

[Brie]

It seems to me like if you're prone to them, you get a ton, but if not, you never get any.

I BFed C for 18 months and have BF/EPed for P for almost 7 and have never had one.

[Cicero]

Other: one in a year.

[Poppy]

I *think* I had one once after wearing a different (tighter) nursing bra. But no, not something I deal with regularly, fortunately.

[woodenshoes]

In 25 months of nursing I would say I have had maybe 10 clogs. All were painful and I really had to work at unclogging them. They've been fairly spaced out, too. Team you.

[justjen]

I voted infrequent, but it's way less than once a month. I've had one so far in 6 months of feeding M. I maybe had 2-3 total during 2 years of nursing L.

[glitzy07]

I think noodleskooze dealt with a lot of these, maybe?

I was fortunate that I never had any in my 18mo of nursing.

[karinothing]

What do they feel like?

[meltoine]

I've had 3 total in almost 5 years of BF.

[meltoine]

Aug 7, 2015 10:49:47 GMT -5 noodleoo said:

I'm having a disagreement with my sister and I'm curious if I'm overreacting. How normal are plugged ducts? I was complaining to her about them because I keep getting them and they are SO painful. I've had 5 this week alone and they are killing me. I keep waking up from the pain, lots of tears, etc. she keeps telling me that they are just part of breastfeeding, not a big deal unless they get infected, she got them and they weren't a big deal, no one she knows has ever complained about them. It is really starting to bother me that she's making me feel like a baby. She also said she never had to do anything to clear them, where I have to work pretty hard to and it is overwhelming. 

Anyway, am I a big baby and it is just totally normal?

Have you been properly fitted for your nursing bras? Bras that don't fit right (and thus, lie on top of and compress any breast tissue) are the major cause of plugged ducts.

[Deleted]

I think 5 in a week is not normal. I got them often but not that often. Maybe once a week. Have you tried leciten (is that what its called). Also what is your production like? I had to really empty myself every session of else I would get them. My body kind of self regulated itself eventually and they slowed down. I feel like if I slept funny I would get them (like rolled over on my boob).

[Deleted]

Aug 7, 2015 11:11:05 GMT -5 meltoine said:

Aug 7, 2015 10:49:47 GMT -5 noodleoo said:

I'm having a disagreement with my sister and I'm curious if I'm overreacting. How normal are plugged ducts? I was complaining to her about them because I keep getting them and they are SO painful. I've had 5 this week alone and they are killing me. I keep waking up from the pain, lots of tears, etc. she keeps telling me that they are just part of breastfeeding, not a big deal unless they get infected, she got them and they weren't a big deal, no one she knows has ever complained about them. It is really starting to bother me that she's making me feel like a baby. She also said she never had to do anything to clear them, where I have to work pretty hard to and it is overwhelming. 

Anyway, am I a big baby and it is just totally normal?

Have you been properly fitted for your nursing bras? Bras that don't fit right (and thus, lie on top of and compress any breast tissue) are the major cause of plugged ducts.

This too.  When I wore nursing tanks my boob would fold over onto my belly (I have no way of better describing it).  THe crease there would get the clog. 

[oswin]

I vote not normal that you're getting so many. I've had a couple since DS was born, but they don't sound nearly as bad as yours, mine have cleared up quickly once I emptied the breast.

[cricketwife]

TMI -disgustingness ahead.

Yeah, they are awful. Honestly (and sadly), one of the things I remember the most about breastfeeding is the LC using a needle to unclog a duct, and then drawing the bloody mucous out with a pump. It was not pleasant.

[dcn]

I got 2-3 a week from three weeks pp until about 4 months. They slowed in frequency around three months and then pretty much stopped after four. Which is around when my milk supply really regulated.

So yes for some women they are common. They suck. I'm sorry

[Ashley&Scott]

I have had them but they were infrequent. However they were painful & annoying. I think it's crappy of her to be all judgmental about it when she hasn't had any.

[dcn]

Are you taking lecithin? That seemed to help for me.

[noodleskooze]

I had a lot, but I was EPing and had slow flowing milk. Lecithin helped a bit, but I basically had to do continuous compressions the whole time I pumped.

[Queen Mamadala]

I chose never, because it's almost never. I can count on two hands how many times I've had a clogged duct, and that's through nursing three kids well into toddlerhood and my 8 month old. I've noticed only two minor ones with her.

[linz]

Well the first few months I got them all the time. Then I would get one maybe once a month if I didn't empty good at work but it was clear the next time I pumped. I remember month 2-3 being awful where I had to take steaming hot showers and squeeze the hell out of my boobs to get them out.

[Deleted]

With Ben I got some nasty ones EPing so I took Lechitin forever after that.

So far with Ethan none I haven't managed to massage out.

[rt2008]

I got at least one a day and they were the biggest reason for me quitting breastfeeding. I do think they're worse for some people than they are for others and I definitely feel your pain. I did lethicin, tried many different bras etc and nothing helped me from getting them. I'm really sorry.

[noodleoo]

Ok, this poll is making me feel both better and worse at the same time. Better because I'm right and worse because it sucks that I get them so often. I am taking lecithin, but it doesn't seem to help (but I figure it doesn't hurt!). When I get them I get a really hard, painful spot in my breast. It feels like I'm engorged, but doesn't go away with feeding until I clear it. Nursing hasn't really cleeared them for me, I have to take hot showers or baths and really work them out. I can often feel it when it clears and then squeeze out a bunch of milk, which finally reliefs the pain.

I was wearing nursing bras, but I think eu were too tight. I'm pretty much wearing Gap pullover wireless bras which are comfortable and I don't think they are too tight. I can't go topless because I need pads for leaks. Maybe I'll try wearing a nursing tank that might be looser.

I also wonder if sleeping might be doing it. I like to sleep on my side and I tend to get them near my armpits, so maybe it is from pressure on my side while sleeping? Sigh.

I'm really hoping the frequency drops when my supply regulates, hopefully in the next few weeks. I do try to drain my breasts, but she gets full pretty fast. I don't want to pump after feeding because I don't want to encourage more supply. Since I'm SAH, I'm not pumping regularly at all.

[simpsongal]

I said never but I did get milk blisters - not exactly the same though.

[noodleoo]

Aug 7, 2015 11:40:44 GMT -5 rt2008 said:

I got at least one a day and they were the biggest reason for me quitting breastfeeding. I do think they're worse for some people than they are for others and I definitely feel your pain. I did lethicin, tried many different bras etc and nothing helped me from getting them. I'm really sorry.

Thx. Yeah, when I have them I keep telling my H I'm going to quit BFing. That's why it bugged me so much when my sister dismisses the pain. there is no way people BF for a year or more dealing with this kind of pain!!