Newbie here with a bf question!

[dcn]

Hi all! I've been lurking a long time and have learned so much from reading posts here, hopefully someone has some knowledge

DS is 8 weeks old, I am bf him and it's gone pretty smoothly so far. I seem to be plagued with plugged milk ducts though. In the past I've been able to work them out in a day or 2, but I have one that is going on 6 days and will not budge.

I've tried everything (changing positions, massage, heat, hot showers with massage and manual expression, dangle feeding, Epsom salt soaks) I am taking lecithin, I only wear a soft cup bra when I leave the house, otherwise I'm braless. I spoke with a lactation consultant and she said to just keep doing what I am doing and to call my Dr if it doesn't resolve in the next week or so, or if I start to have any fever, redness, etc.

I guess my question is - does anyone have any experience with a plugged duct that wouldn't resolve? I've read about having ultrasound done on it, I'm curious to know if anyone had any success with that.

[gibbinator]

Yikes, that's got to be sore. The longest I've had one is 2 days.

Are you positioning your baby so that his chin points at the duct in question? Start with that boob so his strongest sucking targets thr duct.
Take ibuprofen to reduce inflamation

Um, you've pretty much already listed everything else I do.

[livinitup]

You sound like a BF rock star! So sorry this is all happening, but you are doing everything you possibly can. I hope it resolves.

[huskymom]

I did the u/s therapy and it really helped. It was covered by my insurance too, bc my LC wrote me an rx.

[huskymom]

There's also a supplement that supposedly can help - lecithin.

[knitty]

Depending where you get them and the shape of your breasts a bra might actually help. The only other suggestion I have is dietary fat sources, but if you're on lecithin you've probably already considered that.

In theory the repeatedly clogging ducts should produce less and less because they don't get drained as much, and thus clog less often, but I only heard that in a talk once, I don't know how often it happens.

[dcn]

Thanks - I'm glad to know someone had success with u/s!

The plug is right where my armpit meets my breast, sooooo to get his chin to point that way will take some acrobatics, haha. Luckily it isn't very painful anymore, it's just kind of there and nagging in the back of my head all the time. DS is nursing fine on that side and seems to be getting plenty of milk so at least that's one less worry.

I haven't had any repeat in one spot, they've been all around and in both breasts, so who knows. I need to be better about changing positions so that he fully empties the breast I think.

[gibbinator]

The good news ia you're almost to the 12 week mark when your supply regulates better and the engorgement (and plugged ducts) should become a lot less frequent

As for the armpit duct, football hold would be close. You could try side lying in bed with his feet at your nose, but I personally couldn't nurse in bed when ds wass that young (whether because he was too small or I was too inexperienced, who knows) but it doesn't hurt to give it a shot right?

Hope it sorts itself out soon though.

[mmmomof2]

Do you have a whitish pimple on your nipple? If so, google "milk bleb". It's a blister that blocks the milk from getting out. It has to be popped or scraped off. I did it myself, but the web said to see a dr/nurse so it was sterile.

Regardless, I would see a dr anyway. You don't want to develop an abscess .