Plugged Ducts

A plugged duct is a hard, often painful, area in the breast that doesn’t soften during feeding.  It may be caused by skipped feedings or uneven breast drainage due to shallow latch, poor positioning, or tight clothing.

Treatments for plugged ducts include

•Cold packs and ibuprofen for reducing pain and swelling between feeds.

•Very warm wet compresses or a warm shower before feeding—try a castor oil compress or dangle breast in a bowl of warm water and use gentle massage and/or hand-expression.

•Gentle massage during nursing—some moms find that a hand-held massager or electric toothbrush held against the plug is helpful.

•Frequent nursing on affected breast—vary nursing positions.

Recurring plugged ducts may be due to uneven breast drainage caused by tongue or lip-tie.  Another common cause is poor positioning.  Often as baby grows, mom will continue to hold baby in her lap to feed, causing baby to pull nipple to the side.

Often, all that is needed is to move baby toward his or her feet, so that the nipple is not pulled to the side.  Pay close attention to latch and positioning, lining up nose to nipple and leading with baby’s chin.  Baby’s chin should touch breast before latching allowing baby’s neck to extend and avoiding a tucked chin.

Some positions that may help with releasing a plugged duct are shown in the following photos.

Mastitis

Unrelieved plugged ducts can lead to mastitis, though mastitis can occur with no noticeable symptoms of plugged ducts.   Other possible causes are skipped feeds, cracked nipples, illness, and over-exertion.  It is important for mom to rest and nurse on the affected breast very frequently when mastitis occurs.  Nursing from an affected breast will not harm the baby.  Untreated mastitis can lead to breast abscess which requires surgical aspiration or drainage.

Symptoms of mastitis include

•Red hard painful breast.

•Fever.

•Flu-like symptoms.

•Only symptom may be deep breast pain that doesn’t resolve.

Treatments for mastitis include

•Cold compresses between feeds and ibuprofen for pain relief.

•Warm, wet compresses right before feeding, castor oil compress, massage during feeding, rest, and frequent nursing.

•Raw garlic—2-4 cloves a day, homeopathic phytolacca, belladona, hepar-sulph.

•If not better in 24 hours contact health care provider for prescription.

•Prescribed antibiotics must be effective against staph.

•Take a probiotic while taking antibiotics and for 2 weeks afterward to avoid thrush!

© 2012 Laura Spitzfaden, IBCLC