Clogged Ducts

in this post:

• what is a clogged duct?

• home treatments for a clogged duct

For any breastfeeding moms out there who have ever had a clogged duct, you know what I am talking about when I say it is NOT fun. At first, it is hard to know for sure if you are dealing with a clogged duct or not. The first time I had one, I felt very tender localized pain that hurt extremely badly. There wasn’t any redness and I didn’t have other symptoms yet, but I was trying everything to heal and prevent mastitis. Luckily, I was able to do some treatments at home that seemed to work for me! Always contact your doctor first, though. If a clogged duct leads to infection (mastitis), it can be extremely dangerous and usually needs to be treated with antibiotics.

what is a clogged duct?

Clogged ducts happen when milk sits in the ducts and is not being removed. It is important to treat any symptoms quickly once you begin to notice them. These may include….

• hard pea-sized lump

• soreness to breast

• tenderness to breast

• feels like it’s bruising 

• no accompanying fever 

home treatments for a clogged duct

nursing & positioning

• try and change your baby’s orientation by nursing in every position imaginable so they can get to the right duct

• dangle feed: lean your body over your baby so that they are underneath you and your breasts are literally “dangling” while they suck or just feed leaning over as much as you can

• avoid overfeeding and ensure proper latch

massage & ice

• manual massage: gently move your hands from nipple to armpit to drain lympathic fluid

• try an ice roller over the area to reduce inflammation

medication & supplements

• take ibuprofen (with food) to manage swelling and pain

• adding vitamin C, sunflower lecithin (the one I’ve used), and choline, which can help thin milk

• probiotics may help prevent mastitis

• stay hydrated & eat foods with healthy fats, like nuts/seeds, salmon, and avocados

pumping

• repeated milk expression can worsen inflammation

• check flange size and make sure your pump is powerful enough (this can sometimes lead to clogged ducts if your pump isn’t efficiently removing milk)

lifestyle measures

• REST! this one can be hard for us moms, but mastitis often comes on when we are extra fatigued or stressed

As always, my number one tip is to always consult with your doctor and/or an IBCLC. If clogged ducts are left untreated, they can turn into mastitis which can be serious and usually requires medical treatment and antibiotics. If you feel symptoms such as fatigue, fever, or intense pain it’s best to contact your healthcare provider right away rather than just treating at home, as a mastitis infection can be very serious.  

Rest, hydrate, and heal!

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Sources:

• Mitchell KB, Johnson HM, Rodríguez JM, Eglash A, Scherzinger C, Zakarija-Grkovic I, Cash KW, Berens P, Miller B; Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. ABM Clinical Protocol #36: The Mastitis Spectrum, Revised 2022. Breastfeeding Medicine. 2022;17(5):360-376. doi:10.1089/bfm.2022.29207.kbm.