https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:34:52 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/uneven-production-and-recurrent-clogs#post-2757262 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 17:26:26 +0000 peaches1038 2757262@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: totally agree about the whiteheads (blebs)!!! I had those too and apparently blocked it from my memory. The spurt of milk once I got it was such a relief! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/uneven-production-and-recurrent-clogs#post-2757241 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 16:04:11 +0000 DesertDreams88 2757241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>ugh, clogs suck :(<br /> I echo the recommendations above, and three other things:<br /> 1) Hand massage while nursing (get DH to do it if you can't)<br /> 2) Press a vibrating toothbrush against the clog area while nursing<br /> 3) Take a hot shower and get a wet washcloth. Look at the tip of your nipple. See if there are any little white dots that look like whiteheads, especially close to the clog area. This sounds gross, but rub the washcloth vigorously against that spot, and pick it if you have to. If you get the "whitehead" off, there will likely be a spurt of milk, and hand express until you feel better. This is how I solved 3 of my 4 clogs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/uneven-production-and-recurrent-clogs#post-2757204 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 14:50:00 +0000 jape14 2757204@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>so sorry you keep getting mastitis -- it's the worst! I had it with J at one week postpartum. it was in my left boob and subsequently that one lagged in production, though not as dramatically as yours. I started taking sunflower lecithin and didn't have another case or any clogged ducts. the other thing I think that may have contributed was wearing a too-tight bra to bed when he went for longer stretches without feeding. so maybe try a larger bra/tank situation for overnights? good luck!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/uneven-production-and-recurrent-clogs#post-2757182 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 13:59:26 +0000 JennyPenny 2757182@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hellobeeboston: hmm... I do sleep on that side usually... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/uneven-production-and-recurrent-clogs#post-2757171 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 13:32:44 +0000 Littlebit7 2757171@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JennyPenny: man i feel for you. i had mastitis. it was awful.<br /> the only thing i could suggest is to try to massage when pumping, or perhaps just before pumping. It can help to open milk pathways (and ensure everything is ready to flow) before you start pumping or nursing. If you tend to clog in a particular area pay attention to that area (work from behind the area and slowly towards the center. Ie if clog is on the far left part of L breast, work from L armpit towards nipple in a straight-line or tiny circles and repeat a few times, varying the location a bit). You can do this while you are pumping or nursing as well </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/uneven-production-and-recurrent-clogs#post-2757169 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 13:30:54 +0000 hellobeeboston 2757169@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh you poor thing!!!! i'm sorry.</p> <p>with my second i kept getting clogged ducts mainly on one side -- i stopped wearing tight bras/shirts even the nursing tanks with the tight band was creating issues... and i did a lot of massaging in the shower &amp; heat, and used a heating pad when I could also.</p> <p>I also couldn't even sleep on that side, even though I was just on my side, any additional pressure seemed to be causing a clog, </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/uneven-production-and-recurrent-clogs#post-2757168 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 13:27:17 +0000 JennyPenny 2757168@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Littlebit7: I did after the third case. The 4th ended up being pretty quick and I was able to treat it at home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/uneven-production-and-recurrent-clogs#post-2757166 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 13:17:41 +0000 Littlebit7 2757166@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JennyPenny: Did you do an antibiotics course? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/uneven-production-and-recurrent-clogs#post-2757163 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 13:08:30 +0000 JennyPenny 2757163@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for the recommendation ladies! I'm so excited about the prospect of helping the clogged duct/mastitis situation especially since its been seriously limiting my ability to exercise. </p> <p>@ineebee: I have for the mastitis cases - she thinks it was really just one infection that never fully cleared so it keeps coming back when I get a clog :-/ I didn't notice the association with poor production till recently though so I'll bring that up soon </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/uneven-production-and-recurrent-clogs#post-2757143 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 12:22:20 +0000 peaches1038 2757143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Another vote for the sunflower lecithin! You can take it for treatment and for prevention! I would get at least one clogged duct a month and once I started taking it, I never had another one. </p> <p>NOW Sunflower Lecithin 1200 mg,100 Softgels <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BHSXPS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_SJqzzb091HSZ7" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BHSXPS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_SJqzzb091HSZ7</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/uneven-production-and-recurrent-clogs#post-2757141 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 12:20:17 +0000 littlejoy 2757141@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm so sorry! That's rough!!! Definitely try sunflower or soy lecithin. I've had friends who went through this, and it helped them immensely. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/uneven-production-and-recurrent-clogs#post-2757138 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 12:19:26 +0000 ineebee 2757138@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>4 cases of mastitis??? You poor poor poor thing. I had recurrent clogged ducts, and my LC referred me to KellyMom's advice about Lecithin, and it was a massive lifesaver!! You can buy it at most drugstores! </p> <p>Also have you talked to an LC?</p> <p><a href="http://kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/lecithin/" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/lecithin/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/uneven-production-and-recurrent-clogs#post-2757072 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 10:06:50 +0000 JennyPenny 2757072@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My left boob is causing me some serious stress. I have had 4 cases of mastitis in my left boob since DS2 was born 12 weeks ago and several cases of clogged ducts as well. Its always produced a little bit less than the right, but now its an insane difference. In my early morning pump I got 9 oz from the right and 2 from the left. Has anyone experienced something similar? I'm wondering if the milk in the left is struggling to get out and that's why I keep having these issues...</p> <p>ETA: I did not have any of these issues with DS1 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-503759 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 16:13:44 +0000 bienlivingdesign 503759@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also, drink lots of water! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-503649 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 15:32:02 +0000 MaisyMay 503649@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>pumped on just the sore side for nearly an hour with the heating pad on it and it feels much better! I'll do it again in a bit, once LO is down for a nap. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-503646 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 15:31:28 +0000 Mrsbells 503646@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've had one very bad case of clogged duct and then since then I've had minor clogs that I've been able to resolve without it getting to the fever stage </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-503642 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 15:29:53 +0000 Ree723 503642@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sarac: Consider yourself very lucky! :-) </p> <p>I also second the recommendation of lecithin if recurring blocked ducts are an ongoing problem. Works wonders! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-503585 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 15:12:54 +0000 sarac 503585@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've never had one in 16 months, is that weird? Big side sleeper too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-503095 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 11:57:31 +0000 MaisyMay 503095@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks all. I'll give it a shot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-502899 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 10:52:05 +0000 mrsjazz 502899@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T-Mom: Yep, I have to do the needle method, too or there's NO relief. I have to be sure to run a washcloth over the boobs daily to help exfoliate to prevent them. No one warned me about all this stuff! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-502878 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 10:46:56 +0000 T-Mom 502878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsjazz: I liked the booby tubes too :-)</p> <p>I had a 4 mastitis for DD, and 2 mastitis and lot of reoccuring clogged ducts for DS (maybe once a month at its worst). I used the needle pricking method to get rid of the blebs (mine ALWAYS got to this stage), and although that provided relief, it actually caused more reoccurence since the skin would grow over the pore if I wasn't obsessive about exfoliating. I would definitely try lecithin if I were to do it again since I think my diet could have been causing it, plus side sleeping! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-502755 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 10:21:24 +0000 mrsjazz 502755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaisyMay: As someone with recurring clogged ducts (ouch!) apply lots of heat and massage like crazy. I use booby tubes from Earth Mama Angel Baby (or you could make your own rice socks) and massage with the heat on. I like to massage like crazy with the heat and then nurse LO. If I'm away from her at work, I will pump after massage with the heat still on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-502748 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 10:16:49 +0000 Sammyfab 502748@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaisyMay: I used a heating pad that is similar to what @Ree723 described. I would just pop it in the microwave to re-heat and tuck it into my shirt/bra. It took 1.5-2 days of massaging and compress.</p> <p>I didn't pump constantly but nursed my LO instead. He was feeding every 2 hours at that time (5-ish weeks). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-502678 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:55:12 +0000 Ree723 502678@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaisyMay: Ugh, blocked ducts are the worst! I find that what helps me the most is making a rice sock and keeping that applied to the blocked duct throughout the day, reheating as necessary but especially just before feeding on that side. The other thing that always works is having my husband work it out through pumping and massage. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-502665 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:45:10 +0000 MaisyMay 502665@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sammyfab: I did the shower thing last night, guess I'll try that again when DH is home. Warm compress? Did you just use a heating pad? Use it when you pumped? How? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-502655 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:37:32 +0000 autumnlove 502655@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had 2 the first month. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-502653 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:35:30 +0000 Sammyfab 502653@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaisyMay: are you massaging your breast and applying a warm compress as well? I found that massaging my breast while in the shower helped the most! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-502634 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:25:44 +0000 MaisyMay 502634@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I thought I'd revive this thread. I've got a clogged duct right now, been pumping like mad trying to relieve it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-22688 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 02:15:48 +0000 redboots 22688@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hope younger feeling better mrs bee. I've been struggling with clogged ducts over the last two months...my lo hates my left breast and fights nursing on that side, which I think causes the plugged ducts. I am really hoping this gets better as genus 5 months old now and I would like to continue for a little bit longer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-often-do-you-get-clogged-ducts#post-21245 Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:21:23 +0000 kaogirl 21245@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Usually only when I wear a bra that's too tight -- which I'm now looking into replacing. My daughter is 8 weeks tomorrow and it's happened twice. </p>