https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 19:06:02 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hitting-a-wall-with-breastfeeding#post-404679 Sun, 18 Nov 2012 09:39:14 +0000 lemondrop 404679@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No advice here, just a ton of support. I had my first clogged duct this weekend and holy hell that is one of my most painful experiences ever! At least labor pain didn't last as long and stopped in between contractions and lessened with the epidural... this bad boy came on suddenly and is steady pain and feeling like you have the flu. I have wanted to cry all weekend. </p> <p>I know that I have been pretty lax about pumping since my boy is eating more solids, so I'm going back to pumping in the morning and before bed again, and at least once in the middle of the days I'm at work. Makes me very scared to eventually wean!</p> <p>I followed the advice on Kelly Mom and used lots of nursing and pumping, Ibuprofen, hot compresses, massage with oil, rosemary tea hot compress, and much rest. I'm less painful right now, but still a little sore. I sincerely hope something works for you and that you feel better soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hitting-a-wall-with-breastfeeding#post-404660 Sun, 18 Nov 2012 09:26:39 +0000 Lindsay05 404660@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hope you're able to feel a lot better! I haven't experienced this but i understand how you feel about giving up BF'ing. It's devastating to even consider it. I hope you can get it all better and continue on with BF'ing your little angel :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hitting-a-wall-with-breastfeeding#post-398618 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 09:15:45 +0000 cvbee 398618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had plugged milk ducts 3 or 4 times when LO was 4 months old. I think for us it was because he was going back and forth between sleeping like normal (long stretches at night) and going through the 4 month sleep regression (waking every 2 hours all night, sometimes more often) and I would feed him many times then. That's my best explanation, that it was like growing pains. Since then, I haven't gotten any (even going through a mini-sleep-regression at 6.5months).</p> <p>How I got mine unclogged was keeping a hot water bottle on it constantly, olive oil on a breastpad in my bra, and offering the clogged breast first at every feeding, and changing up the nursing positiong. This and patience, as it usually took about 12 hours for me to get it out....24 hours at most. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hitting-a-wall-with-breastfeeding#post-398530 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:35:55 +0000 Sammyfab 398530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was going to recommend lecithin for your plugged ducts..I just wanted to check how much you're taking. my midwife had recommended that I take 1200mg.</p> <p>Massaging my breast in e shower and warm compresses helped me a ton. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hitting-a-wall-with-breastfeeding#post-398525 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:31:27 +0000 autumnlove 398525@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Breast feeding is soooo hard and you are doing a great job! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hitting-a-wall-with-breastfeeding#post-398523 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:30:42 +0000 sorrycharlie 398523@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh I feel your pain! What finally got rid of my awful clog was hand expressing ino a bowl of warm water (submerged my boob) before each feeding for an entire day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hitting-a-wall-with-breastfeeding#post-398502 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:21:06 +0000 MamaBehr 398502@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I remember that if I changed up the way I was nursing her, such as position, that always helped. Have you done that at all? I remember clogged ducts hurting like crazy. Or, could you pump after she is done nursing, just to make sure you are completely empty? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hitting-a-wall-with-breastfeeding#post-398395 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 05:36:01 +0000 Ree723 398395@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: Aww, thanks! You are a sweetheart and that totally put a smile on my face tonight! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hitting-a-wall-with-breastfeeding#post-398367 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 03:35:05 +0000 Kemma 398367@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't really have any words of advice but you've done and are doing a fantastic job getting as far as you have so keep up the great work! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hitting-a-wall-with-breastfeeding#post-398357 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 02:09:50 +0000 Ree723 398357@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsmenow: Thanks so much for your encouraging words and the helpful link. I think you're on to something with the antibiotics - I spoke with our equivalent of LLL today and she said the same thing. Apparently recurrent blocked ducts can be indicative of some bacteria hanging around in just enough quantities to cause inflammation and blocked ducts, but not enough to cause full blown mastitis symptoms. She said to monitor it for 24 hrs and if the blockage is still there tomorrow, it's off to the GP for some antibiotics!</p> <p>Thanks again for your encouraging words - I was having a pity party for one but am feeling better about it all now! :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hitting-a-wall-with-breastfeeding#post-397816 Wed, 14 Nov 2012 17:40:06 +0000 mrsmenow 397816@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Here is a really great link with a lot of different things to consider that might be causing your reoccuring blocked ducts (lying on your side,diet, latch). It also says that antibiotics might help fully clear up a case of mastitis, which is something to consider.</p> <p>You are doing a great job, I hope you can find a way to clear this up for good!</p> <p><a href="http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/recurrent-mastitis/" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/recurrent-mastitis/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/hitting-a-wall-with-breastfeeding#post-397799 Wed, 14 Nov 2012 17:25:19 +0000 Ree723 397799@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is 4.5 months now and for the most part, we've had a great breastfeeding relationship. The initial few weeks were painful but it got better and all was smooth sailing for a while.</p> <p>In the past month or so, I've started getting plugged ducts like crazy and whilst it has only turned into mastitis once (just a mild case that I was able to get rid of without having to go on antibiotics), it is incredibly painful and annoying. Almost to the point where I want to quit BF'ing altogether.</p> <p>Thinking about quitting makes me want to cry - I absolutely love BF'ing my baby girl. I love that bonding time and love the convenience of it all, not to mention the health benefits she gets from my milk. I really hate the thought of giving it up, but I also can't bear the thought of continuing to have plugged ducts all the time! </p> <p>I'm currently on my third plugged duct in 6 days (2 on one side, 1 on the other). I just started taking soy lecithin in the hopes that it will help, but as now, I have yet another stubborn clog that DH and I worked on for hours last night, yet, it's still here and painful as ever. I'm trying every trick in the book - heat, massage, pumping, nursing, dangle feeding, and even am trying my own home 'ultrasound' (an electric toothbrush or the back of DH's electric shaver). So far, zero progress.</p> <p>Anyway, this is really more of a wallowing post, but words of advice or encouragement would be welcome. Anyone else go through a really rough patch with BF'ing? How did you get through it? </p> <p>Side note: weaning right now is not an option as we have some very long overseas flights coming up in 3 weeks and I'd like to be able to nurse her throughout. </p>