Plugged Duct

On April 4th I had the wonderful experience of my first postpartum illness. I had a fever that reached (the last temp read) 103.3, maybe a little higher, and my hubby stayed home from work to take care of me and Jayden. My fever abated by that night, so the next day it was back to work for my hubby.

Well, that Friday (the 5th) I noticed a lump on the inside of my right breast...oh crap. Luckily I don't panic, and I knew what it was - my first plugged duct.

Usually, a good way to clear it is heat before nursing/pumping, cold after (or before in case of swelling if the heat isn't working), lots of fluids. I even tried an Epson salt bath (which is NOT easy for one breast), and breast compressions/massaging while nursing/pumping.

Needless to say, this was one persistent plug. At my 6 week appointment (on the 16th) it was still plugged. My midwife suggested two remedies: the homeopathic phytolacca (see images and link below) and castor oil packs. Well, I purchased each and have tried the phytolacca. I saw an improvement within a day. Swelling that I didn't realize was there subsided making the clog much smaller. However the clog still didn't go away.

Well, I haven't tried the castor oil packs on it yet, but I'm at my wits end, and would hate to get mastitis, so I'll be trying that tomorrow, on the 23rd. The hold up has been making the packs and getting baking soda to make an after "rinse" per some instructions I was given a link to.

          

Another useful aid I was told about at a store in Raleigh, NC called Precious Arrows is a product called Happy Ducts pictured above, which is an herbal tincture by Wish Garden. Each time I take a dose of this (I have not used the phytolacca since last week, since the nature of a homeopathic remedy is to work in a few days or find another remedy...but I may use it again after the castor oil) the clog seems to shrink, and I could take it as often as every two hours, but I've only had about 5 doses. I seem to have a problem with consistently doing something that doesn't produce immediate results and isn't a prescription...well, perhaps tomorrow I will try to regularly take the Happy Ducts tincture and do the castor oil packs since I REALLY want to try to make lactation cookies, but am hesitant to increase my production with a clogged duct.

Updates and links to instructions will be added!

~ ~ ~

http://www.drmomma.org/2010/02/castor-oil-pack-therapy.html

http://www.wishgardenherbs.com/herbal-remedies/Happy-Ducts-Lactation-Support-546/?return

http://www.preciousarrows.com/Mastitis_Remedy_Happy_Ducts_p/40620.htm

http://www.herbs2000.com/homeopathy/phytolacca.htm

~ ~ ~

UPDATE!!!

NONE of the above things worked for ME, though they are all HIGHLY recommended! In the end I had an ultrasound treatment at my chiropractor's office on the plug, and about a week and a half later the plug just disappeared, though I did continue (halfheartedly) the compression while nursing. Good luck!