How to Get Rid of Clogged Milk Ducts

I had no clue what clogged milk ducts were until I got my first one. None of the moms I knew, ob, nor hospital staff prepared me for the golf ball sized lumps and tear-inducing pain they cause. Supposedly some women are just more prone to them. In my first two months after labor, I got more clogged ducts than my sister did in ten months. I hope you never get one, but it doesn’t hurt to read up on how to prevent and recognize clogged ducts before they become infections.

What are clogged milk ducts?

Milk ducts can be thought of as the tunnel system in your breasts that brings milk to your nipples. When you have a clogged milk duct, there is an obstruction in one of your tunnels. This results in a dip in your supply and “tenderness” in the area until it’s unclogged. I put tenderness in quotes, since sometimes they feel like a dull soreness but the majority of the ones I’ve had felt like my boob was on fire.

So many things can caused clogged milk ducts. I joke to my husband that I get them sometimes just by looking at my boobs wrong. The most frequent reasons for their appearance are: missing a feed/pump session or putting pressure on your breasts.

How can I tell if I have clogs?

The easiest way to tell is if you have a hard lump in your breast. They can be of any size; I’ve had them as small as a few millimeters all the way to an entire half of my breast being rock-hard. Having a noticeable dip in supply is also an indicator. For the smallest clogs, I’ve seen a slight decrease in milk, while the largest of clogs made me lose half my supply each session.

What is mastitis?

Clogged milk ducts must be diligently worked on to clear them or else you can get mastitis, which is a terrible breast infection. Mastitis is like clogged milk ducts on steroids. Normal clogs typically resolve themselves within a few days, but if they progress to mastitis, the following symptoms will also appear:

• Fever
• Chills
• Concentrated redness (usually in a wedge shape)
• Hot to touch

If you suspect you have mastitis, it’s best to contact your doctor or OB. They’ll prescribe antibiotics to get rid of it. Unfortunately, you’ll still need to work out the clogs – the antibiotics don’t resolve them.

How do I prevent and treat clogged milk ducts?

I’d like to preface that I’m not a doctor and that these tips are based on just my personal experience with clogs. After getting new ones every other day for a few weeks, I think I’ve got down how to get rid of them the quickest way possible.

1. Empty your breasts as much as you can

   There’s no way that your breasts will ever be 100% empty. They’re always constantly making milk. But, if you don’t empty as much as you can, especially during the first 3 months before your milk regulates, strap yourself in for clogs. I didn’t know this at all, as a first time mom. I read that we’re supposed to pump for 15-20 minutes during each session, so I did that. There were also two nights when I was so sleep deprived that I slept through my middle of the night pump alarm. My first clogs appeared after that. It wasn’t until I thought about it logically – that if clogged ducts are due to breasts not being empty enough, then it makes sense to try to empty them more. I started pumping until they felt soft and it has made all the difference! If your boobs are still hard, you need to keep feeding, pumping, or hand expressing.
   

2. Massage, massage, massage!

   This is one of the BEST things you can do for your boobs. Even if you don’t have any clogs, massaging your breasts can prevent them. As mentioned before, if milk ducts are like the tunnel system in your breasts, massaging is like cleaning the tracks often to ensure the trains run smoothly.
   
   The first time I had huge lumps I knew I had to massage them out. Videos online suggest for you to move in light circular motions from the outside of the breast towards the nipple. That doesn’t work – at least not for me and some other moms I know. The massage needs to be somewhat firm. If you don’t feel pain during your massage, then it’s not hard enough to clear the clog. This breast massage video from BabyCenter is pretty informative though and shows good technique.
   
   Now, I massage before, during, and after pumping. If you’re breastfeeding, do the same. Massaging before is helpful to get the milk flowing and encourage a let down. During helps make pumping or feeding more efficient. And, after gives you a chance to further empty your breasts since the more full they are, the higher chance you have for engorgement and clogged ducts.
   

3. Take sunflower lecithin

   This natural supplement can be bought over-the-counter to prevent and treat clogged ducts. It helps thin out the fat in your milk so it can flow more freely. You take one pill a day for preventative measures and up to four during an active clog. The brand I use is Legendairy, although there are other ones out there you can try.
   

4. Look for milk blebs

   Milk blebs are basically milk pimples on your nipples. They can be caused by a myriad of things, including a poor latch from your baby or pressure on your nipples. Basically a layer of skin forms over a milk duct, causing a clog. They look like a small white dot on your nipple. The first time I had one, I thought it was milk residue. But after trying to clean it off and it remained, I knew it was a milk bleb. This isn’t advised, but it did help me – I sterilized a pair of tweezers and was able to “pop” it by poking around the bleb. The most miraculous spray of milk started gushing out of the duct! After popping it, I would massage and press hard on the lumps to push out as much milk as I could. It took a few times, but I filled more than 20 paper towels with the clogged milk. Do this at your own risk, since if your needle or tweezer isn’t clean, it could cause an infection. You can always go to your doctor to ask them to pop it for you in the safest way.
   

5. Avoid pressure on your breasts

   If you thought you could sleep on your side again after birth, you thought wrong. Sleeping on your side or your stomach could cause clogged ducts too. Also, think twice before you put on a tight waist trainer with ribs or any bra. My advice to you is to go braless during most of the day and if you do want to wear a bra, make sure it’s loose. To combat leaky boobs all over your bed, you can sleep on a towel.
   

6. Drink loads of water and avoid inflammatory foods

   Clogged ducts cause inflammation. It just makes sense to drink more water to flush out impurities and also eat nutritious foods to not put added strain on your body. Up your fruits and veggies to give yourself the best fighting chance against these awful clogs.
   

7. Rest as much as possible

   This sounds like an oxymoron since who has time to rest when you have a newborn. But, you MUST rest in order to heal. Have your partner or a loved one take on a few more bottle feeding sessions, diaper changes, etc. while you take a nap. Your body will thank you.
   

8. Apply heat

   There are three things you can do here: use a heating pad, use a wet/warm compress, and take a hot shower. One trick for the wet, warm compress is to take a clean diaper, fill it with half a cup of water and microwave until warm depending on your microwave’s settings. The diaper helps keep the moisture in and is shaped perfectly to place over your breast.
   

9. Get someone to suck it out

   A person can suck better than your pump. If your baby has a good latch, you can get them to try to suck it out. A more fun option is to get your significant other to try. I finally caved the other day after half my right boob was rock hard and in so much pain I couldn’t sleep. We did a dangle position hoping that gravity would play a role. My husband sucked for literally 2 seconds and the clog was out! It started squirting everywhere! This will likely be my go-to method moving forward. 😀

I’ve cried many times over my clogs. It sucks when you’re already sleep-deprived, pumping every few hours around the clock – but then these clogs appear to drain your supply and cause unnecessary pain. Sometimes mine are so bad, I feel a soreness in my arm and back from them. Now at the first sign of a clog, I start using these methods and they’re usually out within 24 hours. Don’t get me wrong – the 24 hours are still hell on earth, but at least I’ve found ways to provide relief and prevent mastitis in the shortest time. Hope these tips help you too!

xo Kris