Another Blocked Duct

I couldn’t believe it when I woke up on Tuesday morning, 1st Aug, 2006. I had a blocked duct AGAIN!!! How did that happen?

Ruth had been night weaned more than 3 weeks ago so what could have caused it? And I hadn’t been lying on my side (a possible cause of blocked ducts on the side of the b*east). This time round, the blocked ducts were on the top of the b*east!

At 1st I thought it was 2 lumps but horror of horrors – it was 1 huge lump stretching across the armpit to the cleavage! It was sooo painful that I couldn’t bring myself to touch it, less massage it! It even hurt when I had to lift up my arms!

In practical terms, I knew I had to massage the blockages hard but it was so painful! So I laid hands & prayed! And the Lord was merciful. He caused the huge swollen section to slowly diminish & I was able to massage it in the hot shower in the afternoon, with more force than I could in the morning.

Dh prayed for me before we slept & this morning, I woke up with only a 10% painful feeling! Now, at 11:20pm (Singapore time), it has totally gone!!! Halleluah!

So what is one to do when faced with a blocked duct? PRAY! And then…

a) massage the affected part hard with either a very hot towel placed over the affected part or under the shower with the shower heard pointing at the affected part & again, with hot water – as hot as you can bear,

b) massage before bb latches on & continue to massage as bb nurses,

c) if you can get bb to cooperate, point bb’s chin at the affected part. Eg. if the lump is at the bottom part of the b*east, then a football hold is preferred. But I must say that if your bb is older than 6mths or is a particularly fussy bb, that would be difficult to do. Ask me how I know?

d) nurse, nurse & nurse. That is the best way to clear the blockage. No pump – manual or electric is as effective as your bb! Let me warn you tho’ – it hurts!!! But so does pumping it out. i’d rather the bb do it anytime!

You must make sure that it doesn’t develop into mastitis. But even if it does, you do not have to stop nursing! If need, be, get a prescription for the infection that is compatible with nursing (tell the dr you are nursing) & keep on nursing! Dont’ let the dr scare you into stopping, even for a few days. It is not necesary & will not help it go away.

FWIW, I had blocked ducts with every child, except David. And I had a mastitis attack with Sarah & with Esther. I celebrated Sarah’s 1 mth birthday with fever & chills, not knowing that I was having mastitis!

The doctor I went to tried to scare me into stopping nursing by telling me I was harming my bb by feeding her “gobules of bacteria”!!! She then told me I had to take all responsibility if anything happened to my bb! Ah! Such lovely ill-informed GPs we have!