Definition: A blocked duct is defined by a hard, painful area in part of the breast. Some women experience recurrent blockages in one or both breasts, sometimes as often as every few days.
**If you are getting recurrent blockages in one breast (especially if it is always in the same position), you must get examined by your doctor to make sure that nothing else is wrong.
Common Causes for recurrent blockages:
1. High milk production: the baby cannot remove all the milk in the breast. See Overproduction.
2. Milk left in the breast for a longer time than the breast wants it to be.
- skipping a feeding or delaying a feeding
- skipping feedings at night (someone else is feeding the baby so you can sleep)
- baby with a cold, so he/she doesn’t feed well
Massage the breast during feedings and pumpings. Pump after nursing to make sure that breasts will be fully drained.
3. Inflamed duct / Bleb / Milk blister (link)Once you develop a white dot on the nipple or once a duct gets inflamed, it is at higher risk for getting blocked and reblocked. If you have a “bleb” or inflamed duct, make sure you drain the breast well at every feeding. Massage the breast during feedings/pumpings, If your baby did not feed well for some reason, pump after that feeding to fully drain the breasts.
4. Pressure on the breast:
- tight bra, underwire bra
- seatbelt,
- sleeping on stomach,
- baby carrier
- backpack/ heavy purse
- baby sleeping on your chest
- back massage where you are on your stomach for an extended period
If you do get a massage or do something that puts pressure on the breasts, consider pumping after the next feeding to fully drain the breasts. Apply ice for 20 minutes after that pumping to decrease inflammation.
5. Previous breast surgery may lead to scar tissue that does not allow the milk to have an easy outlet.
6. Breast anatomy: ducts may have developed in a way that they do not allow milk to easily exit from the nipple.
Recurrent blockages are very difficult to deal with and require a significant amount of effort.
Sometimes they can lead to a decrease in milk production. See Milk Decrease in Later Weeks.
Try to be proactive and make sure your breasts are well drained on a timely basis.
Some women have tried soy lecithin to prevent blockages. There is no data to show whether or not this supplement is helpful, but it is safe.
**If you are getting recurrent blockages in one breast (especially if it is always in the same position), you must get examined by your doctor to make sure that nothing else is wrong.