Clogged Milk Duct while Breastfeeding

[@AKMoose12]

Great information! Thank you, Mary, you're awesome!

[@rebeccaschadt7136]

I keep getting clogs and I had 2 recently nothing was working. I used dangle feeding and it worked like a charm!!! I kept telling her you saved me, thank you and she kept smiling. I also applied ice first to bring down swelling and then heat before dangle feeding. Then this weekend I possibly had another one that hurt from my breast bone out and dangle feeding wasn't working. I kept icing it day and night and think it's gone. Other times I feel heat has helped though. They all seem different depending on where they are. Sunflower lecithin didn't seem to help and stopping anything that presses on my boobs hasn't either. 3 mos into breastfeeding this started and now they are weekly and my babies latch seems good. Probably my overactive letdown. One night she let me sleep 7 hours straight and I woke up to one instantly.

[@marycahillclc]

So sorry mommy 😢 I agree that it’s cause by your overactive letdown. Have you taken any steps to get it under control? Here is a link to my 3 part videos on Forceful letdown/ oversupply. The first video just helps you to identify it. The 2nd one will walk you through the steps to get it under control. Breastfeeding rules are very different when you have this condition. It will always need to be kept in check. When you get a clogged duct, you need to do extra pumping to clear the clog but that will also increase supply so you have to work to reduce it after the clog is gone. It’s a difficult cycle but it can be managed. ❤️ Forceful Letdown and Oversupply kzbin.info/aero/PLbqc4bXQcbyUzyNxG-w7tBtKLWA3NpzLe

[@jaclynhaynes4131]

I need some advice, my daughter is not wanting to nurse without the nipple shield. I had to use it to recover from her chewing whilr nursing and not I cant nurse without. The times I do get her on without its not a good latch and or she wont nurse long enough. I think my supply is dropping because of it and she is only 12 days old. I tried the lactation network but my insurance wont cover it. Please help, im desperate.

[@marycahillclc]

@@jaclynhaynes4131 I’m so sorry that you’re struggling mommy🥲 Are you exclusively breastfeeding now with no formula? How many wet diapers is baby having every 24 hours? What signs are you seeing that are telling you that your supply is low? I have several videos that i would link here for you. The first one is on nursing strikes. I know that she’s not having a nursing strike, but you would wean off of the nipple shield in the same way. You would try to have her latch without it but as soon as she starts to fuss, put the nipple shield right back on. Offer the breast without the nipple shield several times during the feeding. She will be most apt to latch while she’s sleepy. You need to be consistent and try to nurse without the shield at every feeding, but it’s very important to not let her or you get upset. How Do I Get My Baby Through a Nursing Strike? kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4aQhmN_ebJ7p7s Getting a good latch, does help with your milk supply, baby getting enough milk and for breast-feeding to be comfortable. Deep Breastfeeding Latch #shorts #breastfeeding kzbin.infotPTuXyIPb1s?feature=share Shield can be helpful at times. especially if you have become extremely sore from babies latch. It’s recommended that Mom’s wean off of a nipple shield as soon as possible. The longer you use the shield, can make it harder to get off the shield, but it’s still possible. A shield can reduce supply, increase clogged ducts or thrush but some moms use them long term. Nipple Shields #shorts kzbin.infoTGzaHN9gaRQ?feature=share

[@jaclynhaynes4131]

@@marycahillclc ​ Thank you for responding! The reason I feel like my supply has dropped is over the last few days I when from feeling my breasts are so full she can't empty them fast enough to now they are only somewhat full and haven't been feeling really full. I only have been doing formula late at night if nursing won't get her down. A 30 ml bottle does the trick and only every other night tops. She has had plenty of wet and poop diapers. Haven't been keeping track.

[@EmilyBrown-xc5ir]

I have just found your channel and learned so much already. I'm 11 weeks into pumping (bf didnt work) and have been trying to give up for about 3 weeks now. from your videos sounds like i might have forceful letdowns and oversupply.. i spaced pumping to every 5-6h, reduced time, but once the clog happens i need to get it out and im now pumping 30-40oz a day! thats more than when i started weaning. my n!ppIes are praying to god for mercy. painful, cracked, bleeding, plugged, rough, very sensitive. they havent healed since the beginning and all i get from my obgyn is antifungal treatments that dont help. i saw many LCs and nobody was able to help, nor mentioned the conditions you did. now, i came here for a clog that didnt let go for over 24h with all things you mentioned. still fighting tho! my question is whether you have any advice for n!ppIe treatment while going through this hell and what to apply to help healing? im really miserable and on days like this i wish i have never started breastfeeding..

[@modestyfashion8723]

😥I have wrote this once before and my message was deleted! I feel as if it's important for me to write to you I can relate to you in so many ways as I've been exclusively pumping for 12 weeks now I have struggled with sore nipples before now I use olive oil + coconut oil followed with a hot pack after every pump I also had to make sure my flange size was the right fit because that can also cause pain I'm a 21 in one breast and a 20 in the other I also purchased a pump spray that I use that I really like its called legendary pump spray it's in a blue/purple bottle on Amazon I hope this has helped good luck with everything!! 🩷 ❤ Congratulations 🎉 on your baby too

[@kimmcooking8147]

Hi there is metronidazole 1000 mg per day for 7 days safe during breastfeeding and if no how long should a person wait after the last dose

[@marycahillclc]

@@kimmcooking8147 Metronidazole is considered an L2 drug for breastfeeding mothers. An L2 means “probably safe”. I personally would be comfortable taking an L2 drug while breastfeeding, as long as baby is more than 6 weeks old, not a premature baby and has no health concerns. If you’re ever concerned, ask your doctor. Always remind your doctor that you are breastfeeding. You can also ask your pharmacist. In my opinion, the pharmacist is the best person to ask. Here is some research and information if you’d like to ready. It’s from Dr Hale (medications and Mothers milk book) ❤️ METRONIDAZOLE Trade Flagyl, Likmez, Metrocream, Metrolotion, Metrozine, Neo-Metric Category Antibiotic, Other L2 - Limited Data-Probably Compatible DRUG LAST UPDATED: MAR 4, 2024 Metronidazole is indicated in the treatment of vaginitis due to Trichomonas vaginalis and many other types of anaerobic bacterial infections including giardiasis, H. pylori, B. fragilis, and Gardnerella vaginalis. Metronidazole absorption is time- and dose-dependent and also depends on the route of administration (oral vs. vaginal). Following a 2-g oral dose, milk levels were reported to peak at 50-57 mg/L at 2 hours. Milk levels after 12 hours were approximately 19 mg/L and at 24 hours were approximately 10 mg/L.[1] The average drug concentration reported in milk at 2, 8, 12, and 12-24 hours was 45.8, 27.9, 19.1, and 12.6 mg/L respectively. If breastfeeding were to continue uninterrupted, an infant would consume 21.8 mg via breastmilk. After withholding breastfeeding for 12 hours, an infant would consume only 9.8 mg. In a group of 12 nursing mothers receiving 400 mg three times daily, the mean milk/plasma ratio was 0.91.[2] The mean milk metronidazole concentration was 15.5 mg/L. Infant plasma metronidazole levels ranged from 1.27 to 2.41 µg/mL. No adverse effects were attributable to metronidazole therapy in these infants. In another study in patients receiving 600 and 1200 mg daily, the average milk metronidazole concentration was 5.7 and 14.4 mg/L respectively.[3] The plasma levels of metronidazole (2 hours) at the 600 mg/day dose were 5 µg/mL (mother) and 0.8 µg/mL (infant). At the 1200 mg/day dose (2 hours), plasma levels were 12.5 µg/mL (mother) and 2.4 µg/mL (infant). The authors estimated the daily metronidazole dose received by the infant at 3 mg/kg with 500 mL milk intake per day, which is well below the typical therapeutic dose for infants of 15-35 mg/kg/day. For treating trichomoniasis, many physicians now recommend a 2 g single oral dose (stat dose) with an interruption of breastfeeding for 12-24 hours, then reinstitute breastfeeding. Thus far, no reports of untoward effects in breastfed infants have been published with either the 2-g single dose or the 250 mg three times daily for 7-10 days dose regimens. In a study of six women receiving 400 mg three times daily for 3 days, the average milk concentration was 13.5 mg/L with a milk/plasma ratio of 0.9.[4] It is true that the relative infant dose via milk is moderately high depending on the dose and timing. Infants whose mothers ingest 1.2 g/day will receive approximately 13.5% or less of the maternal dose or approximately 2.3 mg/kg/day. Bennett has calculated the relative infant dose from 11.7% to as high as 24% of the maternal dose.[5] Heisterberg found metronidazole levels in infant plasma to be 16% and 19% of the maternal plasma levels following doses of 600 mg/day and 1200 mg/day.[3] While these levels seem significant, it is still pertinent to remember that metronidazole is a commonly used drug in pregnancy, premature neonates, infants, and children, and 2.3 mg/kg/day is still much less than the therapeutic dose used in infants/children (15-30 mg/kg/day). Thus far, virtually no adverse effects have been reported. INTRAVENOUS USE: Metronidazole is rapidly and almost completely absorbed orally. In one study of intravenous kinetics, the authors found peak plasma levels of 28.9 µg/mL in adults following a 500-mg TID dose.[6] In another study of oral and intravenous kinetics, the authors used 400 mg orally, and 500 mg intravenously.[7] Following 400 mg orally, the Cmax at 90 minutes was 17.4 µg/mL. Following 500 mg IV, the Cmax at 90 minutes was 23.6 µg/mL. Reducing the IV dose to 400 mg would have given a plasma level of approximately 18.8 or an amount similar to the oral plasma level attained in the above group(17.4). From these two sets of data, it is apparent that the peak (Cmax) following an intravenous dose is only slightly higher than that obtained following oral administration. In an elegant study of plasma kinetics of oral and IV metronidazole (both 500 mg and 2000 mg), Loft found that the AUC (500 mg dose) for oral and IV treatments was virtually identical (101 vs. 100 µg/mL h respectively).[8] The Cmax (taken from graph) for oral and IV treatments were essentially the same. In another study comparing the plasma kinetics following 800 mg doses orally and IV, Bergan found that plasma levels are virtually identical at 2-3 hours after the dose.[9] VAGINAL USE: Vaginal absorption of metronidazole is approximately 2% for vaginal gel as compared to oral doses. Data from older studies with rats and mice have shown that metronidazole is potentially mutagenic/carcinogenic. Thus far, no studies in humans have found it to be mutagenic after man years.. In fact, the opposite seems to be the finding.[10,11,12] Roe suggests that metronidazole is "essentially free of cancer risk or other serious toxic side effects."[12] Age-gender stratified analysis did not reveal any association between short-term exposure to metronidazole and cancer in humans.[11] T 1/2 8.5 h M/P 1.15 Tmax 2-4 h PB < 20% MW 171 Oral Complete Vd NULL pKa 2.6 RID 12.6% - 13.5% Adult Concerns Dry mouth, bad taste, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort. Drug may turn urine brown. Adult Dose 250-500 mg twice daily. Pediatric Concerns Numerous studies shown no untoward effects. One letter to the editor suggests an infant developed diarrhea, and a case of lactose intolerance. The link to metronidazole is tenuous. Infant Monitoring Dry mouth, vomiting, diarrhea, changes in gastrointestinal flora, urine may turn brown, rash. Alternatives NULL © 2018 Springer Publishing Company

[@kimmcooking8147]

@@marycahillclc thanks ❤️❤️❤️ my pharmacist differ sometimes they say it's safe sometimes they say it's not . My dosage is 1000 mg daily that is 500 mg twice a day .. Thanks for the info onces again. I also wanted to ask about pantropazole 40 mg and clarithomycin 1000 mg twice a day.

[@geoffalpert3678]

@@marycahillclcwhy no more videos MILF (@) (@)

[@jennifernegley5705]

My apologies for a very long comment, but I need help and want to give you a clear picture of what is going on. I am really struggling here, but your videos have been so eye opening for me! Your content is so well done! I am embarrassed I didn't realize some of this because I am an experienced breast feeding mom and have experience in maternity nursing, but I am really having a hard time with my little one and breastfeeding right now. I currently have a 7.5 week old (he is my 6th breastfed baby). I believe I was given misinformation over the years by some healthcare providers that partially led to my ignorance regarding a lot of the topics you cover on this channel. I have watched all of your videos related to engorgement, clogged ducts, all 3 of the forceful letdown/over supply, foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, latching, pumping at night, allergies, and any other videos I thought would be helpful. I have always been a high producer of milk. After watching your forceful letdown/over supply video series, I am now sure I have that issue because my baby and I have nearly all the signs. I can now look back and see how some of my other children responded nagatively to that as well. For some reason, the signs this time in my 6th baby and I are so much more pronounced than my other children were. With each baby I seemed to get mastitis more than the last one. With my first baby (nearly 15 years ago) I was stressed with saving milk and bottle training her for when I returned to work. The lactation consultant told me to only breastfeed her for 2 weeks to establish breastfeeding. Then, at 2 weeks she said once my baby was up for the day and had her breastfeeding (likely around 7am) that I should pump the extra milk off after her feeding. Then, at night before bed, my husband could give her a bottle of that milk and I would pump again to replace that feeding, therefore also having milk to save/freeze. It seemed to work well, but it set the stage for me to feel like I should pump with all my other children after their first daytime feeding. With my 2nd child I was so full one morning AFTER she had her first feediing that I proceded to pump off about 20 ounces and there was still milk coming into the flange. I just stopped because I was so tired of pumping. WIth my 5th baby I had mastitis with him A LOT! I can't remember how many times, but I'm thinking 4-5 times. I also continued to pump extra off in the mornings and eventually started to pump at night after his last feeding of the day, because I was trying to prevent mastitis (I was misinformed). One of the times I had mastitis with my 5th baby I went to the doctor for antibiotics and the doctor scolded me and told me I should wearing a more supportive bra (the one I had on was not tight and I looked a bit saggy in it as my breasts are now quite large in recent years). She also said I should be setting an alarm and getting up and pumping during the night to drain my breasts now that my baby was sleeping through the night. I was so confused and wondered how I'd ever get off that schedule. When he was an older baby and doing what I thought was best, I added a pumping session after his last feeding of the day to "clean myself out good before bed" becuase I did not want to get up in the middle of the night. I still continued to pump after his breakfast time feeding as well. Different healthcare providers have told me the more you have mastitis, the more likely you are to keep getting it, but that's all they really told me. I was looking forward to breastfeeding my 6th baby, but dreading the issue I have with overproduction and mastitis. I thought to myself, I am going to let him nurse for 2 weeks like lactation told me with my first baby then add in a morning pump plus do a nighttime pump before bed. I figured I would get a head start on it. I now realize this was not good, but I just felt so engorged and thought from misinformation I was given in the past that this might be the best approach. This time my left breast has been feeling fairly normal and not engorged. My right breast seems to be the problem with engorgement. When I pump (morning or night) I usually only get about 2-3 ounces out of the left breast and about 8 or more out of the right. It is often hard to feed my baby on the right, but I try to feed him as well as I can on that side. When he was about 5 weeks old we saw all the signs of cows milk protien allergy with extreme fussiness, not sleeping well, green/mucousy poops (including blood in stools) and we took him to the doctor. They said I needed to cut all dairy/soy out of my diet or switch to the very expensive allergy formula. I opted to try the diet restrictions. I did see your video on issues from forceful letdown/over supply and realize now that allergies can be misdiagnosed when FL/OP is really the problem. Even though I 100% believe I have FL/OP, I still belive there is a chance that he also has a cows protein allergy because his poops started showing symptoms around 4-5 weeks and the doctor said that is a classic sign because it takes 4-6 weeks for the allergy to mess up the lining of the intestine. Also, a few days after I started the diet, we saw some small improvements in him, but could tell he was not fully healed. His poops have even gotten more yellow, less blood, but still a little mucousy though. I have not changed anything with my feeding/pumping schedule except he may go longer periods without feeding. So if it was just the FL/OP I'd think we wouldn't have seen his poops change like we did. I think there's a chance we are fighting 2 beasts. And I have only been on the no milk/no soy diet for 15 days so he likely has some healing yet to do. The first improvement we saw a few days after I started the diet was the baby having a good nights sleep. However, I got mastitis in my left breast shortly after that (and that was NOT the one I struggled with engorgement with) when he was about 5.5 weeks old. I worked on home remedies and many of the things you recommend and it cleared up. 12 days later (today) I have mastitis again in my right breast (the engorged one). I'm getting there with it, but will likely need to keep doing heat/massage/feeds/cold for another day or so. I have been feeding him on the right side first and then offering the left breast 2nd today with each feed. He seemed to be drinking somewhat well off of both breasts today. Now, I have a clogged duct in my left breast too that feels like its turning into mastitis! I wonder if it's because I fed him on the right first for each feeding today. I am so overwhelmed and feel like I will never dig myself out of slowing my milk production down. I can't believe I'm saying this because I loved breastfeeding my other kids and I did watch your 3 part series on forceful letdown, but with getting mastitis and his allergy I feel like there is no joy in breastfeeding for me right now. I also am trying to figure out how to eliminate these morning and evening pumpings I do. This morning I only pumped 7.5 ounces total instead of my normal 10-12. I think I could have gotten slightly more, but stopped bc it was slowing down (likely from the clog) and I want to wean myself off. I don't know how fast I can do that? perhaps i didn't pump enough today and tried to take too big of a step at once. I doubt i could have gotten 10-12 oz though because of my clog/mastitis on the right. Help! Should I just pump 1 ounce less each day at each of those pumpings until it's eliminated, or is that too sudden? I also would love to discuss block feedings with you as I have questions about that too. We are seriously considering weaning him and doing the allergy formula becuase I feel like I'm at my wits end, but also I feel guilty stopping breastfeeding and especially sad since he is my last baby. I would be open to a zoom call if you are because this is A LOT to digest. Please help me, thank you for listening.

[@marycahillclc]

@@jennifernegley5705 I’m so sorry that you’ve been going through this😢 That would probably be good to meet. I like lots of details, that does help a lot. 😎 It sounds like you’re on the right track and are understanding so much more about your condition now. Every baby will handle it very differently. Symptoms may be extreme for one baby and barely noticeable in another. When you’re dealing with a clogged duct and mastitis, you have no choice but to keep nursing and pumping on a regular basis until it’s cleared up. You’ll need to work on controlling your supply, after the clog is gone. It’s a good idea to keep working on the clog for a few days after it’s feeling better or it will come back (as you’ve seen). It can be hard to pump enough but not over pump. Your supply will go into overdrive very easily but you have to get it under control VERY slowly. Suddenly stopping your pumping can cause another clog/mastitis. When a mom has a clogged duct, milk doesn’t usually flow very well out of that breast. A “normal” pumping in place of a feeding (for moms without FL/OS) is 2 to 3 ounces TOTAL from both breasts in a pumping session. The first 4 to 6 weeks will be more but after that point it should reduce. Your FL/OS sounds like it’s quite a lot. (WOW! 20 ounce is huge) You said that it’s hard to feed baby on the right side. Is that because baby can’t latch well with the force of the milk? You may be right about baby having a cows milk protein allergy. It definitely can happen but not as often as doctors believe. The signs are very similar. Doctors test for traces of blood in the stool and call it an allergy but when mom has a FL/OS, baby will also have traces of blood in their stool. You can go to an allergy specialist to get testing done but babies will often outgrow it in just a few weeks or months. I know that it’s not fun to restrict your diet but it can sometimes help. You can then slowly add foods back in later. Some moms add it back in just a few weeks but talk to your doctor about it. When mom has a FL/OS, she makes more foremilk. Foremilk has more lactose in it and that’s what causes many of baby’s problems in this situation. Cutting back on dairy can help to reduce that lactose. Our milk has lactose in it and babies usually do fine with it but a huge amount is hard on anyone’s digestive tract. Block feeding would be a good idea when you get the clogs cleared but it has to be a slow transition to block feeding. It’s true that if you’re prone to getting mastitis, you may have it repeatedly but getting your supply under control will help. Only you can decide if this is just too stressful to keep dealing with. You need to enjoy baby without so much stress. Don’t feel guilty about making a choice that will be best for everyone. You could try to get it controlled then decide what to do. I hope I made sense (I’m pooped😴) I saw your message and I’ll get back to you tomorrow. ❤️

[@jennifernegley5705]

@@marycahillclc Thank you so much for responding. I hope my messages didn't keep you up late! Everything you said makes sense. I started a log today to keep track of how much milk I'm pumping morning and night so that I can more easy keep track of decreasing that slowly after my bilateral clogs are gone. I never had 2 at once like this before or this many occurances in a 2 week period. And to answer your question about him having a hard time latching on the right side - I think it was because I was so engorged and my right breast was so full at times. I also have very large breasts (I'm currently in a 38H) and I have little hands which does not help the situation. I have never been able to feed my babies in the cradle hold unless I was down to one feeding or so per day and had lost a significant amount of weight and my breasts substantially decreased in size. When my right breast is so engorged it's hard to feed him. I have already pumped just a couple ounces on that side to soften the breast a bit before nursing, but not very often. Just when I was desperate. I saw somewhere on your channel about reverse pressure. I never thought to try that. Also, I didn't realize this until I watched your videos on FL/OS, but when he feeds on the right side he can cry really bad at times, choke, pop off, gulp and I have to keep relatching him, sometimes over and over on that side. With him and many of my other kids I've also had lots of feedings that took forever - an hour even. I felt like I'd no sooner feed, burp, change diaper and it would be time to feed again in a matter of minutes. And his lower face area is often covered in milk as well as my breast because his mouth can't hold all the milk that is coming out and it has no where to go. One odd thing though is when he pops off I DON'T spray or else I'd try to put it on a towel like you said. Believe it or not, after I pump in the mornings and my breasts are softer for awhile, I find those next few feedings are often easier. But, by late evening time that was usually when my right breast was so full again and those times when I had to pump just a little to relieve some pressure first. I don't remember with any of my babies having such a large difference in the production of one breast vs the other. If it was a difference it was very small. Also, you noted a normal pumping amount IN PLACE OF A FEEDING would be 2-3 ounces. To be clear, when I pump, it's immedtially AFTER a feeding, so my babies would have likely already ate 3 oz or so. I'm getting a very large amount pumping even after the baby has already eaten some. I have made a mental list of things to talk with you about when we meet. If I put in writing it's easier for me to remember all the questions I have and then you can be prepared: 1.) Pumping to decrease supply after clogs are resolved - I'm thinking to daily decrease the amount I pump won't be slow enough for me. We could talk about an amount to drecrease by and a timeframe on how often I can do that. 2.) If we took our baby to an allergy specialist, how would they even test that? I can't imagine it's a scratch test like nut allergies are tested (our oldest son had a tree nut allergy show up around age 2. From what I understand with a true cow protein allergy, these babies aren't really "allergic" like someone with an allergy that has anaphalaxis, but more it's the protein passing through mom's milk and the baby can't digest it. They say it's totally different from a lactose issue, but I do understand what your saying that all the foremilk he's getting is causing him to injest large quanties of lactose and that's also hard on his GI. And cutting dairy out of my diet may also have decreased the lactose in my milk somewhat, but I guess not entirely since breastmilk naturally has lactose in it. Perhaps that's why we saw some improvement in him. 3.) Regarding block feeding.....this is how I usually fed my babies, but realize I might need to make changes - I'd feed on one side until baby shows signs of stopping or needing burped. Then I offered the 2nd side. If he didn't nurse as much there, I'd start with that side on the next feeding, using a hairband on my wrist to keep track of which breast was next. With this baby, after I got mastitis the first time 2 weeks ago it was on the left breast. So, I'd start on that side, which it was clogged so not much would come out, plus that is my lower producing side. It worked well to be able to get him to suck on the right side immediately after offering the left since he was still hungry. Since then, it seems like I have been able to at least nurse him on the 1st side and 2nd side some, I may have cut him off sometimes too bc I started thinking I needed to pull some milk from each breast seeing how quickly I got mastitis this time. I've always worried about foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, even before this baby. This time with my left breast I think there's a chance he MIGHT be getting some hindmilk if he starts on the left side. However, if I started on the right, he usually was not hungry at all until he got to the left because he would've had such a large quantiy on the right like a fire hose and I'm sure got only foremilk. I heard you say in one of your videos with block feeding that you do 3 hours windows on only one breast. During the day, my baby usually feeds every two hours. There have been many days when he could only go 1.5 to 1.75 hours until he wanted to feed again. But, if he does a normal 2-2.5 hour window I'm not sure how that 3 hour block feeding would work. For example, if the block is starting on the left side from 12:00 to 3:00 and he's due to eat at 12:30 and 2:30 then he'll get 2 feedings in that block. Then next block on the right side from 3:00 to 6:00 let's say he doesn't want to eat until 5:00 then he'd only get one feeding in that block and it could be on the right and that's the side with tons of milk. I'd be scared I'd be super engorged. I'm sure you have scenarios to go over with me and trouble shooting plans or an altered version of this you may recommend for someone like me. And I also am not familiar with this either. 4.) Once I get my clog under control and try to decrease my supply I know there's things I need to avoid that I saw in one of your videos, such as hot water running over my breasts, and not being braless with clothes. I do have concerns with my relationship with my husband though and the intimate side of things. Any stimulation of my breasts from him can be purposely avoided, but the action of sex itself is likely going to cause some stimulation of my breasts and with my condition it sounds like I have to be especially careful. In a time when intimacy is rare because of how overwheled I am, I do have concerns that I we won't be able to have a normal sex life for a long time. 5.) Bra choice - this has been a MAJOR struggle for me with each of my children. The babies I was heavier weight with have been worse for bra selection and I am at my highest weight ever so my breasts are of course larger. I am in a 38H now. I have some nursing bras that I wear to bed that are t-shirt like and no underwire. I dread wearing them in public because my breasts look terrible in them. I do have some well fitting underwire bras now. What is the truth on wearing those types of bras? 6.) I heard oatmeal and nuts are galactagogues that may increase milk production. Is it usually substantial? I have been eating more of them lately with my diet restrictions. 7.) Regarding going trying to decrease my supply - in addition to trying to slowly pull off less milk, couldn't I do some things that are known to reduce milk production since my supply is so extreme? Cabbage leaves, peppermint, sage, maybe even a little Sudafed??

[@marycahillclc]

@@jennifernegley5705 no, you didn’t keep me up❤️ I was just out of town all day and the heat sucks but I shouldn’t complain, having mastitis is awful 😢 Again, I think you are on the right track 🥰 Instead of your breast being “full”, engorgement is inflammation. (I think you understand that). You mentioned “reverse pressure”, that will help soften your breast for baby to latch. You could also apply heat to soften your breast but if the reverse pressure works then skip the heat. If you do need heat for engorgement, be sure that it’s just for a few minutes before pumping or nursing. Long term heat can make it worse in the long run. It’s normal for babies to have milk running down their face and on you. And it’s ok if you don’t spray. Spraying (or leaking) isn’t a sign of under/over supply but many moms with FL/OS will spray a lot. We’re all just made different. Most newborns take forever to nurse then start over again right away. For some moms/babies with FL/OS, baby will be done in 5 to 10 minutes but some babies will bite down to slow the flow from a fire hose. I have FL/OS too, my first baby took forever to eat then started again but then the next one ate so fast. *side note; it’s possible that this baby is biting down to slow flow and that could possibly be increasing the clogged ducts. That should get better as supply regulates. Does your nipple look flat and smooshed after nursing? Are your clogs happening in about the same spot? I’m not sure how an allergist would test. Maybe skin test or a skin test. My thought is that they probably wouldn’t want to test baby unless it didn’t get better or if baby had breathing issues or a rash 🤷‍♀️ Block feeding is something that needs to be adjusted for each mom and changed over time. Theres no need to be exact on time blocks. Give it a little wiggle room. It may be necessary to do a little pumping if it’s been a long time since baby nursed. It is really helpful to keep stimulation low but just cut it back in places that aren’t a big deal. Definitely keep intimacy times priority when you’re feeling up to it. An underwire or supportive bra is great but not tight in the cups. Loosen straps if possible. I’m sure that bra shopping isn’t easy for you. Oatmeal and nuts are considered a galactagogue but I really don’t think that most galactagogue foods do a lot for milk production so I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I’ve been thinking as reading through this that we need to mention cabbage leaves so I’m so glad that you mentioned it. Yes, cold cabbage leaves in your loosened bra, several times a day to reduce supply would be great. Sage and peppermint would be good right now too. Sudafed will reduce supply but I usually tell moms to try other things first. ❤️

[@jennifernegley5705]

@@marycahillclc Thank you so much for everything! I really appreciate all the time and energy you spent helping me! God bless you for your kindness! Yes, my nipples often look smooshed after feeding and I remember that happening with my other kids too. And my clogs have happened at 3 different spots with this baby. First one was on the left breast on the outer side. 2nd was right breast way up at my armpit. 3rd was left side at my nipple or behind my nipple.

[@marycahillclc]

@@jennifernegley5705 when your nipple comes out looking smooshed, it’s because baby doesn’t have a deep latch. This can cause pain in the nipple, but for some moms it doesn’t. It can also cause clogged ducks because some areas in the breast don’t have milk moving as easily. It would help to try, getting a deeper latch. When Mom has a forceful letdown/oversupply, baby will often push themselves away and out to the nipple. Baby does this so they can bite down on the nipple and slow the flow. As your supply gets regulated and you’re working on reducing the supply, you can usually work on getting a deeper latch. I asked if the clog was happening in the same spot because if it were, Changing position would help, but since it’s a different spots, I don’t think that will matter. Just getting the deeper latch will be most helpful. Are you taking Sunflower Lecithin? And be sure that it’s sunflower and not soy less than. You can take three or four a day when you’re having a clog and one or two a day for maintenance. To be most effective, you should take them throughout the day and not all at once. Here’s a link if you don’t already have them. You might find some in a pharmacy or in a health food store but in my area, they only seem to carry it in the soy form. amzn.to/4cJfEsD

[@pallabimaitralifestyle3489]

I still dont understand clogged ducts as my let down in one of the breasts is low, there is milk but the holes seems to be very small in this nipple as compared to the other one! I breastfeed exclusively and tried everything from pumping to heat massage. So should I believe that this nipple's flow is naturally like this?

[@marycahillclc]

It is normal to have a lower supply in on breast. A clogged duct will be a sore spot in your breast that happens suddenly. Milk will usually flow slower or stop from that breast. How old is baby? Are you having pain? Has supply always been lower on that side?

[@pallabimaitralifestyle3489]

@@marycahillclc thank you for replying. Only the supply seems lower on one side, doesnt seem to flow as profusely as in the other one and so baby likes the other one better. But i still continue to try to let him suck both the breasts for keeping flow intact. There is no pain or soreness for sure.

[@marycahillclc]

@@pallabimaitralifestyle3489 That sounds great! It’s good to still nurse on both sides. Remember that the better producer side makes up for the slacker side ❤️

[@thahiramukarama8418]

Is clog duct will give burning sensation?

[@marycahillclc]

Yes. It will usually be deeper into your breast and it will usually be in just one breast. Is your burning just on one side? Does it seem deep in your breast or more on top of your skin?

[@marycahillclc]

@@thahiramukarama8418 Is the nipple cream used to get a more comfortable latch? Does it hurt your nipple when breastfeeding or just the deep pain? Do you do any extra pumping? Or are you only pumping now? How many ounces do you get every pumping session and about how many ounces are you pumping every 24 hours?

[@marycahillclc]

@@thahiramukarama8418 if baby doesn’t have a deep latch, it can increase your chances of a clogged duct. With a shallow latch, baby is just not moving milk through each milk duct. When you suddenly stop breast-feeding, that increases your chances of a clogged duct even more. I would recommend following the steps to get the clogged ducts moved out. If they don’t get cleared, it can lead to an infection called mastitis. If you start to feel or run a fever, you should see your doctor right away. If you’d like to get baby back to breast-feeding, I would find a local lactation counselor that can help you one on one to get a better latch. Baby should also be checked for a tongue or lip tie. That can cause a shallow latch.

[@marycahillclc]

@@thahiramukarama8418 Lactation Counselors are often available at your hospital. They are usually paid by your insurance company. Are you in the US? If you qualify for WIC services (in the US), they have counselors available. For lip/tongue ties. You can see a Pediatric Dentist or a Ear Nose and Throat doctor.

[@varshikapasam4264]

Hi, I haven’t breastfed my baby for 7 weeks due to difficulty in latching. Now he is latching and I have started pumping. Can you please explain more about stimulation. How to do breast massage Thanks

[@marycahillclc]

That’s awesome that baby is latching now ❤️ Massage your whole breast, starting at the outside and working around and around towards the nipple. Pressure should be firm but not at all painful. You should be massaging for at least 5 to 10 minutes before pumping. The very best way to increase supply is by having baby at the breast as often and as long as possible. Since baby is latching, this video should help. ❤️ Increasing Your Milk Supply and Weaning off of Formula kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWSnhIFoedyZa68

[@vsvs1408]

In my both breasts...there are only three openings...so that my milk flow is very low...my baby is now two weeks old..I need to give him formula What to do???....I need help😢 please please guide me

[@marycahillclc]

@@vsvs1408 some moms have very few milk pores. That’s totally fine. Milk is probably coming out in other pores but not as forcefully so you might not notice them. However, it is OK if there’s only three. Newborn babies are often very slow eaters. This will cause moms to believe that their milk supply is low when it really isn’t. In those first few weeks many babies want to be at the breast nonstop. You may end a breast-feeding session and start again in less than an hour. If baby always has six or more wet diapers every 24 hours, you know they’re getting enough. babies will often be content after morning and early afternoon feedings, but then may go through fussier times in the late afternoon and evening. This causes moms to believe that their supply is low when it really isn’t. During this fussy time, baby may be on the breast nonstop and cry if they come off the breast. This is called cluster feeding. Cluster feeding usually lasts a few days to a week and then will get better. So it can start again at any time. Some younger babies will do it almost all the time. During this time, baby may be so upset that it’s hard to even calm them down. In the evenings, babies may be overstimulated or overly tired and they may hurt all over. This is because it’s painful to grow so quickly. When you give formula or even breastmilk in a bottle during this time of day, baby will take much more than they would normally take at the breast, and they will get so full that they just fall asleep. How many wet diapers is baby having every 24 hours? What signs are you seeing that are telling you that your supply is low? Do you pump at times? (it’s not necessary to pump. I’m just wondering if you do.) if you pump, is it in between feedings or right after feedings? And how much milk do you see at each pumping session?❤️