What happens if a duct absolutely CANNOT be unblocked, infection or not?

love my babies and want the best for them, but this is rediculous. It is making me a frazzled, painful mess. I am a hair away from my last bit of tolerence and strength trying to do this.

Last week I discovered I had a yeast infection on my nipples, which means can't even try to latch the babies. This is after my first breast blockage which took a full day of wet heat, massaging, and finally a baby to unblock.

Since then, I've had FIVE blockages in ONE week. Four in my right breast and one in my left. The one in the left came undone after painful unblocking and BLOOD int he milk. IN all cases breast (or part of it) gets rock hard and stwollen and painful and have large lumps sticking out - the one in my right breast is larger than a grapefruit (yes, that is right, grapefruit- I havve large breasts, was a DDD now they are a K in US sizes.) I Was given larger flanges last week by lactation specialist for the pump to prevent nipple irritation- which worked but it NOW TAKES OVER AN HOUR for each session. Rediculous, to spend 6-8 hours a DAY pumping breast milk! Smaller flanges work much quiker and faster but my understanding is with breasts as large as gumdrops I'm not supposed to use them.... sigh

I will try to unblock this blockage, but I am at wit's end. I need to discuss it with Spouse but right now I am so fed up that if I block one more time within the next couple of weeks I am DONE. I am exhausted, miserable, in pain, and worst of all- ALL of my time is dealt trying to fix or prevent damage to me the milk factory, and simply upkeep. What this means? I am spending NO awake time with my boys other than feeding them, dealing with clogged breasts and pumping and getting maybe 2-4 hours of sleep each 24 hours. They are only this young once, and I don't want to miss all the good aspects of their babyhood and miss it all, which is happening right now due to the damn problems with my boobs; I know the milk is good for them, but isn't actually interacting with people and spending time with their mother more important?

After trip to the doctor and being sent to the Er they told me to come back tomorrow morning back to the ER and they will try to drain- with aspiration via ultrasound, but won't it just swell up again? My breast is searing pain, about an 8 on the scale of 1 to to, lump the entire top of breast larger than a grapefruit, and all the massaging and wet heat in the world isn't unblocking it. Was getting 4+ ounces per session, right now .5. What happens if the breast cannot be unblocked? No-one will tell me...
Before people jump all over me, history is I had an emergency C-section due to a baby's decleration and our twins were preemies in the NICU for 11 days. My milk didn't come in at ALL until over a week. They are STILL on a 'fortified' diet which means extra calories need to be added to their milk, until they are two months old. The babies are now 5 weeks old. I HAD been practicing latching on but no more than 5 minutes at a time per session per baby, because the nurses in the NICU told me not to wear them out because it was hard for them to eat because they would get zonked after, and then they weren't eating enough food. As they still need to eat fortified milk I hadn't been feeding from the breast, but pumping - and last try one baby would still latch but the other one will start crying as soon as I put him on the breast. Pediatrician said don't put babies on my breast until yeast infection is gone as they do not have infection now and she doesn't want them to get it.

 

Big hugs - and no one here is going to jump on you!! You're so clearly working hard to do the right thing. :hug: :hug: And it really is hard even in the best of circumstances - which means no c-section recovery and babies who can work on latching all the time. Babies who need extra help are extra hard, and you deserve a break!! At least from the pressure you're putting on yourself

Has anyone thought about giving you antibiotics?? With those recurring blocks it seems like it might help...And have you talked to an independent (not hospital) lactation specialist about the yeast and latching? Sometimes what pediatricians know and what lactation consultants know are at complete odds, and I'd be surprised if a lactation consultant was as cautious as the pedi about latching them on with your yeast infection. I find it really hard to believe that they don't have that already - it's more likely that you got it from them in the first place, and pediatricians don't always recognized yeast infections in babies, believe it or not. Not that I have any training at all which makes me able to make an alternative recommendation, just that I'd consider asking someone else...babies nursing is so much more effective than pumping for many of us.

As for recurring lumps, one home remedy that's supposed to be really helpful for engorgement (and it sounds like your body is going through that stage of adjusting when it suddenly tries to make way more milk than your body is built for!) is cabbage leaves in the bra. You can get a nice big head of cabbage, take several leaves off and rinse them, then store them in the fridge. Tuck one in each cup like a really big nursing pad and just leave it there until the next time you nurse or pump. Do that for a couple of days and see if it helps.

Finally, I would really ask the LC about pumping for an hour at a time. If the milk isn't coming out but you're stimulating the nipples that long at a time, I wonder if it isn't hurting more than helping...

Just a few ideas. But the main point is that you have our support and hugs and lots of good thoughts coming your way. It is a really hard transition from pregnancy to being a mom, and throwing in the physical transition to milk production makes it almost unbearable. And while the unbearable part really is temporary (really!!), that doesn't mean that backing off might not be the right answer for you right now. I would really talk to an LC about what you're going through - they might have some ideas about how to get you over this hump that would allow you to give yourself a break and then rebuild supply and latching skills in a little bit.

 

I am running out the door and so this will be a short reply, but some quick suggestions:

-take lecithin starting today and continue until you have been clog free for about 2 weeks then taper off

-have the babies nurse as much as they want for the next 2 days, they are much better at clearing clogs if they will bf

 

I get plugs in my left breast that DS usually resolves. But this week I got mastitis: high fever (102.2), chills, red hard area on breast (interestingly on the opposite side as my plugs). I was put on antibiotics. I also started on lecithin yesterday and my plugs are already gone. I dosed it according to this website: http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/lecithin.html

Also, I know mastitis can make your milk supply decrease and I've seen a decrease in my left breast. But it's supposed to come back up in a few days...

I also had never heard of not latching a baby because of a yeast infection.

And for plugs or mastitis, the best thing to do is nurse.

Hang in there.

 

:hug: SO sorry you are going through this!!

 

This might be a long term fix for reoccurring blockages (and yeast):

When I BFd our twins, I took GSE(Grapefruit Seed Extract) everyday because I tended towards clogged ducts--yuck!! The clogged ducts started to "rear" their ugly head about 3 months after the twinks were born. And they just kept coming back. After a few weeks taking GSE I never had another blockage again!! This is where I purchased GSE in capsule and tablet form. (They also sell liquid form.) They seem to have pretty cheap prices. You can buy it straight GSE or with Echinacea. I took GSE w/Echinacea until 13 months (ironically this is when the twinks started sleeping through the night and I didn't have to feed them at night!!) because it seemed to work better for me. How do I know if I'm taking too much GSE w/Echinacea? I feel like I have a small caffeine buzz--I backed off a capsule at a time. I took more if I felt like I was getting sick. For what its worth, at the most, I took 3 capsules/meal of GSE w/Echinacea and 2/meal of straight GSE. When I completely weaned at 16 months I was still taking a few straight GSE's a day. About a week after I stopped BFing, I started to get a headache during the day. I discontinued the GSE and the headaches went away. My body didn't need it anymore!! But it sure helped my body out while it was "stressed". GSE contains high levels of Vit. C & Vit. E. and I know I need both for my general health or I start feeling yucky.

I also think that GSE can help with yeast too. Here is a site, attained through www.kellymom.com, that gives great info. re: GSE and yeast.

You can probably purchase GSE at any health food/vitamin store. Capsules and liquid are the most effective since they dissolve easiest.
Sending you a ton of :grouphug:

 

You've gotten really good advice. I just wanted to ease your mind by telling you that I've never once seen anyone jump all over anyone in this forum. It's a very supportive and safe place. Many of us have been through exactly what you are going through. For me, it was the end of breastfeeding. I was very sad and still am. During all of it - I found nothing but love and good wishes from this forum. So please feel safe asking and know that we are on your side.

 

:hug:
The beginning is hard..very hard, and the last thing you need is boobies that don't cooperate. You're doing good.

Where's cohlee? I'm sure she has great info. on this stuff.

 

It's so funny what we forget. I was obsessed with lecithin when I had recurring clogs - it worked like a charm for me every time - and GSE, which was really helpful with blisters that seemed to go along with a low-grade yeast infection. I used the GSE as a wash after nursing - diluted.

 

How are you treating the yeast? I might have missed that part but you can either use like lotrimin anti fungal (rub a little on after a feeding and it will absorb) or a more natural remedy is just plain white vinegar. Dip a cotton ball in white vinegar and swab your nipples with it after each feeding/expression. Be sure to wear COTTON undergarments and to air dry as much as possible.

Make sure your wearing the correct bra size and that you arent sleeping on your belly compressing your breast. You might also try sitting your breast in a bowl of warm to hot water.
Trying to pump for an hour sounds excruciating. Are you able to relax while you pump? I know when I was tense if I tried to pump I could pump all day and not get a drop even though there was tons of milk in there. You have to be able to have a let down. Try relaxing, having a glass of water/juice/wine, eating a small snack, listening to music or looking at your babies etc and just relax! (sounds simple doesnt it LOL)

I sure hope you feel better soon! Ive only had a blockage 1 or 2x and it doesnt sound nearly as painful as what you are going through! You poor mommy! :hug:

 

You Poor Girl! I know exactly how you feel! :hug: I had my boys via c-section at 35 weeks because they were both transverse and I had preeclamsia terribly! My boobs were literally the size of softballs, I could've gave Dolly and run for her money! LOL Like you, I would pump for an hour and get like 10 DROPS out. I would stand in the shower for forever trying to relieve the painful redness, swelling and fever! Every time I would try to nurse, the babies would scream because it would wear them out. My LC told me that in 30 years at her job, she had only seen 2 other women like me, and one had breast implants and couldn't nurse because her ducts had been cut! Needless to say after over a week of trying, I gave up. I just wanted to say that you are a SUPER MOM in my book to go though all of this and still haven't gave up! :clapping: You deserve a medal. Just mothering twins in general is tough, not to mention having to go though what you have. No one here will ever jump on you, we are all here to help! I agree that if it is interferring with your quality time you have with the babies, then you should use your own judgement and do what you feel is right. Keep up the good work!! Best of luck to you!! :good:


Born at 35 weeks
Chandler Wyatt 4lbs. 14oz.
Walker Zane 4lbs. 3oz. No NICU!!

 

I was the queen of clogs! I have had to have a few cleared by my doctor, I have also pumped blood, blisters, mastitis, etc. Its NO fun!

As for the clogging, here is what I found works best:
Sit with a heating pad as hot as you can stand it for as long as you can stand it, then jump into the shower, again as hot as you can stand it, and grab a wide tooth comb and cover it in soap, then lean forward and comb your boob toward the nipple. It hurts a lot less than massaging and it helped me immensely!

Also use the heating pad before you pump, it will help to clear the clogs as well.

Did you get Nystatin or anything for the yeast?
Leave your boobies free if at all possible so they can get air and stay dry. That will also help with the clogs. Once the yeast is cleared up then the clogging should stop. Also, having the right size breast shield will help, if you were using ones that were too small, that will cause clogging.

Good luck!!!