What is a clogged (blocked) milk duct?

A clogged or blocked milk duct is milk retention or an obstruction in a duct that has become inflamed, either caused by pressure or infection.

The main symptoms of a clogged duct are that:

• they usually last a maximum of 72 hours
• you will notice that they decrease with breastfeeding
• then, the swelling reappears after a while

What to do when you have a clogged duct?

The following measures can help you to reduce and remove a clogged duct:

• Apply cold between the feeds to reduce swelling.
• Place your baby onto the breast to feed so that their chin points to the area of the obstruction. Sometimes you need to place the baby on their back in bed and breastfeed in the wolf’s pose to find the ideal positioning.
• And perform round massages over the affected breast area (or lump) while your baby is suckling.

Massageing round circles drawing a number 9 on your breast is a very simple and effective measure. This helps, together with the other actions, to unblock the affected area and drain the accumulated milk.

How to do the massage if you have a clogged duct?

• Draw circles with your fingers as if they were the “head” of the number 9 on the affected area – between 3 and 5 times.
• Apply gentle pressure at the beginning of the circles; this may hurt, so apply the appropriate pressure without overdoing it.
• After making the 5 circles, draw the “tail” of the nine in the direction of the nipple and increase the pressure in the area of the circles.
• Continue massaging throughout the feed at the breast, and increase, if the pain allows it, the pressure you apply. Make sure it does not get extremely painful.

Ensure you breastfeed or pump breastmilk every two to three hours to prevent further swelling.

Normally, the obstruction decreases after each feed and fills up again, so you need to keep massaging and watch how it evolves.

If the lump does not disappear in approximately 72 hours, it is important to talk to your midwife or an IBCLC lactation consultant.