How to unplug milk ducts

Most women who have breastfeed their children know the problems that can come with it. Plugged milk ducts are not only bothersome, but can be very painful and lead to infections when not taken care of. Here's some tips to ease the pain and hopefully prevent them.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• To be a breast feeding mother

1. Taking a nice hot shower or warm bath is good not only as a stress reliever but it can also help get rid of painful plugged ducts.
2. While your skin is warm and in the water, massage the lumps. It may take quite a while (30 to 45 minutes), but hopefully the pain will subside and the lumps will get smaller.
3. If you have a manual breast pump, you may want to pump while in the bath or shower. The heat will help ease the pain and hopefully move the milk past the plug. (Don't use an electric pump!)If you don't pump while in the water, then pump or nurse your child when you get out. Getting the milk out of the breast is key in getting rid of the plug.

Tips & Warnings

• To prevent plugs, you may want to try putting heat on your breast. You can do this with a warm, damp cloth or by putting rice inside a sock, sewing it up and putting it in the microwave for just over a minute. The rice will hold the heat. But, be careful not to burn the skin or damage the nipple.