Blocked ducts

What is a blocked duct?

There are two kinds of blocked duct. If you find a painful swollen lump in your breast, often with a red inflamed patch on the skin near the lump, this is called a "blocked milk duct". In fact, the duct is not blocked in the true sense of the word but the tissue surrounding the milk duct has become inflamed, compressing the duct. Blocked ducts are actually the very early stages of mastitis.

True blocked ducts are much less common and tend to occur weeks or months into breastfeeding. Some women notice a small white spot at the end of their nipple, which is a sign of a duct that has become blocked with skin cells growing over it. True blocked ducts are easily treated. If you have one, you can usually remove it by piercing the end of it with a sterile needle or clean fingernail. Do this after your baby has fed when the skin on your nipple is softer.

What causes blocked ducts?

So-called "blocked ducts" (a more accurate description would be inflamed ducts) are almost always caused by breasts not being "milked" effectively by your baby when he feeds. If milk continues to "back up" because it is being made faster than it is removed, it eventually gets forced out into the breast tissue, where it causes inflammation in the breast, turning it red, hot and painful. If the milk also enters your bloodstream, you will feel flu-like and have a temperature - a sign of mastitis.

The flu-like feeling you get with mastitis is not normally a sign of infection (although mastitis can be an infection, it is usually an inflammation). The flu-like feeling is a sign that your body is treating the milk as a foreign protein and your immune system is fighting it.

What can I do about it?

The solution to blocked ducts is to make sure that your baby is feeding effectively. To do this, he must be properly latched on .
It is important to act quickly so that you can nip the symptoms in the bud before they develop into full-blown mastitis.

If you can, contact a breastfeeding counsellor or infant feeding advisor as soon as possible. She can help sort out your baby's latch-on and get your baby feeding effectively. This will keep your milk flowing through your breasts

In the meantime remember:

• It's important to keep feeding your baby, even though it may hurt. Feed as often as you can and avoid long stretches between feeds.

• Varying feeding positions may help your baby to latch on better.

• Taking ibuprofen may help with the inflammation and pain.

• Using a breast pump after each feed may help with milk removal.

• Warm (or cold) flannels on the breasts, warm baths and gentle massage may also help.

If your symptoms don't improve, or if you do start to feel ill and flu-like, see your doctor. You may have mastitis and you may need antibiotics if you have developed an infection. Read our article on mastitis for more information.

Will it affect my baby?

Sometimes your milk flow on the affected breast will be slower than usual, which may mean that your baby will become "fussy" when feeding on that breast. Otherwise, it shouldn't affect your baby.

Can I still breastfeed?

It's important to keep breastfeeding so that your baby drains the breast of any milk and you avoid getting mastitis. However, if you have a temperature after 24 hours and continue to experience pain after following the above advice, you should visit your doctor or health visitor.