Breastfeeding Tips: How To (Naturally!) Get Rid of A Clogged Duct

my sister took this photo in the early newborn days, and I will treasure it forever!

I recently posted a blog post called Holistic Tips for Breastfeeding and, as you may have read in that post, my breastfeeding experience has gone quite smoothly (so grateful!). From the start, we had a great latch, I enjoy it, and overall it’s been pretty smooth sailing...

That said, it seems like I mayyyyyy have jinxed myself….because the moment I published that post I instantly entered one of my hardest months of breastfeeding.

In today’s post I’m going to walk you through that (and spoiler alert: it involves the unofficial largest milk clog of all time) and highlight the natural remedies I used to address that.

the breastfeeding backstory (how did we get here?)

One thing about my breastfeeding experience is that I have been pretty lump and clog-prone since the beginning — I’ve had a natural oversupply. Which is wonderful in many ways! But I just produce too much milk and I will often wake up with clogs and lumps and bumps.

But I never really thought much of it because it wasn’t ever really an issue for me because I was always able to massage them out in a hot shower or hand express and work them out that way.

No biggie, right?

But thennnnnn when we went to Paris, one of the side effects of traveling internationally with an infant that I didn't really picture was that I basically swapped my entire milk supply around??? Essentially the amount of milk I was producing during the day flip-flopped with the amount I was producing at night since of the time difference, and that swap lasted after we got back. I was producing a TON of milk at night since that was daytime in Paris, and then not so much during the day. No biggie, not an issue, I’ll just regulate again right? (Wrong!)

Miles unexpectedly slept through the night pretty much right away when we got back from our trip, so even though my boobs had made a day’s worth of milk overnight, I didn’t wake up to pump it all. (From the beginning, I have not woken up to pump or nurse when I haven’t had to — when I could sleep, I’ve slept! and I didn’t want to make even more of an oversupply during the middle of the night.)

So I woke up that day feeling more lumpy and clogged than normal, but I didn’t think much of it because this was normal for me and I’d always been able to work them out myself.

baby started getting frustrated at the breast

As it turns out, this clog was more significant than I realized. I had noticed Miles was being more frustrated at the breast and I thought he was teething so I just attributed it to that.

But hindsight being 20/20 I think he was frustrated because he was having to work so hard to get milk out because I was so clogged (poor baby!).

Since he was refusing the breast, I was giving him bottles of breastmilk that I’d pumped previously and I wasn’t necessarily actively pumping when he had the bottle so I became even MORE clogged (again, I didn’t realize the clog was the issue at this time— I just thought he was being picky because of “teething”).

It basically was this perfect storm of my milk supply flip-flopping in Paris, Miles teething and being frustrated at the breast so he wanted a bottle, and then me not nursing or pumping as much, annnnd me not realizing that I was severely clogged to begin with — the perfect recipe for a major clog.

I feel so dumb writing this and reflecting on this time because DUH KATE YOU WERE SO CLOGGED, but honestly, I had no clue that it was a big deal. I truly just thought it was teething! I think it started as a rather innocent clog that I unknowingly let build ‘n’ build ‘n’ build in a series of unfortunate (and simultaneous) events.

After Miles continued being weird with feeding and preferring the bottle, I started noticing that I was clearly retaining a LOT of milk (one of my boobs was huuuuuuuuge) and the clog had grown significantly to the point where I KNEW this was much bigger than a “normal” clog (…it truly felt bigger than a golf ball, i kid you not). I accepted that this was something I couldn’t massage in the shower and I needed to take greater action.

So basically the next week or so was spent getting rid of this ginormous clog. and, team, WE DID IT.

natural remedies for clogged ducts

How I resolved SuperClog5000, you ask?

I tried all the natural remedies that I had used throughout breastfeeding, but it was basically a week-long unclogging boot camp where around the clock I was doing something to help relieve this clog. I was CONSTANTLY rotating through the hacks below for a solid 1-2ish weeks while I tried to slowly break down and resolve Clog Sr.

It honestly was so stressful, time-consuming, and frustrating.

Without a DOUBT, the hardest part of my breastfeeding so far. (doesn’t help that i got my first period back postpartum in the midst of this… HELLO HORMONES. oh, how i love being a woman!)

But the good news? It DID resolve utilizing these tricks and we are back in business!

So when I tell you I’ve tried it all? I’ve tried it ALL.

And here are the things that worked to get this clog passed.

WHAT I DID TO RESOLVE MY CLOGGED DUCT (NATURALLY!)

taking sunflower lecithin:

One of the most important things I would say is to take sunflower lecithin. This is a natural fat emulsifier that helps break up the clog and makes it easier to pass.

I was taking 4 per day with an active clog and then ever since I’ve been taking 1-2 per day for just kind of preventative maintenance because I do think I’m clog-prone in general and I don’t want to get back to that spot. Obviously check with your doc before adding any supplement, but I truly notice a different in my cloggin’ tendencies on the days I do/don’t take this.

NOTE (ADDED OCT 2024): During my new pregnancy with twins (yes, really!), I wanted to be proactive about clogs and did more research. Sunflower lecithin can be helpful, but I’ve learned it may cause GI side effects or impact the gut microbiome. So, this time, I’m taking straight up choline directly for clog prevention. Choline (with is found in sunflower lecithin) helps prevent clogs by breaking down fats and keeping milk flow smooth— but with less GI impacts. So, I’m opting for straight choline and saving lecithin for any acute clogs.

massaging the breast (in a more intentional way):

Breast massages are great for loosening things up! I did this in 3 distinct ways:

1. I utilized this breast massage thing which is basically a little gadget you put on the breast while you’re pumping or feeding that kind of shakes the breast to help release milk. You can also use it to “dig into” the clump which is very helpful. It’s also warm so it’s verrrrrrrrrry soothing.

2. Another tool I used for breast massage was my gua sha stone! This helped me specifically massage the clog and loosen it, pulling the clog towards the nipple. And this was really helpful I think!

3. I just googled different ways to massage the breast (like this youtube video) and was more diligent on doing these before feeding

When clogged, you don’t want to massage TOO much because it can create irritation and inflame the breast, but I would massage the breast for about a minute before every feed to just try to loosen things up.

using epsom salts with my haaka! (a must do!)

This is a game-changer! (and almost always solved the previous smaller clogs i’d dealt with prior!).

How to? I’d fill up my haaka with warm to hot water and put two tablespoons of epsom salts in it, then apply it to my breast with suction– doing my best to have my nipple submerged in the warm epsom salt water. This trick allows the pressure, suction, and heat to draw out the clog.

Typically with smaller clogs this worked for me EVERY TIME, but since this clog was so big it didn’t solve it, but it did help a lot little-by-litte by softening and gradually helping to break up and loosen the clog.

I would do this prior to pumping/feeding so that the clog would be loosened, and then it could immediately be followed up with a feed/suction.

pumping more diligently

The biggest thing that helped me was pumping more. Tbh I don’t really like pumping. I don't enjoy it, and I'd gotten kind of lazy with it and that’s what got me to the bad spot. Like, truly. I SO regret not being just a liiiiitle more diligent with pumping (before bed, with our time change of our international trip, if Miles would take a bottle I wouldn’t necessarily pump, etc.) because THAT’S what permeated the clog issue.

So I started regularly pumping more– especially since Miles was still preferring the bottle while I was clogged up. So every time he took the bottle, I would pump. I also started pumping before bed every night to empty my breasts before laying down. I also started offering the breast more in the middle of the night if Miles woke up (typically he can settle with just his paci, but during this #clogged stage, I would offer the breast just to keep things movin’ and flowin’)

and while this may seem so duh— as a first time mom I just didn’t take pumping that seriously as I hadn’t really had any side effects/bad outcomes from being lazy with it…. unnnnnntil it caught up with me. So, learn from my mistakes, and be PROACTIVE about pumping in a timely fashion when going a long-time between feeds!

Of note: you don’t want to pump MORE in a way that will boost your milk supply. This can be a delicate balance! I just tried to keep it realistic with how much milk I actually needed to produce in a day– the difference was not that I was necessarily pumping more, but just that I started being more diligent with when I should’ve been pumping to begin with. (which I hadn’t been before!)

Basically I just tried not to let any milk get stagnant and was really diligent with pumping and nursing for like a week straight just to keep things moving. This was huge.

Once, I resolved the clog, I am not as crazy diligent about pumping. I don’t do it EVERY day, multiple times like I was when the clog was still active— but I have maintained my pre-bedtime pump or dream feed to empty breasts before bed, and I am VERY diligent about pumping if I am away from Miles for more than a few hours!

changing breastfeeding positions

One thing I learned during clog-magedon (lolz. I think i’m hilarious), is basically where baby's chin is during the feeding drains that part of the boob most effectively, so kind of mixing up different positions sometimes helps with getting things moving and empty different parts of the breast.

I’d do side lying, cradle hold, football hold, etc. Changing things up I think helped drain where I was clogged.

dangle feed

Another option with baby’s positioning is a dangle feed, which is where you lay the baby on the floor and you dangle your breast down and allow them to suck. That way it works with gravity and helps pass the clog (you can do this while you pump too by getting on all fours!). Miles didn’t love this, but even if he did it for a few minutes, I’d call it a win!

taking probiotics

This is something I’m going to start taking proactively because there are certain strains of bacteria that can alleviate clogs and reduce mastitis so that’s something to consider. Full disclosure I didn’t do this at the moment as it was more urgent than that, but just wanted to add this as another tool to consider long term!

staying up on my supplements:

When your body is recovering from both pregnancy and labor, depleted of nutrients (from both pregnancy and breastfeeding), and needs a bit of help to help replenish your vitamins, minerals, and nutrient status. This is exactly why I have been taking THIS packet of post-natal vitamins— designed specifically for this unique stage.

One in particular within this packet that I find to be helpful in times of clog-prone is the stress relieving blend. Stress in the body can actually make the clog & inflammation worse! So this supplement is so helpful to help keep you centered & calm, even in the cloggiest of times. Ashwagandha has long been used for its adaptogenic and anti-stress properties within Ayurvedic medicine and L-theanine promotes relaxation.

Side note— I personally plan to take the postpartum “MOM” packet for the entirety of the time I am breastfeeding! It’s no secret that breastfeeding and the creation of breast milk requires a LOT of energy, nutrients, and strife from our bodies— and it’s important that we supplement our bodies so that we can stay strong, nourished, and adequately fueled during the depleting season of nursing. Basically, it’s one simple packet per day that has everything you need to support body while breastfeeding plus the stress-relieving blend to help keep me calm!) You can find the packet here and save 20% with my affiliate code KATEESKURI20 :)

using apple cider vinegar

I diluted apple cider vinegar with water and applied it topically to the breast, rubbing it all over and doing a little massage. I’d also drink apple cider vinegar diluted in water. It's a natural antibiotic, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory, so I tried to incorporate it any way I could (I even poured it in a hot bath).

Just be mindful to rinse the nipple thoroughly before your baby feeds as that taste of vinegar would be unpleasant!

utilizing hot/cold therapy

With a clogged duct or really inflamed breast, both heat and cooling can be helpful. (so confusing, right??? like which one should I use???)

I personally found it best to use a hot pack to heat up the breast for about 10-15 minutes before feeding and then putting an ice pack on for 10-15 min after the feed and that seemed to help cool down that inflammation I was experiencing.

checking for a milk bleb (a what????)

Ultimately the thing that changed everything was that while I was clogged and I was doing everything to pass the clog I actually had a blockage on the nipple itself called a milk bleb (you can google it).

It’s basically just a little chunk of breastmilk fat that clogs the nipple iteself— they’re verrrrry subtle and hard to see, but that was actually the main source of my issue.

Best practice is to go in to your provider and have them take care of it in a sterilized environment, but to be honest I just sterilized a needle with a flame and did it myself. You could also try picking at it with clean fingers but just make sure to sterilize!

And once that bleb came out a lot more milk started flowing so that’s something I’d never heard of before but was a huge issue for me, and helped SO much once I addressed the multiple (!!!) blebs I had.

clogged milk duct hacks: a summary

If I had to prioritize the top tricks and tools I used to get rid of this bigger clogged duct, it would be the following:

• Sunflower lecithin

• Epsom salt haaka trick

• Pumping more diligently day and night

• Breast massaging

• Utilizing different positions

• Addressing any potential blebs

• Strategic use of hot/cold
  
  

If you’re thinking about a simple strategy to combine some of the above, here’s what I’d recommend as a “routine” to rotate through with every feed/pump:

• Heat up the breast for 5-10 minutes

• Gently massage for 1-3 minutes

• Use a hot epsom salt haakaa for 10-15 minutes

• Pump

• Follow up with cold on the breast for 5-10 minutes
  
  

I wouldn’t wish a bad clog on anyone — it can be so stressful because you are uncomfortable, you’re worried about your baby getting enough milk, worried about your milk supply…this was my most stressful period of breastfeeding and I wanted to be sure to share some concrete resources on natural things I did to get rid of this super clog and prevent them in the future.

That’s a wrap! I hope everyone has a great day! (except you, clogmagedon. i hope your day sucks.)

Kate

PS: ready for more holistic breastfeeding tips & must-haves? i organized all my fav breastfeeding supplies & materials into an amazon storefront in one convenient place!