Barbara writes;
>>This happened last week when
she had a couple of plugs because she was nursing every 2-2 1/ hr to keep R
unplugged and then relaxed and went to every 3 1/2-4 hr and bingo-plugs.  She
also states she really has to coax her son to nurse frequently, he's much
happier on a every 4 hr feed (he's 21 lbs at 5 months!) and was sleeping thru
the night until severe plug of few weeks ago.<<
Hi Barbara, I have a thought here, let me know what you think.....Is it
possible that her more frequent nursings while potentially more likely to
empty those ducts also exacerbated the problem by increasing her milk supply
leading to greater stasis?? Following this train of thought; the more plugs
she has, the more she nurses/pumps to clear, the more milk she makes, the
more plugs etc. This seems to be consistent with your description as above.
If this is the case, then the fact that the plugs are only on one side makes
the solution easier. Could she slow way down on her nursing, 2-3x/ day on
that one side only, in an effort to greatly diminish the supply on that side,
live with the clogs in the interim period until her supply drops off then
resume full nursing (back to the baby's comfortable schedule) with the idea
that she can then more fully drain her breasts at each feed? She will then
have to deal with an oversupply on the opposite breast but that side may not
have the same tendency. She could pump that breast also to more slowly
realign the 2 sides once back to fully nursing on the affected side.
IF this scenario makes sense then what may have precipitated it in beginning
was a drop off in nursing, perhaps around the time the baby began sleeping
throught the night?, which left a lot of milk in the breast at each feed.
Obviously Mom would need to be careful of this in the future. Let me know
what you think!
Lynn Shea Rn,Bsn,Ibclc
Franklin,Mass

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