Dear Brenda,

The development of plugged ducts/mastitis is always a risk with an oversupply situation.  Was she pumping/hand expressing to comfort on the side which the baby wasn't using?  This is an important part of the one-sided nursing tx.  This may seem to negate the effects of the one-sided feeds, but usually the mom takes out less than the baby, and over the course of a week or two, the supply does drop.  I usually have the mom nurse on one side for several feeds in a row, depending on the severity of the situation.  At the first sign of a plug or inflammation, the mom is to aggressively empty the breast.  Make sure that her bra is not binding her in any way.

You don't say how long this condition has persisted.  Has the mom tried sage?  It is very affective for some people.  If all else fails, she might want to consider a course of estrogen-containing BCPs.  This should put the brakes on - but of course, some people are not good candidates for BCP therapy.




Warmly,
Sharon Knorr, BSMT, ASCP, IBCLC
Newark, NY (near Rochester on Lake Ontario)
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