I am a newcomer to the Lactnet...I've been on-line about a week.  Thanks
to all who have been actively sharing information.  Writing this first
note is a bit scarey... like the time I led my first LLL meeting 25
years ago.  Anyway, here goes.........
Donna.... regarding your question about the Mom with a ? plugged duct.
I had a Mom a while back who was visiting our area from out of state.
This was her third bf experience and she reported she'd been dealing
with a "plugged duct" for approx. six weeks.  Now that she was awayfrom
home it seemed like the condition worsened and she came to see me.  A
full 3/4 of the left breast was involved .  It looked as if an orange
had been planted under the skin!!  The nipple was forced to point
awkwardly downward and the Mom reported difficulty getting the baby to
nurse well on that side.  (Babe was about 5 weeks old when Mom first
noticed a small lump)   Anyway, I believed it to be a galactocele and
referred the Mom to a surgeon who specializes with the breast.  After
some inappropriate tx (the surgeon's partner saw her and admitted her to
hospital on IV antibiotics for mastitis  >YIKES<)  the Mom insisted on
being seen by the person she'd been referred to.  That Doc said
galactocele, and drained a large amount of fulid off that breast via
needle aspiration in the office.  Mom returned to her home area after a
few days planning to f/u with her MD there.  Hope this helps.

Susan Wirtjes RN IBCLC from sunny and windy Iowa      Happy Easter!