How can I unclogg my breast and produce more milk?

Question

I just had my baby 3 days ago and I don't think she is getting enough at the hospital my baby had to be feed a little bit of formula.

Answer 1

Drop the formula, warm showers, more frequent nursing....most important...relax. The baby is getting enough.
If continued problems contact a La Leche League in your area.

Answer 2

What is making you think your breasts are clogged?
You may not even have your milk in yet. Depending on how often you nurse, it could take up to 5 days or more. However, the more frequently you nurse, the more you'll make and the more your baby will get.
What goes in must come out, I always say. Your baby should have 6-8 wet diapers a day and 3-4 poops about the size of a quarter, based on when your milk has come-in. Before that 1-2 wet diapers and ++meconium are okay.
Anything other than your breast that you give your baby (ie, pacifiers, bottles/formula) will interfere with your body making milk for your baby. Those things are best held off for at least 4 weeks, no less, to allow time for your baby to learn to nurse effectively and to establish your supply.

Good Luck & Congratulations!!

Answer 3

Your breasts are not clogged. The first milk you produce is called the Colostrum and it will be what your baby will eat for the first 3-4 days until your milk "comes in". Colostrum is fairly low in volume, but your baby was born with plenty of fluid in her body to compensate for this. If your milk has come in and you are feeling engorged, try using a warm shower to express some of the milk out or use a breast pump. If your breasts are too full, she may not be able to latch on properly causing frustration for both of you. If she is nursing every 1-3 hours and from both breasts, she is getting what she needs while your breasts are preparing for milk production. To increase your milk production the only thing you have to do is feed your baby on demand. It is not uncommon for the hospital to give babies a little formula especially if mom needs a little rest and has sent the baby to the nursery for awhile. Breast feeding has many benefits. It takes practice and patience, but is worth the effort. If you have further problems, contact the lactation specialist at the hospital you gave birth at or contact your local La Leche League.

Answer 4

Let the baby nurse as much as possible. The more the baby sucks, the more milk your body will produce. Hopefully your body will be able to meet the demand, but don't feel bad if the baby isn't getting enough from breastmilk alone. You could continue to breastfeed and let the baby's daddy give her a bottle of formula a couple of times a day, that's good bonding for them. Your pediatrician will tell you at the first check up if the baby is gaining enough weight to continue breastfeeding alone. If you see signs that worry you, the baby is crying all the time, has a fever or just doesn't seem right, take her to the doctor in case she is dehydrated. Good luck!

Answer 5

Put warm towels on your breast. Go to your lacation specialist and have them give you pills to Produce more milk.
Your body isn't even producing regular breast milk. Your body is producing just enough milk for your baby right now. When your milk comes in completely. You'll know and then your body will adjust as your baby adjusts. Just put your baby to your breast more often and you'll be fine. If your baby is still not getting enough breast milk. Try a little formula and then go back to the breast do both. So your baby does have the ability to latch on.

Answer 6

Apply moist heat before nursing (compresses, warm shower or bath, or leaning over a sink full of warm water). This will help increase circulation to the area and unclog the lump.

Sit around with a heating pad on a low setting between feedings, especially during the night. This can also help dissolve the clog.

Encourage the baby to nurse frequently (at least every two hours) and vary the nursing positions so pressure will be put on different ducts. One very strange but effective nursing position is "hands and knees". Try putting the baby down on the bed or on a blanket on the floor and lean over him on all fours. Let your breast hang straight down, falling freely from your ribcage. Try not to let anyone see you doing this because they will probably fall over laughing.

Sleep on your back or side without putting pressure on the sore breast.

Wear a supportive bra, but make sure it isn't too tight. Try to avoid under-wire bras.

Offer the sore side first, but before you do, try to hand express a little to soften the areola and get the milk started flowing before baby starts nursing. Gently massaging the lumpy area in a circular motion, starting behind the lump and working toward the nipple, can help loosen the plug Sometimes when the clogged milk is released, you may see something strange coming out of your nipple. It may look like a strand of spaghetti or a grain of sand. Don't be surprised -- it's just the milk secretions working their way out. If the baby is nursing when this happens, you won't even be aware of it, and it won't hurt him if he swallows it. If you are pumping, however, it can be a little scary if you see this strange stuff coming out if you don't know what it is.

Get rest, rest, and more rest. If possible, find someone to help with the housework and other kids for a day or two and take your baby to bed with you. If that's impossible, try at least to eliminate any extra activities and find time to put your feet up for an extra couple of hours while you nurse.
Usually, if you follow these guidelines after discovering a plugged duct, you will feel better and the lumpy area will go away within twenty-four hours. Even if you have a low-grade fever (less than 101 degrees), you may want to try the measures mentioned above before calling your doctor.

Once a plugged, inflamed area has progressed into full-blown mastitis, it is important to contact your doctor immediately to begin antibiotic therapy. About one third of nursing mothers will develop mastitis at some point. This most often occurs during the first few weeks after birth (1/3 of the cases occur after baby is six months old, and 1/4 after baby is 12 months old), in mothers aged 30-34, and in women who work outside the home. Often mothers report unusual periods of stress, extreme fatigue, or a cracked nipple (any break in the tissue allows a route of entry for bacteria) before an episode of mastitis. The type of mastitis following a break in the nipple tissue usually occurs during the early weeks of nursing.

Answer 7

First of all you don't produce milk in the first three days. Colostrum is full of anti bodies from your immune system. The baby is tired the had a long delivery too your know. Its not unusual for a breast feed baby to eat every two hours in the beginning. The babies BM will look like watery mustard(color) with white seeds in it.
Don't worry milk will come in soon enough. If you do have any problems Call the Hospital and tell them you need to see a Lactation Nurse. They will send one to you. They let women out of the hospital to soon with out any support in breast feeding. I breast feed all mine but my grandmother was a LPN so I had a lot of help.
there also is and group called La Lachie League
that is a group of nursing mothers who share their problems and solutions about breastfeeding.
Good Luck write if you need me.

Answer 8

Heat compresses or a warm shower will help with milk letdown and if you think she's not getting enough try pumping to boost milk production. Most mother's think they are underfeeding their babies when they breastfeed because there is no gauge to SEE how much they eat like with a bottle. Let her feed at your breast and then supplement with pumped milk if it seems like she's still hungry, but the milk flow has stopped. Good Luck and Congratulations!!

Answer 9

just before nursing use warm compresses on your breasts...warm washclothes work. while you are nursing massage your breasts wherever you feel like it is hard. this will get your milk flowing. :) normal babies will be nursing 10-30 minutes on one breast and then switching to the other. hang in there. i know its hard but its better for the baby.

Answer 10

your body produces enough milk to satisfy your baby. you will find that as the baby gets older you will be producing more and more milk.