Breastfeeding First Aid Kit

One element of our natural medicine kit is a set of supplies for treating/preventing mastitis during breastfeeding. I highly recommend that new/expecting moms consider preparing a “Breastfeeding Emergency Kit” to have on hand, so that you’re not sending your Sweetie out to the health food store during those early days; especially if you’re needing it at 2 AM like I did!

I awoke at 2 AM one morning, painfully realizing that Enoch had actually slept for longer than a couple hours. During those early days, he had been an especially sleepy baby, with difficulty latching on, and I was especially prone to clogged milk ducts. So far, I had been able to address potential clogs while small, with focused massage on the areas, while he nursed (especially focusing on the lymph node areas near the underarm, as my lactation consultant directed).

But the engorgement of the early breastfeeding season, combined with the other concerns, resulted in a large, painfully swollen lump. Upon inspection, I realized that the area was quite reddened, and I knew I needed to act quickly to prevent mastitis from setting in. I didn’t have much on hand, and wasn’t quite sure exactly the best course of treatment, but I got started.

Knowing that I needed some immune-boosting treatments to prevent mastitis (and remembering Donielle’s post), I pulled a couple packets of Emergen-C out of my leftover birth kit (which had been free samples in the mail, actually), and drank a couple of them over the course of the early morning hours. I also put the kettle on, heating up water for a cup of Echinacea and Rose Hip Tea, with a spoonful of raw honey.

I hopped in a hot shower, and began massaging the lump, trying to see if that would help. I then put a cabbage leaf on it, since I had heard rumors that it could help (but I wasn’t sure how long to leave it on, and probably didn’t leave it on long enough to work well enough). I tried pumping to relieve some of the engorgement, and tried to get my sleepy baby to nurse.

But after bumbling through those early morning hours, the clogged milk duct didn’t seem at all improved. I called one of our midwives for some suggestions. She recommended continued heat and massage, along with some more immune-boosting treatments, including Echinacea tincture, a homeopathic remedy called phytolacca (based on poke root), and Vitamin C.

Over a couple days, I used these treatments, but still didn’t see much improvement. My midwife recommended a further step of taking Lecithin to try and thin out the “fatty” milk that might be clogging the duct, and make it flow better. I was noticing decreased milk supply in that side, since the lump was so large. (Over the next day or two of taking the Lecithin, the milk did seem to flow easier, which allowed for less frustrating nursing sessions, but the lump still remained.)

I then realized that calling my lactation consultant would probably be a wise step! After going through a series of trouble-shooting questions with me (ruling out latch issues, milk blister, etc.), she immediately recommended ice packs, NOT heat!