The One Thing That Finally Unclogged My Stubborn Milk Duct

March 17, 2025•4 min read

The One Thing That Finally Unclogged My Stubborn Milk Duct

When my first baby was born, I had no idea she had a lip tie. I struggled with painful breastfeeding, excessive fussiness, and what felt like an endless cycle of frustration. I didn’t suspect a lip tie until she was around three months old, and it wasn’t officially diagnosed and treated until she was eight months. Looking back, I now realize how many symptoms were right in front of me.

If you want to read more about my experience with oral ties and what symptoms to look out for, you can check out my full blog post How Oral Ties Changed My Breastfeeding Experiences.

But today, I want to share something that I wish I had known sooner—how a lip tie led to one of the worst clogged ducts I’ve ever had and how I finally got relief after trying everything.

The Clogged Duct That Almost Turned Into Mastitis

Before I knew my baby had a lip tie, I experienced a severely clogged milk duct that was on the verge of turning into mastitis. It was painful, persistent, and wouldn’t budge no matter what I tried.

I gave everything a fair shot:

Gentle massage – I applied light pressure and tried to work the clog out. Nothing.
Heat packs, warm compresses, and hot showers – I was so desperate for these to help but they didn’t.
Different nursing positions – I adjusted my baby’s latch and holding positions (cradle hold, laid back hold, football hold, etc.) in hopes of better drainage. Still clogged.
Epsom salt in my Haakaa – This method has worked wonders for so many moms, but for me? I still was clogged up.
Dangle pumping – I literally got on all fours and let gravity do its thing. Nope.

To be clear, these methods can and do work for a lot of women. I’ve heard plenty of success stories from moms who swear by them. But after two days of relentless pain and worry, I was desperate. I started freaking out about mastitis and started searching online for products, reviews, videos - whatever I could find to help me figure out what I could do.

The Only Thing That Worked: A Breastfeeding Massager

After exhausting all my options, I decided to try a product I had found that had really great reviews - a breastfeeding massager—and within five minutes of using it, my clog was gone.

This massager was a game changer because:

It reaches deep into breast tissue – Unlike manual massage, this massager has a pointed tip that can apply pressure without hurting, helping to break up clogs buried in dense breast tissue.
It moves milk more efficiently – Whether you’re pumping or nursing, this tool helps stimulate letdown and drain the breast faster—something that would’ve been a lifesaver earlier on.
It actually worked when nothing else did – After two days of pain, this massager got my milk flowing again within minutes.

If you’re struggling with clogged ducts or slow milk flow, this is the #1 breastfeeding tool I recommend to help get it broken up and free your ducts. You can find the one I used HERE and all of my other favorite breastfeeding items HERE.

As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying commissions at no extra cost to you.

Other Tips for Clogged Ducts

If you need more ideas for treating clogged ducts, here are some expert-backed methods that may also help:

Lecithin supplements – Some moms find that sunflower lecithin helps prevent and break up clogs. (Source)
Frequent nursing or pumping – The more you empty the breast, the better.

If you have signs of infection (fever, red streaks, flu-like symptoms), please reach out to a healthcare provider right away.

Final Thoughts

I am not a medical professional—just a mom who’s been there. What worked for me may not work for everyone, but I truly believe this massager could help so many other moms struggling with clogged ducts or slow milk flow. If you’re dealing with a persistent clog, I hope this gives you a solution that works before you hit that desperate stage like I did.

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Sources:

•La Leche League International. “Plugged Ducts and Mastitis.” https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/plugged-ducts-mastitis/

Jordyn Giorgi

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