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Help - very painful montgomery glands :(

8 replies

Thatsnotmyfigure · 30/09/2014 20:36

I have been bf for 5 weeks and the bumps on my areola often get sore in spite of a good latch. It can be excruciating. At the moment one of them looks like a tiny zit with a white head on it. I tried having a hot shower and was hoping to squeeze it but didn't work. I am using a nipple shield over it, but not keen to continue that for much longer as I tend to get a bit of engorgement when using shields. I can reach for the paracetamol but what else? Am I weird to have this problem? I can't seem to find much info on it n the internet or in books. It's so painful it makes me want to give up :(

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tiktok · 30/09/2014 21:05

That sounds like it could be infected, OP.

Or it could be a blocked duct, right at the exit point, and not a Montgomery gland at all.

Sounds like it would be worth a consult with GP or Hv.

Ouch :(

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Thatsnotmyfigure · 30/09/2014 21:12

Thanks tik tok. How could I tell the difference? Have never seen it oozing and I do seem to get raised sore montgomery glands. I am seeing the HV tomorrow so will show them but not sure they're experts? They're more into telling me baby isn't putting on enough weight (3oz last wk, 2oz the week before) Does that sound OK to you?

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FruitBasedDrinkForALady · 30/09/2014 21:24

Have you looked on kellymom.com for advice? When DS was bf, I got a couple of blocked ducts and one of the signs was a whitehead like blister on my areola. Sometimes the fats in the milk thicken and harden and almost become like toothpaste. I put a hot flannel on it (for very bad cases, a nappy full of hot water can be useful) for a few mins, then gently squeezed it from behind/underneath if that makes sense, and it popped out. DS turned out to have a tongue tie, so I got a lot of blocked ducts, and I found lecithin great.

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Thatsnotmyfigure · 30/09/2014 22:48

Thanks! I have searched kellymom - I think I have - am sooo tired!! . This is tiny like a zit. I tried squeezing but will try again. Did yours ooze? What is lethicin?

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FruitBasedDrinkForALady · 01/10/2014 01:36

This is the link I found useful

I got lecithin in the health food shop. I'm not an expert, but from my research and talking to my lactation consultant, it's a supplement often used to reduce cholesterol as it thins the fats in the blood, and as a consequence, fat in breastmilk. It means if you are prone to blocked ducts, the milk flows better and clumps less within the ducts and less likely to block. It certainly helped me with a lot of blockages!

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Thatsnotmyfigure · 01/10/2014 06:13

That's really interesting! Thanks a lot! Anyone got experience of Montgomery gland problems. Feeding as I type this and it's sooo painful. Think will take tiktoks advice and call GP cos this could be the last straw for me

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FruitBasedDrinkForALady · 01/10/2014 12:26

If it's still painful then a trip to the GP or even a call to NCT or LLL might be useful. Do you feel any lumps in your breast? When I got the milk blisters I could feel a large lump too, so for me it was a blockage going the whole way through the duct and almost being "forced" out, like the toothpaste analogy. It'd be worth ruling out other causes though.

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Thatsnotmyfigure · 01/10/2014 16:38

I found a small pea size lump under the 'zit' which was enough to get me to the GP and am now on antibiotics. (I think the picture on Google images also scared the life out of me!!) The health visitor today hadn't heard of it but was suitably shocked when I showed her (and impressed I was still feeding!) Now I just need to get this sorted so I can get back to enjoying my baby again! Thanks for your support and advice!