6 wo ds has one swollen breast

[Cies]

I was just changing ds (6wo) and noticed that his left breast is swollen and red. The tissue behind the nipple is hard and you can feel a sort of round swollen mass behind the nipple, about the size of a ten pence piece.

Has this happened to anyone before?

Do you know if it's serious?

Should I go to the doctor today (emergency room) or wait for a routine appointment?

[Cies]

no one?

[trellism]

I think that breast tissue in babies can swell in reaction to hormones at birth or in breast milk. Is he acting normally, no temperature etc.?

If it were me, I would try NHS Direct first of all.

Hope he gets better soon.

[fruitstick]

It can just be a reaction to the hormones (either in your breast milk or yours leaving his body - forget which).

However DS2's nipple was very red and a bit weepy - I must confess I waited until his routine check and it turned out to be a strep B infection.

It was nothing serious but he was given some antibiotics to clear it up.

I would get it checked out at the doctors

[fruitstick]

I must add that I panicked and burst into tears when the doctor said strep B

• but it's the same infection as a sore throat, just on the nipple! Nothing to be alarmed about.

[Effilump]

My ds had this too, and I panicked and thought all kinds, but my midwife had to come back and re do the heel prick test the day after i'd noticed it and she confirmed it was nothing, just hormones still in his system causing the swelling. If I was worried to take him to the gp. It went down after a little while and he's fine. If you are worried tho, just go along to your gp's or phone your h.v.

[mawbroon]

My ds had this too. HV also said it was as a result of the female hormones, and that they would go down.

I had heard of baby girls having a bit of blood like a "period" because of the mother's hormones, but didn't know that boys got swelling at the nipples.

it's probably nothing, but like others have said, get it checked out if you are still worried.

[wonderingwondering]

My DD had sore, inflamed nipples at a week or two old, and I recall that the HV said it was mastitis, I can't remember what the remedy was, but I'd get it checked out.

[Snorter]

As it is red, likely mastitis and will need antibiotics. mother's hormones can indeed cause swelling in first few weeks after birth, but not likely to be red.

[Cies]

thanks for all the advicwe. took him to docs and it is mastitis so have anti biotics to cure it. feel bad that it took me 2 days to go, but glad I did.

sorry for typing - am bfing at same time!