Sore boob - no lump, doesn't seem like mastitis - diagnose me please!

[marzipananimal]

DS is 13mo and has 2 feeds a day so my boobs are always pretty soft and floppy (nice!). Yesterday one boob started feeling sore, kind of in a mastitisy way (I've had it 7 times so am pretty familiar with it). I immediately fed him (he seemed chuffed to get a bonus feed) and have been keeping an eye on it but it hasn't got any worse.
It doesn't hurt when i'm not moving or touching it, so it's not too bad, but it feels quite tender as if it's internally bruised and a bit swollen.
My period has just started, but if it was that wouldn't both sides hurt? (and it seems to painful to be just hormonal).
Although I've had mastitis lots of times, the last time was when he was 6mo so this has come totally out of the blue.

Any ideas?

[FeelMyWraith]

I woke up yesterday with exactly the same symptoms. Breast was sore to the touch, felt internally bruised and tender but with no swelling, red patches or discernible lumps. Was okay if I didn't touch it. It stayed like that for most of the day, ds still feeding well on that side and suddenly there was a wedge shaped lump and it was red hot.

It was a blocked duct though unlike any of the ones I had with dd in that it took a while for it to manifest but it was definitely a blocked duct. I wonder if maybe it was partially blocked or a minor duct which took a while to back up. No idea.

With dd (fed her for 3.4yrs), I ONLY ever got blocked ducts when ovulating or if my period had started. Hormones played merry hell with my ducts actually. Luckily it only turned into mastitis twice but considering my periods came back at 3 months and I had a blockage at least every time I ovulated, I had a LOT of them.

[organiccarrotcake]

Yes, could well be a blocked duct. If you keep feeding from it (maybe worth considering upping feeds), it will hopefully clear. Other self help info:

kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/mastitis.html

[marzipananimal]

Interesting FeelmyWraith, that's probably the most likely explanation. Really hope it just goes away though! Luckily I didn't get my periods back til he was 11months, and the last 2 didn't seem to cause trouble. I hope yours has got better.

Thanks organic. I'm reluctant to up feeds as I worry that I'll get problems when I cut down again (it's been a very slow process getting down to 2 feeds) but maybe an extra one tonight or tomorrow.

[FeelMyWraith]

I did google yesterday and you can have blocked ducts which rumble on for days without getting bad and then clear. I expressed very vigorously with hot flannels (owww) and after about an hour on and off, a jet of milk shot 6ft across the room and hit the wall. Blocked duct gone.

[marzipananimal]

wow, that's pretty impressive! I'm a wuss with expressing, if it is blocked, DS will have to oblige.