'Threads' in breast?

[NumptyMum]

DD is now nearly 6wks old, and I've had all sorts of problems with feeding her which I've found so frustrating as I fed DS for over 2 yrs. Anyway I've been having pains in my left breast after feeds, have been taking treatment for thrush but they are still there after 5 days of taking the pills/cream, so I'm guessing it's not thrush after all. I do feel 2 'threads' along the breast on one side, could this be blocked ducts? I've not had any redness, but can a duct be blocked without there being redness? What else could be the cause of the pain - the nipple is very sore again so is it referred pain from that? The breast pain feels quite 'deep' though...

Any ideas?

Oh - forgot to say the nipple damage is almost a hole in the nipple, so could it be that?

(I'm trying to resolve cause of nipple damage, distraction from toddler doesn't help and also I think DD gets a v dry mouth so perhaps that rubs it too...)

That sounds like a blocked duct to me - almost like a little cable running through your breast, it is harder than the surrounding tissue?

I would just feed from that side as much as you can - I used to sort of dangle my breast into DS' mouth so that gravity could help with draining the breast and hopefully unblocking the block!

If you aren't allergic you could try taking some ibuprofen which will not only help with the pain but will also reduce any inflamation in the breast and help it to unblock.

Ooh lovey, that sounds painful! Poor you.

Does sound like blocked ducts.

I'd keep taking the thrush meds anyway, and massage down the breast towards the nipple across the blocked ducts when DD is feeding.

One technique I've heard is to feed in different positions to change where the pressure is on the breast during feeding.

The other piece of advice I read before I had my DS and tried to stick to was to avoid wearing a bra at all as much as you possibly can.

I think you should get her checked for tongue-tie as it can cause really bad pain.

Hopefully someone with more expertise will be able to help too.

You're doing very well though.

a blocked duct usually feels like a lump,although I suppose if the duct was blocking along its length then you might feel that as a "thread".Blocked ducts aren't red unless they are turning into mastitis.It could be referred pain from the nipple-could you have had a plugged duct? This is where the duct gets blocked at the point the milk leaves the nipple,and then milk can back up.I'm just thinking that because of the hole at the nipple,the plug could have been dislodged.You can get a block in a deep duct too.I would get your GP to have a feel and she/he would probably have some idea then if there was a blockage in the duct.I had a lump recently and although I couldn't feel it at all,I just had pain,my GP could feel it. anyway the main thing is feed as much as possible.Long feeds tend to unblock ducts,and also prevent mastitis.I hope its better soon.

Wasting yes to being without a bra - and especially to feeding without a bra. The worst mastitis I had was when I had been away on holiday and feeding out and about a lot wearing a feeding bra, rather than being at home and not having a bra on so much.

Thanks for all your replies. I went to the GP last Friday when trying to find out cause of pain, it started I think when I got over-full the Friday beforehand (ie 2wks ago). I only spotted the threads this week though, was slightly red which is why I wondered again about blocked ducts. The threads do feel like cables (I've actually also noticed one in the other breast) but I don't THINK there's a lump, I've tried to follow the cables along towards the nipple but seems just to be threads.

Have tried massage but nothing's working yet. Trouble is that the nipple pain makes feeds pretty excruciating! Will try to vary positions, but DD doesn't tend to open her mouth v much (she looks like a fish when I try to feed her, open/closing mouth all the time and straining downwards, not lifting head up!) which is one of the problems. Will see if for a morning feed she'll let me try the 'dangle' position, and I'll have a bath just now, that seemed to help with soreness the other night.

Any tips/thoughts re the 'hole' in my nipple, will it sort itself out?

Interesting info re bra, will need to wear one during the day (as feel a bit sore without one) but have now stopped wearing anything supportive at night which does feel a lot nicer.