Bruised breast - possible? And what to do?

[LaTristesse]

My DS is 8.5mo and only has BM (as well as solids!), he won't take a bottle, or drink from a cup yet so all his fluids are coming from me.
We've been through the mill with biting, bashing and general bad feeding etiquette in the past (as well as a bout of thrush early on), but seemed to be in an ok place. But now my breast has really started to hurt - like it's bruised, although I can see no marks, and it feels normal to the touch.

I'm still feeding him from this side although it's ruddy sore - any ideas as to what it could be? Has he sucked too hard?! Can a boob get bruised? And what can I do to ease it? (I currently have a cabbage leaf on it - back to those newborn days!

Sounds like mastitis coming on. Can you feel any hard bits?

Paracetamol will help. Look out for hot patches. A hot bath may help actually. Cabbage is good though :)

Really? Eek...

So that's a course of antibiotics to shift it right?

BFN

Not necessarily. If you keep your temperature down with paracetamol, use hot flannels to encourage the infection site to show up and any stuck milk to come out it may well be fine.

Sounds like a blocked duct to me - I had exactly the same thing felt bruised but nothing visible. Couldn't feel a lump, and I couldn't make it hurt more by prodding it, it just felt bruised all the time, and sometimes sorer when I was feeding.

I just made sure I fed lots from that side, and massaged quite firmly whilst feeding. Went away in a couple of days. (Apparently combing your boob whilst feeding/ in shower with wide toothed comb also works very well).

Mastitis is nasty though so if it's not getting better/ gets worse go and get some professional advice.

Thanks ladies, will chug some painkillers, give it a massage and keep an eye on things...