Just had my third blocked duct (pout) can I do anything to prevent it happening again?

[Miaou]

[sulk]

I had a blocked duct (argh, keep typing "duck" ) before Christmas. I lay in the bath and expressed as much milk as I could, but was left with a little white lump, bit like a blister, on the nipple. Feeding on that side remained painful though the blockage was clear. About 10 days ago, it blocked up again, and again yesterday. Both times I and ds between us have cleared it ok, but it is so bloody painful! I still have this little lump thingy on my nipple, and I have a deep-seated pain (like someone is inserting a knitting needle into my breast right through the nipple, to be exact), which is there all the time, but particularly bad just after feeding and when my milk comes in.

Owwwwwww - what can I do to prevent it happening again? And can I get rid of this permanent pain? The other breast is fine.

Bump.

Nobody loves me, boo hoo

I love you.

Sorry you've been having such problems, especially while sick. No advice, though, since I have no clue.

lol thank you c&cmommy

Could it possibly be thrush? the needle pain, i mean...

Well I've never had thrush before, so I'm not sure what I'm looking for ... would I get it just on one side? And doesn't that mean ds would have thrush too, ie a white mouth?

Honestly, ds is my third and I am so ignorant, never had this problem before!

Also, I've had two blocked ducts a long time apart and I think they both came from me holding the boob a smidge too tightly when supporting it for DS

x-posts. I think you can both have symptomless thrush but I'm no expert! the description of your pain rang a thrush bell though

no supporting needed here, I am norkularly challenged

Not worn a bra for a few days either (been poorly, sniff), so it's not that digging into me in the wrong place

OK will go google - thanks Corrie

I guess all my other bfing advisers are too busy making tea and having a life and stuff....sniff sniff...

Miaou,
Unfortunately I get this loads and have never found a cause or preventative measure. It first happened after I started running again so I stopped but it has carried on happening so I guess I can no longer use that excuse for sitting around watching daytime tv rather than exercising.
If you get the white spots, I think I read somewhere that they're called 'blebs'- choice name. I have spent many a miserable evening trying to express the pain and blockage away and have even resorted to using a needle when it looked like the blockage was under the skin. All to no avail. The only thing that works for me to clear them is time. Within about 24 hours of discomfort, my ds usually manages to clear them without me doing anything specific.
Sorry I've not found a wonder cure but certainly in my case it's never been thrush.

Ah, that's interesting dobbin. I'm wondering if thrush is a possibility, but there is no sign of it in ds's mouth or on his bum, and I've not had anti-biotics or thrush myself for a loooong time (certainly pre-ds). The only symptom in common with thrush is the deep pain particularly after feeding.

I'll go and google "blebs" now - what an ace word! Any more advice from anyone?

Hi Miaou - sorry you've had this again

Have you seen this on kellymom about milk blisters?

Thanks hunker - yep, it's definitely a milk blister I have got. i have tried to get rid of it in the way kellymom suggests but it's not going - however, reading on, it could be caused by thrush, for although I've only got the one blister, it definitely feels worse afterwards not better.

Soooooo - trip to the docs? What's the best way to get rid of thrush? Should I treat it as thrush and see if that makes a difference? I think it's gone on long enough and is obviously not clearing up on its own so I need to do something about it.

• worse afterwards - ie after feeding - duh.

Lots on the Breastfeeding Network site about thrush - you need to treat both you and DS (some GPs don't know this and won't prescribe for baby if no symptoms there, but they are mad GPs and should not be listened to).

If it doesn't turn out to be thrush, it's worth ensuring that your DS's chin is sometimes in the same direction as the bit that keeps getting blocked. Well, actually, that helps, no matter what.

oooh thanks for that. I will go and see my gp next week and take that link in with me in case they are unaware.

Miaou - I keep getting this too - I had it pretty much permanently since Christmas until a few days ago, when I resorted to using a sterilised needle to just 'touch' on it (not poke it or anything) which seemed to just break a very thin layer of skin which had grown over and hence wasn't being cleared by feeding DD - and a little bit of milk came out. I then fed dd from that boob at the next feed and it seemed to clear over the next few feeds.

I have also found that not wearing a bra as often as possilbe has helped with the pain, as has ibuprofen. (Although being 'norkularly' blessed myself , I expect that sagging will be the result .

Mine also felt worse after feeding whilst blocked (but that surely must increase the pressure on the blockage, so maybe thats why?). But I dont' think mine was/is thrush.

Hmmm, yes I thought that NQC, but unfortunately it's the bit directly below the nipple so unless I stood up and dangled him below me I don't think I could manage it!! That said, I do feed him lying down when I can and it seems to be less painful then - bit difficult to do that in town though

Oh, I used to feed with a baby sitting astride a knee, and feeding from the boob on that side. That would work. But it's only good while the baby is the right size, able to sit up, etc.

Otherwise, lying down, with baby lying on top of you works. Or baby lying on his back, you dangling boob into mouth at right angle.

I had a horrible horrible blockage that was at about 11 o'clock on the nipple (from the point of view of someone else looking at my chest). So I fed lying on my back, with baby kneeling on my face. V. comfortable, but it did sort it.

Can't get those images out of my head, NQC. I have never yet managed to bring myself to try and feed my ds with my nose to his nappy, which is what would be required. Maybe now I'll be a bit more inventive.

It worked really well. I somehow went from completely fine to nearly-mastitis (warm, feeling poorly, big scary sore boob) overnight. By the next day, DS2 had sorted it. And I didn't even have to resort to my local BFC's most hardcore suggestion: drop solids entirely, so he feeds more. (He was 11 months or so.)

The only weird side effect was, he got really hooked on feeding with me lying on my back in bed, topless. He still really prefers that, six months later. I lie still, he decides which side to feed from etc.