I think my nipple has gone septic :(

[pookamoo]

There is a big yellow pus filled nodule on one side of it. Feeding is agony.

Any advice? My GP said to leave it and hope it doesn't turn into mastitis.

On the actual nipple, or just to the side of it? You poor thing, not surprised it's agony. How old is LO and how often does he/she feed?

Can you ring your midwife team and get someone round to check it out?

It's on the side of the actual pointy part of the nipple (not the areola, if you see what I mean). It is more like a blister than a pimple, I think.

DD is 4 months and feeds... well, very regularly, she is DD2 so I don't really keep track of how often it is!

Could it be a bleb? Have read through of this from kellymom - it might help.

I had a look at the Kellymom article and the others linked to through the page, and it could be a bleb, but it does seem more like part of the nipple and less like a whitehead kind of spot - I'm also not sure it's actually got an opening in it - I sort of poked at it in the shower this morning (on the advice of a bf counsellor I hasten to add) and it doesn't seem to let any milk out of it. Maybe it's a positioning thing - although we haven't had any problems before, and the other side is fine.

It would be where DD's tounge laps against it, as it's on the side, but is equally uncomfortable if I put her in rugby ball hold (where it would be against the roof of her mouth).

pookamoo sorry to hear you're in pain.

I think a trip to your local breastfeeding clinic on Monday would be a good idea - one staffed by a breastfeeding counsellor if possible.

In the interim maybe consider calling one of the breastfeeding helplines tonight to get some thoughts from them (though do check the hours they are open as they go straight through to volunteer's homes).

Your GP's advice sounds a bit cavalier to me and suggests maybe s/he doesn't know much about breastfeeding. That's why a chat and ideally a face-to-face meeting with a breastfeeding counsellor (or even a lactation consultant if that's a financial option - see www.lcgb.org/ for more detail) might be the best plan.

Thanks squiggly, I'm a peer supporter at a bf clinic, and have been speaking to the bf counsellor about it - I do feel a bit like I should take a back seat to the "new mums" coming for help with tiny babies as this is my second and I ought to know what I'm doing by now!

I have been lucky so far this time round

If it is some kind of pus filled positioning blister type thing (technical term!) I would have thought it would have gone by now as it's been there for about a week, but equally, if it was a bleb, surely carrying on feeding from it, and trying to squeeze it in a hot shower (owww) would have made a difference by now?

pookamoo - does <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=milk+blister+nipple&num=10&hl=en&biw=1366&bih=667&tbm=isch&tbnid=Wn2VPtEdP-MgvM:&imgrefurl=www.breastfeeding-problems.com/milk-blister.html&docid=vVFj5LqpTWwocM&imgurl=www.breastfeeding-problems.com/images/blister6.jpg&w=260&h=262&ei=cuMRT6ziBZHJ8gPwt9H8Aw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=185&vpy=144&dur=2901&hovh=209&hovw=208&tx=110&ty=103&sig=114178360909016639541&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=139&tbnw=138&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this look like it (may be bigger or smaller though).

yes, quite like that, truthsweet although it's yellow not white, which suggests pus to me rather than milk

I did take a photo for the bf counsellor earlier today so she could ask her e-group, but I don't think I will put it up on my mn profile!

Not yet anyway!

It's bigger than that one though, like you say.

It could still be a milk blister (it could be plasma?? like in an ordinary blister) but the water in the milk caught under the skin could have been absorbed by the surrounding tissue leaving a kind of milk cordial/squash behind (IYSWIM ).

Ewww grim!

I will keep trying the hot compresses until the bf clinic on Tuesday, and hopefully it will clear by itself. Otherwise I might see if I can see a different GP at the surgery.

Thank you all!

Update: it popped in the night. The pus-porn people on here would have loved it, but it was actually very painful and quite yucky. Now just keeping it clean and carrying on feeding from it.

Just thought I would update in case anyone finds this thread in the future and it helps them to know what happened.

I'm glad it's over and hope it heals up soon.

It sounds like I've also got this. Popped up after 6 months of BF'ing DD and it went quite quickly, within a few days, encouraged DD to feed off it lots and it did the trick.

It came back with a vengence over christmas, after a week of pain and discomfort went to the GP who doesn't know what it is but gave me dactarin activ to try on it. It's been three weeks and no change. I've made an appointment for the end of next week to get it checked.

It's about half of the nipple that affected, DD is still feeding off of it. I think it's caused by my bra's I'm narrow backed but big in cup and haven't found any my size at a reasonable cost 34J is what I've got and they seem tight fitting [though they did fit well at the start]. I tried going up to 36J but found that I was slipping out the bottom. DD is now 13 months and didn't expect to keep BF her to this extent. Am pleased and want to keep it up as long as she's happy.

I read the advice on websites about compresses, but it doesn't seem to want to erupt and the skin on top seems quite thick. Any tips or advice??

kelle mine was like that, it didn't look "poppable" but when I woke up yesterday it had started to go and I helped it on its way with a clean, hot, wet flannel. It was very yucky, but feeding off it was instantly less painful and it's pretty much ok today.

I just followed the kellymom advice, really.

I also think mine was caused by bad fitting bras, time to get fitted, I think!

Oh, re bras, if you go up aback size, you are supposed to go down a cup size. I am going to see someone from our local nct branch for a fitting. They have bras from about £14.

Mine went after swimming today, it was vile, had DD straight on it, she was not at all bothered, after she'd fed it was like a small gash, now got a great big scab on it. Yuck! I think soaking in warm water for an hour did the trick.

I was hoping to avoid the cost of new bra's, might also see my NCT branch advisor about bra's £14 doesn't sound too bad.

phew, ow, and yuck, kellestar!

Hope it starts to feel better.