Blocked duct and, errr, popping it - eek!

[vallinnapod]

I have searched the forum here for info on blocked ducts as for the last months now I have had mild mastitis, followed by blocked ducts on and off. In both boobs but far more prevalent in my right boob. I have a white spot on that nipple too. So, trawling through peoples' past experiences there seems to be some history of sterilising a needle and popping the bugger.....

The thought is making me squirm a touch but to be honest I am so fed up I am happy to bite the bullet and give it a go.

Any advice?!

I'd go to the doctors TBH.

I love a bit of spot popping, but I wouldn't muck about with a nipple. Can you imagine if it got infected.... Nooooooo.

Have you tried using a breast pump, I found I could angle it on the nipple to draw from the blocked one and pop!

Thanks ladies, will head to the GP. I agree, I like a mirror splatter as much as the next girl but the thought of sticking a pin in my nipple

I have tried the breast pump, and my Dyson DS (far more aggressive than the pump ) but no luck. I look a bit like those pictures that show a boob job gone wrong!

Soften it with a hot flannel and gently scratch the surface skin then express or let baby have a go at it. I had white blocked ducts and they never 'popped' just gradually went away.

I had blocked ducts a few times and never went near them with a needle. I'm getting quite squeamish at the thought!
I used to massage the blocked area in the shower and also when DD was feeding (or I was expressing) I would take my knuckles down my boob towards the nipple, to try to encourage the blockage to give way.

Personally I'd go to the doctors way before attacking my own boob with a needle!!

I have this exact same thing. One duct alwasy gets blocked and I get a white spot on my nipple. Personally I wouldn't go to the doc unless you think it's mastitis (actually even then I usually dont but I get it all the time). I've also had no success with 'popping' it with a needle. I find hand expressing works best and eventually the blockage comes flying out followed by loads of milk. It can take a while to get used to the hand expressing and to fiind just the right angle to draw out the blockage. But this makes it much more effective at clearing blockages than a pump (in my experience). Using a hot cloth/shower as you do it can help too. And scraping the skin gently to try and dislodge it. Good luck, it's quite satisfying when it finally comes out!

Thanks for the tips. Am expecting a tidal wave of milk down poor DS's throat St some point

one word for you pump, the force of the pump popped my one quick smart.

I used to roll mine and they would go on their own. Warm shower or bath, two paracetamol two hours before and roll them - imagine you have a lump of dough in there and you are trying to get it into a ball - and 'splat'.