Think I have a blocked duct, help!

[WelshRabbit]

Earlier today my left boob was feeling a bit engorged and uncomfortable, but just thought I must have fed off the wrong side. Have fed off it a couple of times since, but it's no better, still feels lumpy and painful. Tried to get DS to feed at bedtime,, but he just cried and pulled off but I thought this might be due to teeth and or tummy ache from weaning. Tried to express instead, but am getting hardly anything out.

Have read Kellymom page and am tried a hot compress and then expressing again, but still no luck. Is there anything else I can do? Really hope this doesn't need medical help as DP is away for the weekend so am alone with 2 children until Sunday night.

Try standing in a hot shower and massaging it with the shower head, it worked for me. If it doesn't shift you are better to get it checked out by a Doctor just in case you are developing Mastitis. You can get anti biotics you can take whilst breast feeding, just check with the doctor.

Can you see a small white spot on your nipple? You may need to squeeze nipple gently to see it. If it is a blocked duct you can get a sterilised needle and pop this White spot and feed baby, it will be instant relief. I've had this twice and popping it is not as bad as it sounds, just gently do the end, no need to prod around.

Try and bf in a way that drains it, depending on where the lump is. I found it usually helpful to go on all 4's and hang over the baby so boob was hanging down, just seemed easier to get stuff out, though the baby does have to work harder. I slept all night with a hot bottle on it and just kept feeding off it, expressed from other side so it didn't get too engorged either. It's such a relief when you feel it's being 'sucked out'!

Hi thanks for all the tips. I can't see any white spots, just have a very lumpy boob, feels as if I have gone too long without feeding. Am going to run myself a hot bath and try massage and hand expressing, will also try gravity assisted feeding later - DS is usually up a few times during the night, never thought I'd be glad he's not sleeping through yet!

I had this last week. Agony!Thought it was engorgement initially too. I used the end of my razor ( Venus one so rounded not edgy) to massage lump as hard as I could in shower, which broke it up lots. But it was really deep, and the only thing that got rid was my oh massaging it until he couldn't feel any lumps, then feeding straight away. That was more painful than labour but worked. You might be braver than me and manage to do it yourself! Just keep telling yourself its the way to fix it! Hope yo feel better soon - I was fine quite quickly after, except for yellowing bruises!

Just undressed for the bath and noticed skin is red and blotchy - does this mean it's turning into mastitis or could it be from massaging it while trying to express?

Suggest it could be either. Mine went a bit red but i think from the massage bit.. But I'm sure an expert will come along before I've finished posting! But I do know that if you start to feel fluey then get yourself to doc asap!

Def sounds like mastitis to me, I've had it every 3 or 4 weeks since ds3 was born 7 months ago, and that's how it starts each time: tenderness/soreness and then I notice the redness on my skin.
My advice would be to take ibuprofen regularly until it settles down.This reduces inflammation. This is how I've treated it each time, and it hasn't developed into anything more serious (except for one time, which was horrible).

Thanks again, have been sitting in a hot bath hand expressing - criminal waste of milk, but having much more luck than with my electric pump. Feeling a bit less lumpy now, but sore from the massage and expressing. Will try and find some ibuprofen before going to bed. Thanks again for the advice and tips.

I agree with all the previous tips and for me it was a combination of them all plus sitting for hours with a hot compress on affected area and feeding or pumping as often as possible. The thing that seemed to do the trick was alternate hot compress then very vigorous massage of the lump in the direction of my nipple. It's really sore but the relief when it finally goes is worth it.

Combing breast with wide tooth comb from outside of breast to nipple can also be quite effective.

May I ask those that have been giving advice, did the blockage suddenly go? After massaging and feeding, etc? I've got a blocked duct at mo and although I haven't yet tried heat, am feeding and massaging as much as poss. Wondering.if it's likely to gradually get better, or if the fact it still hurts means what I'm doing has had no effect. Ta.

Princess, in my dim and distant memory (this was 6 years ago, but happened about once a week for a six months!), it would hurt and hurt and then almost feel like something was being drawn out. Then it would feel sore for a bit from the blockage and the massage, but a different kind of sore, in a weird way a satisfying kind of pain!

Oh, and also the lump you can feel will go.

Princess, I would find that feeding and massagIng would take the swelling/lumpiness away, but that it would still feel tender for another day

Oops. For another day or two.

Second the combing.

Mine seems to have cleared up - for me it was definitely the hot bath and massage that did it, I didn't have a wide toothed comb so used my fingers and worked the lumps out by massaging firmly from the armpit all the way to the nipple. Also, after I had been expressing for a while, I did see a white spot as described above so poked it with a pin, which also helped.

Good luck - so relieved all the advice on here worked and I didn't end up at the GPs.

Thanks. I had a super hot bath and massaged it, then fed and the next day it felt miles better. The tenderness gradually went.