Blocked duct?

[FormerlyKnownAsPrincessChick]

I think I may have a blocked duct on my nipple. It's really painful when baby feeds and there is a sunken hollow on my nipple that looks like it has pus trapped in it. I'm still feeding baby from this side but it hurts so much. She's 2 weeks and feeding really well so I'm really upset this has happened. Health visitor is over today but should I be booking a gp appointment this morning? Midwives said that health visitor just looks after baby. Does this sound like a blocked duct? Or something else? Any tips in the interim?

So sorry you're in pain. When my duct(s) blocked I had a sunken area. I read through posts under feed the world and got some tips and reassures. Persisting with feeding and expressing for me unblocked them within 24 hours each time. The health visitor should definitely be able to identify what it is for sure but if doctor appts are hard to get at your practice book one as soon as the open as you can always cancel it.
Someone will be along with good advice for you soon. The gets of luck. I really hope you get it sorted asap.

I'd give one of the breastfeeding helplines a call and talk it through. Hopefully that will help you determine whether it's a blocked duct or something like thrush.

In the meantime, this page from kellymom is helpful.

Things that helped my blocked ducts were having a hot bath and gently sweeping my hands down over the knotty bits if that makes sense? Also continuing to feed lots on that side but using different holds helped to clear the blockage.

If you get a temperature or start feeling fluey I'd see your GP asap in case it's mastitis.

Congratulations on your baby.

I was going to say a milk blister too.

Hope you get it sorted

I had these, recurring pretty constantly til DS was 9mo. They were little grains of hard milk, almost chalky.

Best thing I found was to get in the shower, massaging the blocked side down towards the nipple under the warm water so the milk pressure pushed it out, this often worked, or immediately after the shower latching DS on so he could clear it.
I would often have to 'scratch' the top of the nipple gently with my fingernail to loosen the skin over the duct a bit, then hand express until the blockage passed. And oh the relief when it came out!!! :)

Sometimes a hot flannel over the sore boob before feeding helped the baby clear it too.

I also had some far more tricky ones, which I had to use a needle to clear. This sounds extreme, but i'd read it online and checked with my doc before trying. Basically I sterilised a needle/pin and used it to clear the duct opening and 'flick' the grain out. Not something I'd advise you try until all other avenues have been exhausted! Like I said tho, I had this a LOT for many months, which is unusual.

I found wearing a bra at night would often cause me to wake up with a blocked duct, so maybe they're caused by pressure.

Hope you get some relief soon.

Looking at the article, it does look like a bleb / milk blister. I'm off for a hot shower when baby lets me to see if I can clear it. Hopefully I can pop it out as its agony to feed her on that boob at the moment! Thanks for the advice / links.

Well if turns out that it's a cracked nipple or so the health visitor thinks. She's shown me another way of feeding baby to reduce the pressure on the crack and advised moisturising with lansinoh and airing the boobs. It's still ruddy painful when she latches but its not as bad as yesterday when feeding. Plus she's feeding more efficiently in the rugby ball pose so she's on the boob for less time too. I'm still going to go to our breastfeeding drop in clinic tomorrow to get it checked out if its still sore. Thanks again for all the advice :)