Woke up with sore breast

[Thesebootsweremadeforwalking]

I'm feeding DC2, who is 6mo. This morning I've woken up with a sore breast - never had this happen before. The breast feels full, but only in the left half IYSWIM, and DD has fed off it. I've had lumps from blocked ducts before, but they didn't feel like this.

Can anyone think what I can do about it?

Have a hot shower and run the shower over your boob feeling for lumps and rubbing slowly quite hard in small circles, heading from the outside towards your nipple. if you have a blockage this should clear it. It'll also help you work out if the whole side of the boob hurts of if there is a particular spot. A spot means you have a blockage which you'll hopefully have cleared with the massage, but if it seems like the whole side of the boob hurts then it might be mastitis, so go to the doctor asap.

Thank you - I've had a shower and DD has fed (hurt like hell), it's a bit better but not gone. I don't feel feverish, would you still go to GP anyway?

No but I would keep and eye on it and make sure you drain the breast as much as possible. Ibuprofen will help too if you can take it.

Thank you - now it hurts to touch but not to feed, and still no fever, so I'll see if it settles today.

Is settling .

Actually got some really quite helpful self-help advice from 111, about when to see GP. Also suggested I sit with a hot water bottle against the affected breast for a while before feeding, which helped with the pain massively. Still got a big lump but now it feels just like an ordinary blocked duct, not half my breast being solid.

Yep hot compress followed by cold compress helps lots.

I found the blocked ducts I get later on in BFing have been far more slow growing than the early days. Jist as painful but I can starve off mastitis far more than pre six months than before.

Happy new year

I just started a very similar thread and my dd is also 6 months!!

I just started a very similar thread and my dd is also 6 months!!

I saw your thread, Madame, hope yours isn't too painful!

Mine's not gone but massively better, have spent a couple of hours this evening alternating hot water bottle with massage, plus ibuprofen and persuading DD to feed at the slightest sniff of a cue, and though there's still a lump it's definitely on its way.