clogged nipple?

[squizita]

My left nipple seems to have a blockage in it, although milk comes out of every duct when I hand express! I've managed to squeeze some thick milk out but can't get any more out and it's still erect and tender.

Been like this since 4 or 5 pm. I've tried:
-Feeding off that boob
-Massage/compression
-squeezing the nipple
-hand expressing
-hot shower and hot water bottle.
All of these help for a while! But is there anyway to shift it?
It's almost like it's not blocked enough for me to squeeze it out, sore but the milk gets round it!
Any suggestions?

Have you tried expressing under water? Either lying sideways in hot bath or with boob in bowl of hot water (so dignified!) Usually helps me to clear blocked ducts. Maybe also worth mentioning that when I've had a blockage it's stayed feeling tender and bruised for a few days afterwards, even when the blockage is actually gone. Hope might help!

Ooh great idea! Think I've cleared it a bit already by heating with a hot water bottle then offering to hungry baby and expressing. Will do the hot water thing too! Thanks.

I haven't had this myself but I have heard it said many times that a good way to clear a blocked duct is to point the baby's chin towards the blockage for feeds. Good luck, hope it clears up soon.

I pumped as much as I could and used cabbage leaves when this happened to me with dc2. I got mastitis with dc 1 which was horrible. So I was very keen for it to not happen again. It seemed to work.