Milk bleb go all of a sudden or slowly?

[Starwatcher123]

I had a blocked duct yesterday. Got it under control, but still had awful pain in my nipple (posted about that!). Well, today a milk blister appeared, so I know where the nipple pain was coming from.

The thing is – the nipple pain is still there, but it's actually better since the bleb became visible. (Before that it was agony). I tried taking a hot shower before feeding and using a hot compress, so far no luck. I'll keep trying. I'm hesitant about using flannels or piercing it myself because I had very severe thrush shortly after childbirth, and one of the things they tell you to prevent thrush is to be super vigilant about what touches your nipples (ideally, nursing pads that are changed after every feed, and your baby's mouth, and that's it).

Anyway, since the pain is getting better...in your experience, did blebs get better without actually disappearing? Or did they always go all at once?

It's all manageable at the moment but I have to admit that I am a bit worried about getting mastitis over Easter when everything is closed.

Ouch, I’ve had a few and they’re so painful 😣 Have you got a hakkaa silicone pump at all? I used to fill mine with fairly hot salty water (without risking scalding myself!) then attach it for 15 mins or so to soften the skin and then either fed or gave it a rub with a flannel to see if the skin would peel off over the bleb. You can use a cup to do the same thing as a haakaa, just doesn’t stay on as well. I totally understand about not wanting to pierce the skin but I’ve got to admit, after the first few i got, I did then use some sharp ended tweezers to peel off the skin to release it. I also read to put olive oil soaked cotton wool on the nipple in between to keep the skin soft and prevent it healing over again.
Mine did feel a lot better once it had cleared but I’d say it still felt a bit tender for a day or so after. While ever it was still visible, mine were still so painful.
Could you potentially get some antibiotics pre bank holiday then you’ve got them in if you think it’s going down that route? I know it’s not ideal and you wouldn’t want to waste them but better than getting struck down with mastitis and not able to get them quickly enough. X

I doubt it'll go on its own im afraid.
You need to get the area very moist and hot with a saline solution (has to be really hot, not just warm) and I would then squeeze and then rub w a flannel.
It would usually come back but I put vaseline on one recently after squeezing once it had opened up and it sorted it out.

I must admit, I stopped trying to deal with mine as they just kept coming back anyway in the same place. So from the perspective of someone who just left them, they seem to have got much better by themselves, bit by bit, after a few weeks.

Can you pump once a, day perhaps, to make sure the breast is having a chance to be properly drained? Or swap positions that your baby feeds in, so his loser jaw is over different parts of the breast.

In my case, the blebs have never led to mastitis, by following the advice in the paragraph above.