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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

PLEASE HELP! My right breast hurts........lots

53 replies

Swaliswan · 20/03/2008 20:50

Can anyone tell me if they think that I'm getting mastitis or if something else is up? DD is nearly 10 months old and is really quite poorly at the mo. BM seems to be the only thing that she is keeping down and soothes her sore throat and cough so instead of having two feeds a day, she has been having five or six. This is fine except now I have a really painful right boob. The pain started in one area towards the arm pit and has now spread throughout the whole breast. It is a deep pain that aches if I don't prod it and hurts more if I do! I can't see any red areas on the skin of the breast and I don't feel any more poorly than I already do. I'm not looking forward to the next feed as I was almost in tears just trying to examine the breast for redness. It almost feels like a painful engorgement type pain if I cast my mind back to having a newborn.

Any ideas?

OP posts:
MoosMa · 20/03/2008 21:11

It may be a blocked duct, can you massage it (towards the nipple) while you're feeding? That should encourage the milk to clear out and reduce the pain and cut the risk of it turning into mastitis.

Original poster
Swaliswan · 20/03/2008 21:22

I wondered about that, but I managed to do a really good feed off of that side before it started hurting too much and thought that I would have cleared any blockage. Having said that, the area that first hurt was a bit lumpy. Would it be worth trying to massage milk through the breast whilst submerged in warm water? I'm not sure how much I want to try as it is so tender.

OP posts:
Olliesmummy2005 · 20/03/2008 21:27

you poor thing, i know how you feel i had mastitis last week from too much expressing in the day then nothing in the night, woke up in tears!! i found having a bath as hot as i could bear and massaging as hard as i could bear really helped, have you got a pump that you could use as well to ease some of the pressure?? i really feel for you

lackaDAISYcal · 20/03/2008 21:29

It might be just that swaliswan; engorgement. If your boobs are used to two feeds a day, the sudden increase in demand might have them going into overdrive again. Not sure whether this might have caused a blockage though.

Have you tried hot as you can bear flannels applied to the area and then massaging towards your nipple. I know it'll be sore, but the relief when the pressure goes is almost worth the agony ime!

hopefully someone else will have some other (probably better) advice soon

Olliesmummy2005 · 20/03/2008 21:29

bear bare

Original poster
Swaliswan · 20/03/2008 21:49

It hurts so much that I want to cry. My brother has come round to see us this evening and I need him to go before I can excuse myself to go and try to drain my boob.

OP posts:
theyoungvisiter · 20/03/2008 21:51

can you feel a hard lump in the painful bit? I had this with DS a couple of times - I have no idea what it was as I never saw a HP about it, but assumed it was a blocked duct or something.

I massaged the lump very vigorously before and during feeding and concentrated on feeding on the painful side and it seemed to help it clear.

lackaDAISYcal · 20/03/2008 21:52

failing all else; cabbage leaves?

I've had mastitis a couple of times and the pain was like nothing I've ever felt before. Parhaps you need to see the doc in the morning if it hasn't cleared.

onepieceoflollipop · 20/03/2008 21:53

I second the advice re a hot bath. Lie on your tummy and submerge your breast. I had a similar (but not as painful) problem last week - dd2 didn't wake for a few hours in the night, and the top half of my breast was all lumpy and uncomfortable. It didn't settle until I had fed her about 4 times on that side. I also massaged the whole area (not just concentrating on the bumpy parts)quite firmly, down towards the nipple. I thought it would never go down (took the whole day) and I was anxious that it would turn into mastitis. Such a relief when I resolved it.

Get rid of your brother asap! I tried to express as well but didn't work for me as I need both hands on the pump and didn't have spare hand to massage.

onepieceoflollipop · 20/03/2008 21:55

Yes if it isn't better by the morning get to the doc. If it does develop into mastitis your best bet is to get medical intervention asap.

Original poster
Swaliswan · 20/03/2008 22:02

Thank-you Ladies. I think that my brother may go soon-ish and then I'm going to be brave and massage my bob in the bath. I can't say that I'm looking forward to it though

OP posts:
Original poster
Swaliswan · 20/03/2008 22:03

Sorry, massage my boob. I don't have a bob to massage...honest.

OP posts:
theyoungvisiter · 20/03/2008 22:06

poor you, hope the bob is better soon.

Tell your brother you have ladies troubles and to eff off. (I would, but perhaps I'm less polite than you!)

lackaDAISYcal · 20/03/2008 22:07

lol what you do to your DH is not for a public forum

good luck and i hope it resolves soon

oh, and someone suggested to me that combing your boob (yes with a hair comb) is good for clearing blockages, but that sounds a bit too brutal for me

foxythesnowman · 20/03/2008 22:09

I had this recently (lo 8 months, was ill and feeding more too). Breast was lumpy and painful. I kept feeding from the same one, I felt like a really needed to empty it properly. And massage firmly (VERY firmly) towards the nipple. HTH.

Original poster
Swaliswan · 20/03/2008 22:16

Dbro has gone and DH is running a bath. I've found a comb and am off to go and see how brave I really am. I think that I'd rather give birth TBH.

OP posts:
onepieceoflollipop · 20/03/2008 22:17

Also you may need to massage for quite a reasonable amount of time 15-20 minutes in my case, then it gradually eased. Don't give up too soon.

Don't neglect the left one - express from that side if needed, otherwise you may have to start a thread about your left side tomorrow!!

dizzychixies · 20/03/2008 22:20

I used the fluffy massage things in the shower to help mine, do you know the things I mean, the things made up of lots of bits - not a sponge - oh crap am so sorry I can't remember what they're called but it was wonderful in the shower and massaging from top of breast towards nipple

savoy cabbage too - not pretty but get them stuck down your bra

Original poster
Swaliswan · 20/03/2008 22:22

Typically it's maunday thursday which means that shops are actually shutting tonight so that they have shorter opening hours on good friday so no savoy cabbage for me. I wonder if my nan has any...

OP posts:
dizzychixies · 20/03/2008 22:25

ah noooo - but do you at least know the things am trying to describe the spongey foamy shower things that are not made of sponge

good grief, pg brain, someone help me lol

onepieceoflollipop · 20/03/2008 22:27

Also your GP will probably be shut. However if things get wors (let's hope not) imo you should try and get to see a doctor, even if it is the out of hours service.

dizzy I was about to type the name of what you were describing - but I can't remember. It's the nylon scrunchy type thing right?

Original poster
Swaliswan · 20/03/2008 22:29

I know exactly what you mean. One of those net sponges that turn shower gel into super foam.

OP posts:
dizzychixies · 20/03/2008 22:30

thank you thank you thank you - would you believe NET was the farking word I was searching for

worked wonders and a little less harsh than a comb I would think?

Original poster
Swaliswan · 20/03/2008 22:31

Out of hours are pretty good here so I'll be able to see a doc if I need to just not my usual one.

OP posts:
dizzychixies · 20/03/2008 22:35

good because worst case scenario is anti biotics but we'll just keep our fingers crossed for your boobies and quick full recovery of dd

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