Breastfeeding help please!!

[Catdowntown]

I am at a loss I have been EBF my son since birth he is now 13 weeks old. To begin with we had no problems it didn't hurt.

For the past 6 weeks I have struggled with nipple pain I have been seeing the infant feeding team to work on my latch which from the outside looks really good but I despair at the pain so can not be right.

We have had his tongue tie cut twice but I am still struggling with pain in my left breast. While I am feeding it feels like a pitching and rubbing and sharp pains shooting through the breast. Inbetween feeds the breast stays sore in the breast as well as the nipple and can sometimes stay hard (breast it's self and the nipple). I have also in the past few days had the white dot appear on the nipple as well as the swollen lower area which is really sore. The lower swollen part of my nipple has been like that for weeks and hurts all the time.

I don't know what I am doing wrong sometimes on a morning I can be quite full and it is extremely hard to feed. Should I be expressing before feeding baby then. Could this be causing the problems. I really struggle to express anything apart from first thing in the morning.

I have been trying so hard to get this right so we can continue but I just don't know what to do now. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can fix this and why I am so sore. I have attached photos of the two sore areas of my nipple.

One other thing to note is that my left nipple is bigger than the right possibly baby is struggling with this

Heya EBF here, went on for two years they are milk blebs and are incredibly painful! Sweetheart no wonder you're so sore, hot compress and nursing from both sides! Seek medical attention if needed. Watch out for a fever etc x

I popped them in the shower one got infected so please be careful with home remedies x

I agree that's a milk bleb. I also managed to get one out in the shower and had immediate relief and release of milk that clearly had been unable to exit. I wouldn't try anything more aggressive than gentle hand expressing in the shower though.

I also thought that after some googling but the milk is still coming out of that area when I am expressing. Can it still be a milk bleb?

Yes I think so, it may be there's another duct very close or it's not quite fully blocked.

Do you know what the symptoms of mastitis are? Hard lumps could potentially turn into mastitis so keep an eye out for feeling feverish.

Yes thank you I'll keep an eye out. I have been given antibiotics for mastitis previously as well.

I just wish I could get this side sorted out as my right side is absolutely fine and I love feeding him for that side but dread using the other side.

Hope you're doing ok. They're so painful!!! I remember being in tears!! Breastfeeding does come with challenges that's for sure

This article from Kellymom might be useful too