Help - massively lumpy sore breast (one side only) a week after stopping bf-ing!

[fillybuster]

I stopped bfing my dd about a week ago, dropped feeds slowly etc etc. My right breast got the hang of it but my left breast has been rock hard, lumpy and very painful for about a week now. I'm having to sleep on a towel cos I'm randomly leaking at night. I've tried wearing super tight bras but that made no difference, just hurt more.

Is there anything I can do to get rid of the lumps? Should I be worried? There's no redness and I'm not ill, so I don't think there's anything massively wrong, but it certainly aint pleasant...

Can anyone help? Thanks!!

Try expressing just enough for comfort, ideally after hot shower and some massage, that way you will not stimulate new milk production. I have also found cold packs, cabbage leaves and, if really sore and you can take it, Ibuprofen is helpful. Most effective is baby for relief but you would maybe not want to put her back on, I'd imagine.
I am currently in same boat, ouch, but am still feeding DS3, so hopefully he will do the trick for me tonight...
Good luck, I hope it settles soon.

I had something similar which the doctor said was a blocked milk duct- massage and hand express til your fingers fall off and eventually it will clear. That's what worked for me, anyway!

Thanks - I've been avoiding more than tiny amounts of expressing in the bath as I've been scared of triggering more production, but yes, the ducts definitely feel blocked in a couple of places which I guess might be hindering re-absorbtion. I don't want to put dd back on after a week off (and I doubt she'd do it anyway...she's been loving her bottles ) so I'll try the manual thing....

i would try offering your DD the breast. I gave up bfeeding recently and had to do this a couple of times when i thought we'd had the 'last' feed.

...sigh...ok, will try some manual expressing now after hot bath and if I'm still really lumpy and sore in the morning will offer dd breast before bottle....thanks all