Lump in armpit - should I be worried

[bonym]

My baby is a week old and I am breastfeeding. Yesterday I discovered a hard lump in my right armpit and my first thought was that it was connected with engorgement as my milk had come in the previous day. However it is still there even though the engotgement has subsided a fair bit. It isn't painful - should I be concerned?

Hi bonym
Congratulations on the birth of your baby!!

THis lump sounds interesting! - Is it actually in your armpit or on a part of your breast thats very near?
I am by no means an expert so cannot really help - lumps whilst bf can be to do with mastitis, blocked ducts and abcesses - they all sound horrible - and tbh i hav enever had any of them - BUT to my knowledge they would all be on your breast

Another thought is the lump where your bra might cut into your skin? or near? THat could definitely cause a lump

I hope someone who will know comes along soon - in the meantime why not call a bf supporter line for advice - It sounds like you need to get this sorted quickly.

HTH

Its always worth getting checked out just in case, your gp will refer you to hospital who can do an utlra sound which will not affect breasfeeding. Its most likely to be to do with bf. I had one just after I finshsed bf and got it checked out and was fine but a friend wasn't so fortunate

and well done for being able to type and construct sentances so soon after you've had your baby!

HI bonym. a few days after i started breastfeeding i noticed a hard lump under my right arm one morning just slightly smaller than the size of a golf ball! but it was really sore and tender too. i went to the doctors to get it checked out. He said it wasnt mastitis, maybe just a swollen gland. He put me on antibiotics and within a week it had gone down. weird!

I had several very painful lumps in my armpit soon after I started breastfeeding. My GP diagnosed them as swollen sweat glands and gave me antibiotics and they went away quickly. However, my health visitor said it was mastitis and I never had "swollen sweat glands" any other time in my life!