Blocked duct? Most of breast!

[Rhian82]

Tried to feed DS earlier, but despite sucking for ages I didn't hear him swallowing much, and when he came off he was still crying with hunger. I couldn't understand it as my right breast (which he was feeding off) was really big and firm - felt full of milk.

I fed him again from my left breast and he seemed quite happy. I thought I could express off my right breast if he was struggling with it, but could only get a couple of drops out. Is this a blocked duct? It really does feel like my whole breast is full of milk, but none will come out. And what can I do?!

am sure experts will come along with advice, but I used to get this feeding my son and if it feels like milk is still there, yes, you probably have a blocked duct i'd say.

things that helped me ...

sitting in a warm bath and massaging/expressing intermittently
i had a white pinprick spot on my nipple. this was the blocked duct.
feeding whilst 'hanging over' baby. i.e. lie baby on the bed, and hang boob above them. sounds odd, but it worked for me.
keep trying to feed from that breast, but from lots of different positions
expressing may help if baby is asleep

... when it got bad and i didn't have success with the above, i did once take a sterile needle and 'pop' it, but i know this isn't recommended i'll probably get flamed for saying that

I found expressing in the bath quite helpful. You can comb from the armpit down towards the breast to try and get it all moving the right direction.

The hanging over the baby sometimes worked for me too.

bumping for you.

not an expert, but I would imagine that only being able to get a few drops out would mean a pretty serious case of mastitis. Are you in any pain with it?

hot flannels and massage will hopefully get things moving again. some advice from kellymom

likessleep what you are describing sounds more like a milk blister than a blocked duct as blocked ducts can happen anywhere in the system, not just where the milk exits the nipple

Nope, no pain at all, no redness or swelling.

ahhh lackadaisyal, i thought they were one of the same, but as i say i am quite a novice! every day is a school day
good luck rhian

I like that expression likessleep

how bizarre rhiann; if I even have a small blockage, my whole boob is sore.

I suppose the thing to do is to keep trying to get him to feed from that breast, maybe switching after starting him off on the other one and to try and hand express to get things moving.

I hope things improve soon, and that you don't get sore

You can also try chilling the area with a cold compress. If the area is inflamed then that may impede milk flow. I suffered similar problems and got this advice from a brilliant adviser at the NCT helpline.

Then try a warm bath and expressing to relieve engorgement. HTH

Thanks for people's advice, seems sorted now?

It was strange as there was a little white patch on my nipple, but no pain or anything - just no milk coming through. With my husband's help I held him in a different position for the next feed, and we both 'combed' down the engorged parts with our fingers. Worked well and I could hear DS swallowing, and feel the breast getting softer.

Hopefully that will be the last of it - it was actually quite scary to see how suddenly and easily my DS's source of food can just be taken away!