feeding is so painful - is this a blocked duct?

[arolf]

left boob has some sore lumps in it, and feeding is excruciatingly painful - started yesterday morning but is getting worse. I'm trying to feed with baby's chin at lump, but hurts more. can't see any redness, but boob looks misshapen, and much bigger than normal!
feeling rough generally, but think that's a cold coming on, judging by the sore throat.
is this likely to just be a blocked duct, and if so, what is best remedy you've come across? hot bath, massaging, combing? any tips other than just gritting my teeth until it stops hurting?

Hi arolf, I'm not an expert, just a mum who has breastfed her DS, but it sounds like it to me. Can you take a warm bath and massage the lumps in the direction of your nipple to try and ease any blockages. It can feel uncomfortable, you may need to be quite firm for it to work, but it may do the trick. Hopefully someone properly qualified will come along soon.

Ouch, does sound like a blocked duct.

I had loads in the 6 months or so with DS, they are horrid.

Ibuprofen (top doses if you are OK with it), loads of bf and hot baths helped me the most and despite some very livid looking lumpy, red blockages I managed without resorting to antibiotics.

I was never sure I was doing the 'combing' right, it always hurt and felt like it might be making things more bruised and inflammed.

I found the info on Kellymom helpful too.

Good luck

ooh nasty. I had this in the early weeks with DD and the only thing that worked for me was combing it with a wide toothed comb and also dangle feeding. It looks and feels ridiculous but it really works. Lie DC on the floor and lean over them on all fours, feeding so that the lumpy bit is at their chin, working round if need be. A couple of those feeds sorted me, after days of things building up and getting no better with massage.

thanks - I'm feeding DS as often as possible, and it seems that maybe I had 2 blocked ducts, as one part of my breast which was v. sore isn't now, although another part is still very painful. have also discovered a crack on my nipple, so strongly suspect latch is to blame! DS is not helping matters by biting me (no teeth yet, thankfully!) and grabbing handfuls of flesh with his razor tipped fingers!!

dangle feeding seems to be the least painful option, thanks for the tip - will see a bf councellor on tuesday so will ask for help re: latch then. just feeling really rough now!!

Watch out for feeling unwell as I had no signs of a blocked duct and thought that I was just getting a cold which quickly progressed into feeling like I had the flu and could hardly hold the little one for feeding. DH had to be by my side for support. It was only 24 hours after feeling like death that I noticed a red patch forming on my breast and a hard lump.

I did take antibiotics, which doesn't interfer with breast feeding.

it has turned into mastitis, so got antibiotics from gp. had no idea how ill wold make me feel! DP called home from work to look after DS after I fainted and threw up this morning. lovely...

oh poor you! Keep on feeding. It will feel like the last thing you want to do, but is the only cure!

Poor you, glad you got to see the doctor though.

I had a similar thing that started in the nipple, had a tiny tiny white patch there I could hardly see, feeding was agony and my breast started to swell up as if blocked. I phoned the NCT helpline and the counsellor said it could be a milk blister and I could soften it with olive oil on a breast pad in my bra. Anyway, it worked, but comes back in the same place. I'm only posting because I haven't seen info about this anywhere else and it might be useful if yours recurs.