probable blocked duct-scared,help!!

[hellymelly]

I have had a very tender patch deep in one breast for about four days now,posted about it earlier in the week,and it seemed a bit better yesterday,but today very tender again.I have just seen my GP who said he could feel a thickened area along a duct,he thinks it is probably blocked up but he has referred me for a mamogram etc,and the word "biopsy" was mentioned so I am a scared.My dd hardly wanted to feed tonight which doesn't help (she is nearly three and only feeds at night)she complained there wasn't enough milk there,is that worrying? I have been feeding for years with no probs,don't know why I have a block now,which is making me worried about lumps etc. It is hurting but not red,and I have a prescription for anti-bs if it gets worse,but I am not sure what I can do to shift the block.I had a couple years ago and they only lasted a day and went when dd had a really long feed.Any advice very gratefully received (am trying hot flannels).

bump

Try hot bath, lying sort of on your side so affected breast is under water, then hand expressing into the water. If you can persuade DD to lie on her back under you and kneel above her to feed her, that might help (I think it's known as a 'gravity feed').

try running a really hot deep bath and laying on your side in it with affected boob under the water for a while and then have really good boob massage.

ooooh sorry x posts.

I'll try that in the bath,may be able to presuade her to gravity feed but she likes to feed rugby style on that breast and won't change position ,will ask her though.Am worried about that leningrad,as she was complaining about the lack of milk-do you think the block triggered the breast to shut down? I have been feeding for five years and 4m,first one baby and then the next,I haven't been feeding less in the last few weeks or anything.Did you know what triggered your lump?
I have never managed hand expressing,I can barely manage pumping which I only tried when I had a block years ago and when dd2 went on a nursing strike.It is really painful to touch,how do I massage it?

forgot to add is it normal for it to block up for days like this ? managed to sort it out v quickly in the past.

Kellymom info on blocked ducts here.

HTH

When I had one in the early days of bf, I massaged in the bath and it seemed to sort the problem. Put oil (olive, vegetable or massage oil) on your hand and sweep the flat of your hand over your breast from the edge of the breast in towards the nipple, over the sore area. I used the sort of motion you'd use as if you were stroking a cat, only starting with the outside of my hand rather than the thumb side of my hand IYSWIM. If you try without oil it can irritate the skin, and would probably be more uncomfortable on the sore part.

Thanks ,I am going to try and massage as you describe angel dog.I think maybe mine started from sleeping with it a bit squashed (am an FF cup so easy to squash)or possibly from dd gripping the breast tightly when feeding.Am going to check out the kellymom info now,thanks very much.

ouch, hope you can get it sorted out. I bf my dd for 18 months and had a blocked duct at the 16 mo stage. It lasted 3 days if that's any help. I also did the hand expressing in the bath, pumped quite a bit and put my dd to the breast to suckle to keep it stimulated. It eventually "popped" at 3am on day 3! Poor dd got a proper mouthful of milk and nearly choked!

Good luck...

Popped! bet that felt great though,the relief! I am hoping this shifts soon.She fed well on Wednesday night and it felt as though it was clearing but toady it is worse again so it can't have cleared properly.

it felt very odd indeed!! Do you have a pump you could use just idly of an evening? The advice I was given was just to keep going at it unless I started to feel ill. KellyMom website is fab too

Really hope it clears soon!