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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Agonising stabbing pain in nipple.

33 replies

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 18:43

I've been getting pains in my nipple all day that come and go, it feels like having a hot skewer stabbed in the end of my nipple. It's so bad I've been screaming.

I had read somewhere that it means your breasts are getting ready to leak but I have been producing mass amounts of liquid for the past 5 weeks.

In fact so much so I could probably fill have a bottle in less than 2 minutes with the use of my hand.

Please someone help and tell me what this is and that it goes away?

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Original poster

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 18:49

Anyone? Please. I'm about to literally scream the roof off this hurts so fucking much!

Oh and I am 23 weeks.

Apologies about the added swearing.

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Poppet45 · 14/06/2011 18:56

Okay I definitely remember this phase from my first pregnancy and I seem to be just starting it again with this one. The good news is it doesn't last longer than a week or so. A week, i know, sorry. It was nothing to do with me leaking milk though, I never did, not even when DS was born, I think it was the final linking together of new bits of gland tissue. Bloody agonising though you have my total sympathy.

Original poster

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 19:00

Thank Gawd someone has answered! I have resorted to taking 2 trammadol (I have been prescribed these by my doctor for a long time and was told by her I could continue taking them in pregnancy, it's just until now I have chosen not to.).

I am so glad you have only said a week, I don't think I could handle 17 weeks of this pain, it is horrible.

You have my sympathy too if it's starting again for you. :(

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Poppet45 · 14/06/2011 19:03

Unfortunately DS still insists on using mine three times a day. The poor child has heard me hiss 'keep still' for days now, adding insult to injury to the fact that my supply is at an all time low right now. Not the lovely, snuggly feeds the poor poppet's been used to. Still this too shall pass, eh?

Original poster

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 19:07

I can't imagine how painful nursing must be with these awful pains! I really feel for you.

And wish I had a "low supply"! This is my first baby and was definitely not expecting to be producing much, if anything at this stage.

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pregnantmimi · 14/06/2011 20:36

bath not too hot (not supposed be hot when pregnant) helped my nipples I used to cry about then mum found with with my head on the table thinking something terrible had happened and I was crying about nipple pain! ok now 13 weeksx

Original poster

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 21:09

I'm about to try having a bath. :)

Feeling a bit too warm though as already have a viral infection, so a bit worried a bath might make me feel sick.:(

Desperately trying to convince DP to go to the shops and get me a big box of chocolates to cheer me up!

Mimi I can totally at this point in time understand why you would be crying! :(

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ShowOfHands · 14/06/2011 21:15

I remember wandering through Cambridge on a day out, clutching my nipples and sobbing. I described it at the time as a cross between a bee stinging my nipples repeatedly and somebody holding a lighter to them.

Turned out it was the weather of all things. If my nipples got suddenly hot or cold the pain was utterly unbearable. I couldn't believe how breathtakingly sore it was. Started around 25 weeks too. I think it was the relatively changed size of my breasts (from b cup to e cup in pregnancy) and the resulting circulation issues.

Original poster

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 21:18

I've went from a 32G to a 32 GG-H and a massive blue vein has become very visible under my aeriola!

That might be a good point though, it does seem to be when I am too warm or cold. Did you find anything that helped ShowOfHands?

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ShowOfHands · 14/06/2011 21:21

You can get little pads to put in your bra that warm up but they're really only useful if it's cold and you're trying to stay warm.

Sadly not a lot helps beyond massaging to encourage blood circulation (but in public you look positively perverted) and trying not to get too hot/cold. No sudden stripping of clothes and exposure to cold breezes, that sort of thing. It did ease off but not for a good few weeks at least.

Original poster

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 21:29

I was absaloutly dying to massage my boobies in town today. :( I was nearly in tears but thought I'd probably end up on the sex register.

At first I found squeezing some of the liquid out helped, but there is far too much of it now, I would be doing it all bloody day. I didn't think that was normal at the stage I am.

I have noticed though it is getting much whiter and a bit thicker though, could this be connected to the pain?

Thank you for your advice, it's much appreciated. :)

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ShowOfHands · 14/06/2011 21:33

I didn't leak in pregnancy. But I do vividly remember let down when dd was born. Oh dear God, toe curling, sob-worthy pain. If you're experiencing that as well as circulatory pain, I sympathise.

Do you have a nice midwife you can ask?

Oh and massage away. I did. Whilst muttering 'oh thank feck'. I'm probably on a list somewhere.

Original poster

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 21:36

I'm seeing her tommorow. :) Thank god!

Yeah, it seems to be the same type of pain I have read about as being "let down" pain. But being my first baby, I am paranoid and clueless as to what is normal.

I think I will just give them a rub in public if needs be, if anyone complains I'll shove a hot poker in their nipple and tell them not to touch it. (I seem to be becoming very mean don't I?)

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ShowOfHands · 14/06/2011 21:40

Mean? Nah. Bit ruthless and hormone-fuelled. I like that though. You leave people in no doubt as to where they stand. Over there. Out of the way usually.

Let down felt a lot like my nipple was trying to separate from the rest of my body in a ripping/tearing type fashion.

Original poster

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 21:40

I've just had a read up and according to the net it appears I have mastitis?

I said earlier about a viral infection, I was told this last night by an out of hours GP because I went up with a fever. My breast isn't red but my nipple is an angry shade of red and very warm.

Am I just being paranoid reading this?

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ShowOfHands · 14/06/2011 21:41

Oh oh oh. Just realised I shouldn't scare pregnant women. It settles down really quickly when bfing. The letdown took, for me, a few seconds at the beginning of each feed and then lessened. I could count to 20 and it was gone. And lansinoh nipple cream is a godsend. Don't be put off.

Original poster

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 21:42

And nowadays it's impossible for anyone to not know where they stand with me! I used to be really nice and accomodating at times but now I just couldn't give a shit in regards to being straight with someone. Must be the hormones.

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ShowOfHands · 14/06/2011 21:44

If your nipples are hot and have changed colour it's definitely possible. The thing is if you've intermittently squeezed and encouraged production (though I'm not sure how that works in pregnancy), it could theoretically back up and cause an infection.

I had mastitis twice when bfing. I had a very hard, painful lump where the milk was backing up which then went red. I also had shivers, fever, aches and a terrible headache.

If it's mastitis you need antibiotics.

Original poster

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 21:44

Oh! I have lansinoh! Should I try it?

And it's okay, my friends who have kids have told me they are not going to butter anything up for me so I have had gory details all the way!

Including my friend who had a baby last month and needed stitches, the bed with the stirrups she was on, she didn't know the bum part fell away and she nearly landed on the floor!

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Original poster

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 21:45

That sounds exactly like I have been experiencing.

When I went up last night, I had shivers, was feverish and had a headache...

I have been squeezing because it's painful if I don't and behind my nipple does feel lumpy.

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ShowOfHands · 14/06/2011 21:47

Sorry, am sitting here pondering to myself. Mastitis would be more likely to make the breast itself sore. Pain deep into the nipple could also be thrush too. I know it's possible to have thrush in your nipples in pregnancy.

ShowOfHands · 14/06/2011 21:49

x-posts.

I had lumpiness behind the nipple with mastitis. Bugger. Not sure what you can do right now. You can't tak anti-inflammatories in pregnancy can you? But if you're feverish and it is an infection, you need antibiotics. Do you have an easily accessed OOH service?

Original poster

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 21:50

There's a certain area that is very painful to touch (where the lump is) but that could be any number of things I guess?

OP posts:

Original poster

StrawberryMewMew · 14/06/2011 21:51

Yes I do, and they told me if i felt any worse or any changes to go straight up.

But I have a consultant appt tommorow anyways, would I not be best to wait until then?

And no, can't have anti-inflammatories. :(

OP posts:

ShowOfHands · 14/06/2011 21:54

My nipples weren't sore to touch in pregnancy, it was purely circulatory. No leaking, no heat radiating from them.

I think if you take all of your symptoms in a list...

painful lump
fever
feeling ill
increased colostrum production
need to relieve pressure
heat in breast

... it does look infection-based. I know nowt though, obviously.

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