Agony feeding my baby - any advice?

[blackkat]

My baby is 5 months old and breastfeeding was fine for the first two months, but since then I've had a recurring pain every single week. I think it's probably a blocked duct and blister, but no-one I've spoken to has ever come across it coming back time and time again. I really want to continue feeding my baby but for two or three days of every week I am in tears with the pain :(

I have tried massage, heat, poking the blister, turning baby to feed with chin towards the lump, starting feed on that side to completely drain it, not using that side at all, but nothing seems to help.

Has anyone else had this problem and if so, did you manage to stop it coming back? I'm proud of myself for making it this far and would love to carry on feeding her for her full year, but really cannot do this anymore. Any help gratefully received, thanks mums.

[Pickle]

Oh you poor thing, that sounds horrible. Have you seen your GP?

Is it just happening on one side? It is completely possible to fully BF a baby using just one breast, so if it's a recurring problem on one side you could switch to feeding from one side only. It can mean you're a little lop-sided for a while, but I know a number of people who have managed it with no problem.

Definitely worth seeing a doctor if you haven't already.

Good luck x

[sophiechristophy]

Is it the nipple that hurts, of the main part of the breast? I was talking to another mum today who had recurring pain like you described, but located in the nipple, and she ended up getting referred to the top guy at Kings, and he prescribed a topical antibiotic cream, which cleared it up within 3 days (she had been suffering for weeks). Like Pickle said, worth seeing you GP for sure, and push push push for referral.

[snowboarder]

I had a fair bit of recurrent pain this time round between about 3/4m and 7m - it basically vanished as soon as I put baby in his own room and stopped feeding him lying down all night. I thought my pain was blockages and over supply issues, and these have disappeared completely now feeding is more regular (some nights he would feed all night, others not so much). I def found lying down feeding contributed to problems. None of this is in the least bit scientific, and may not apply to you at all - basically I think I'm trying to say I think bad positioning caused it...but I'm not sure....

[Ruth_Baldock]

I am so sorry you are experiencing this, and well done for getting thus far with the difficulties you're experiencing.

Have you been to a breastfeeding cafe/clinic? The one held at Peckham Library on Thursdays is excellent, (10-12, 5th floor). They've seen/heard it all, and am sure they could offer some insight.

I'd be inclined to think it was down to positioning too- like snowboarder I get plugged ducts with some positions. I also second Pickle- if you need to feed from one side only, then it is entirely possible to do so- I did this with my first son who had huge preference for one side over the other.

[Saffron]

If repositioning doesn't help, you need to rule out the possibility of an infection deep in the duct. xx

[Fuschia]

Is it lecithin that helps prevent recurrent blocked ducts?

[JessB]

I has this! When baby 2 to 6 months old I kept getting painful lumps and mastitis. There was a little blister too apparently called a bleb! it kept blocking the same duct and was really painful. It did just stop happening when baby was about 6 months old though so there is hope. Well done for carrying on, I totally understand and each time it happened I said that was it and I'd stop as soon as blockage cleared but each time I also hoped it was the last time so I carried on. Good luck. Also make sure bras aren't too tight!

[Fuschia]

Fuschia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Is it lecithin that helps prevent recurrent

> blocked ducts?

It is

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/breastfeeding/common-problems/plugged-milk-ducts

[blackkat]

Thanks so much ladies.

I've tried the BF clinic at Peckham - the midwife hadn't come across it before, gave me a book to read and wandered off to help a newborn. Then I called the BF helpline who said 'heat, massage, good luck, goodbye' before I even managed to tell her it's a recurring problem! GP said heat and massage and that's about it. Perhaps I will insist more next time, citing the example of referral helping sophiechristophy's friend. Thank goodness there's the forum to ask other mums!

I don't think it's positioning as it's just one side, just since July, and I've tried every which way. I'll try lecithin or just using one side if/when it comes back :( And maybe a bra shopping trip?!

JessB - I'm in exactly that cycle of 'I'll stop as soon as the blockage clears' to 'maybe I won't get it again'... It's so good to hear that yours stopped eventually, there is hope for me yet! Thanks again ladies.

[Fuschia]

Try calling kings and see if Clare kedvers is back

[Ruth_Baldock]

Oof, sorry that the clinc weren't too helpful :/

iIRC, Clare is back- but if you can't get hold of her, try to speak to her colleague Joanne joseph: do you have their number?

[blackkat]

In case anyone else out there is suffering the same (blocked duct mastitis) - Lecithin has quite literally changed my life! I take it up to four times a day. The pain has only been back a few times when I've forgotten to take the lecithin, but even then it's not been to the same intensity. Such a relief!! :)

[Fuschia]

Oh wow!

That's brilliant

So glad I stored that little snippet away in my head at some point, in case the tip would ever be needed

And well done you, for sticking with it through all that!

[alieh]

I was going to say lecithin too. I only had a bleb once, but my lactation consultant (Katie Fisher) recommended lecithin if the problem came back. Hope this is the end of pain for you and well done for getting through it!

[AllanMcPR]

I don't have experience with babies but my wife will be happy to join the forum next saturday

she is very good with children, hopefully in the morning when she is back. PR ;-)

[newcomer]

Is your nipple 'blanching' at all? Aa I had something called Reynauld's syndrome (sp?) when I was breastfeeding. Agony. Got treated for thrush twice before I spoke to a lactation consultant and realised that it wasn't thrush.

http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/nipple-blanching.html

[crystal7]

Just bumping up this thread as I've been experiencing some deep pain in 1 breast today. I can't feel a lump and not feverish or anything so praying it's not mastitis as I had a bout in the same breast just before xmas. Wonder if it could be a bleb? Also if it is mastitis again is it worrying to have it in the same place?! Obviously I'll see a Dr if it gets worse just interested to see if anyone has experienced similar...

[Fuschia]

Deep pain can be thrush in the milk ducts I believe

[crystal7]

Uh oh I've just had a google...Would make sense as I've just finished a 10 day course of anti biotics or tonsilitis, no outward signs of thrush though. Need to make a Drs appointment then.

[Knomester]

I suffered dreadfully with thrush and it sounds like the pain I experienced. Please don't wait for treatment - get to the GP / Seldoc as soon as you can because it can get worse quite quickly. If it is thrush (which seems to make sense seeing as you've just been taking antibiotics) then you will need a loading dose of flucanozole and then a 10 day course. I'll dig out my old post on treating thrush now if I can find it and will post it here.

[Knomester]

Here's the link I mentioned: http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,570543,580290

Hope you're feeling better soon.