Yesterday afternoon I took a shower and the water was hurting my left breast a lot. Over the course of the night, the pain got more and more severe. The breast tissue around my nipple feels hard... its about golf ball size. And my nipple itself it really sore. Laying down, walking, everything hurts. I took a vacation day and am going to try to get my family doctor to squeeze me in but until then Im a bit anxious about it. It is crazy painful and just want to hear other peoples experiences with this... have you had a blocked duct or mastitis in pregnancy? Is that what this sounds like? I'm 32 weeks and this is my first baby so I have nothing to compare it to...
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That sounds like a blocked duct to me, but I never had one in pregnancy! Have you tried massaging it and applying heat? It will hurt, but it really helps.
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@avivoca: I plan on spending the day doing that so hopefully it helps... touching it kiiiiiills though so i'm pretty miserable
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I had a blocked nipple or like a milk blister on pregnancy. I had to massage it and put a warm compress on it. Then, I popped it with a sterilized needle and milk came shooting out.
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@singingbee: omg sounds awful. did it start similar to this? I don't have any blisters and everything looks normal externally...
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@loki: get a sock, fill it with rice, shut it, and microwave for about a minute or so to warm it up. That is the best warm compress I've ever used.
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@loki: if you think it could be mastitis, watch your temp. I've had it twice (not during pregnancy) and it is brutal how fast your temp can spike!!
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@avivoca: oh thank you, good tip. i'll try that!
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@Ocean girl: does it sound similar to what you experienced? I don't even think we have a thermometer! should probably get one...
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Could you try hand expressing and see if anything comes out? Maybe that would help relieve some pressure. I suppose you could try with a pump if you have one, although I'd do that sparingly as nipple stimulation could lead to contractions. Good luck! I can't imagine trying to work out a plugged duct without a LO to nurse it out!
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@loki: sounds more like a plugged duct to me than mastitis... But a plugged duct can become infected. You will know if it's mastitis - my experience was that I had a painful lump in my breast that was hot to the touch... And within a couple of hours I felt absolutely miserable all over - like I had been hit by a truck and a temp of 102. Hope your doctor can fit you in!
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@loki: another thing you could try is taking a really hot shower (as hot as you can stand) and just let the water run over the sore spot.
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@twodoghouse: I don't have a pump yet! omg so I just squeezed it at you suggestion and stuff came out! ahhh! haha sorry, tmi but that was nuts to me!
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@Ocean girl: ya this has been hurting since yesterday afternoon so probably not mastitis because i'm not feeling feverish or anything yet! i'm going to have a hot shower, use a hot compress and try to express some more!
thanks for all your tips, guys!
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@avivoca: Yes! I just recently figured this out and it's been a life saver. I can microwave it and just stick it in my bra
Also easy to do at work when pumping (no one yet has commented on why I am microwaving a sock...). Warm compresses always made me too soggy!
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@MenagerieMama: People gave me funny looks at work when I did it, but I had a horrible crick in my neck and couldn't turn my head. I wore that sock all day long until I could get to the chiropractor.
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When I had mastitis I was achy all over, not just my boob-- I first noticed it when walking, in my legs and lower back. And, I had a high fever but felt so cold/had the chills like crazy
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@nana87: thanks so much, definitely not experiencing anything that miserable!
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@loki: Sorry! Just saw this. I noticed it was kind of like a pimple. It had this clear spot over it and then I realized what was happening. I did massage it in the shower. Warm water and a wash cloth helped.
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@loki: how is it now? You said some stuff came out when you pressed - did that relieve it?
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@BabyBoecksMom: i think it definitely helped alleviate it. i went to my dr and then to an ultrasound and i'm waiting to hear back about that but it seems to be much better today. the lump is pretty much gone and the pain is completely gone. so phewf! it was awful!
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Reviving this thread because I'm having similar symptoms. I woke up this morning with extreme soreness in my left breast. My right one feels perfectly fine. I'm 37 weeks.
I tried heat first and it felt worse. An ice pack feels good, but only when it's on. I feel like it's more sore now than when I first noticed it. I squeeze the nipple a I think a little colostrum came out, nothing major. I don't feel a lump or anything, just a really sore spot. No redness.
@loki: did the pain go away on its own after a few days?
Also easy to do at work when pumping (no one yet has commented on why I am microwaving a sock...). Warm compresses always made me too soggy!
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