R eats only one side at a time and last night did a 7 hour stretch (!!!) I was engorged on both sides at different times but now I feel deep bruising in one armpit. I just fed him and then pumped that side while massaging the bruised area. There's no lump though. Could it still be a plugged duct? My toddler has a cold and I suppose it could just he a lymph node from fighting whatever he has?
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yes - I had plugged ducts with no lump!
Hope it goes away quickly!
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I usually can't feel lumps when I get a clogged duct. Just a super swollen/hard area.
Moist heat works well to help get rid of clogged ducts if that's indeed what you have. I use a warm washcloth in my nursing bra (yes it will get wet) and then tie a heating pad around that side of my breast/underarm. Keep it on for 20 mins or so and take it off right before you nurse on that side.. works like a charm for me!
edit- if you don't have a heating pad that ties you can use a bella band and pull it up like a tube top. Keeps everything in place
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Can you try applying heat too? I also had plugged ducts with no lumps!
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I had this last week. I couldn't feel a lump but it felt tender to the touch and bruised. Dr said maybe it was very deep so i couldn't feel it from the outside. I did massage and warm compress and it went away after 24 hrs. Still some residual bruised feeling for a day or two. I used a sock filled with rice for the compress. Easy to do and holds heat for a good while.
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Absolutely. I had lots of plugged ducts and sometimes felt a lump, sometimes not.
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How often should I do warm compress? I don't have a heating pad but can apply a hot wash cloth?
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@winniebee: Hot wash cloths help a little bit but they cool so fast. What I always did was take a hot shower before feeding or pumping, and massage in the stream of hot water where the lump is. Even if you can't feel the lump this should help. Feeding baby was always much more effective than pumping - I attribute many of my plugged ducts to pumping when LO couldn't nurse.
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@winniebee: i applied it constantly. The warm washcloth only holds heat for a few minutes so it got annoying to heat up a million times. So i used a sock filled with rice which i microwaved and that holds heat a lot longer. Alternatively you can buy those thermacare heating strips at the drugstore and those stay hot for 8 hours.
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@winniebee: hot water in a diaper holds the heat way better than a washcloth!
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Thanks everyone! And consensus is to pump that side after nursing?
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@winniebee: I posted this same question (very tender bruised feeling, no lump) on our Dec mamas thread. Everyone (you included
) told me it was probably a plugged duct, and I think it was!I put rice in an old sock and stuck it in the microwave and put it on the tender spot before and during feeding or pumping and massaged as well. I fed or pumped as frequently as possible (because you've got so much free time on your hands, right?). There wasn't one moment where it resolved, but it just sort of got better over 2 or three days. The bruised feeling hung around for a little while but it was much better.
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Yes, I had a plugged duct with no lump a few weeks ago. It felt sore almost bruised. I used a microwavable heat pad, the kind filled with beads, several times a day along with massage to unplug it.
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@MrsF: haha I know I remember! I guess this feels so much like a swollen lymph nose (which I've had but not while bf) that I keep second guessing myself. I can feel a pencil head sized lump very deep in my armpit in the center so I guess there is a lump!
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@winniebee:
Hope it resolves soon!
Hope it resolves soon!
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