please help me!

[srb616]

Hi. I am new to this forum. I am very worried. I have a 6 month old baby girl and I have breastfed ther the whole time. I went back to work so I had to pump and as much as it killed me she ahd to have a bottle of formula a day at daycare. I have been on Christmas break and was able to go back to nursing her full time (I and she have been so happy!) However... today I got out of the shower and felt a lump the size of a pea by my nipple. I am freaking out! Has anyone ever had something like this? Can anyone advise me? I do not want to stop nursing and I hope there is nothing worong. Thank you so much for any help you can throw my way.

[SingingMom]

Oh, yes. Don't stop nursing. If it isn't red and doesn't hurt, then you don't have anything seriously wrong. Sounds like a blocked duct.

Try having your little one nurse in different positions; keep nursing from the affected breast. Keep an eye on it. If it gets bigger, starts to hurt, turns red, come back and let us know. You can also try a warm bath or a compress. Sometimes massaging it towards the nipple can help clear the blockage.

Good job nursing, momma. Keep up the good work.

[srb616]

Thank you singingmom and everyone who helped me on the live chat. I did take a shower and it did not help much but it probably will take time. I think the more she nurses from that breast the better. I will keep you all posted. Thanks so much I wish I would have found you all sooner than when my baby is 6 mos. But I am glad I found you now lol.

[debsmooth]

Yes, warm compresses and then use your fingers to try to express the lump or blockage out. It may be sore so take some ibuprofen if it hurts but do your best to actually push the blockage out with your fingers. Start from the base of the breast where it attaches to the chest muscles and slowly push the blockage out towards the nipple. You may see some thickened white goop come out if you are successful and it may even hurt as this goop comes out of the end of your nipple but that's a sign of success! I got these with my first baby and they were a sign I was taking in inadequate fluids. Up your fluids! Lots of water and if you hate water then iced tea, diluted juices. Anything but drink more of it. Good luck.

[srb616]

Thank you debsmooth. Was your lump hard and round? Mine is like a smooth pea. It kinda reminds me of a cyst. I will keep trying to expell it and hopefully it will go away.

[Nipple_nectar]

Welcome to the boards! Frequent hot soaks will help move things along, I recommend a full twenty minutes hovering over a bowl of water with the breast completely immersed, followed by rigorous circular massage and finally, seeing if you can hand express milk from the affected area.

You can also pour hot water in a diaper for an excellent moist hot compress:) If it is possible, line babys bottom lip with where the lump is, babys strong suckle will be the most effective way to move the plug;-)

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/mastitis.html

[debsmooth]

Thank you debsmooth. Was your lump hard and round? Mine is like a smooth pea. It kinda reminds me of a cyst. I will keep trying to expell it and hopefully it will go away.

Yeah. That sounds about right. Painful things and they make you feel all fevery and flu-ish. Drink those fluids and maybe even take a long, hot-as-you-can-stand-it bath or shower. Then keep trying to push that thing on out. It will hurt. Felt like shards of glass coming through my poor booby. Then it was over and I felt much better. The faster you get that thing out the better because, and I do not wish to scare you, these things can abscess and that's bad.

[srb616]

Thanks. I have been trying but am not having luck. And.. I do not feel sick at all. I dont have a fever or anything. It doesnt hutr. It is just a pea sized lump. I am tring to take aho shower at least 2x a day. Thanks again for everyone who is helping me out! You are great.