Very Tender and Painful Breast for Past Four Days

[BreMarie]

I am hoping someone could offer insight... I have been breastfeeding my baby for three months without problems, but for the past four days my right side has been extremely tender and painful.  It feels as if it is always engorged, but it is not and there is no relief when he nurses.  It also starts throbbing and giving me a stabbing pain at random times and when he is nursing.  It isn't red or showing signs of an infection and I don't feel sick, so it doesn't seem like mastitis and I don't see any signs of thrush on me or my baby.  Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks!!

[elluin]

Is it still painful? I remember having those sensations at one point, but it cleared before I could get to a LLL meeting. It could be a plugged duct, in which case you'll want to add some heat, either in the shower or a warm washcloth before nursing.

This is your sis by the way! I was browsing on the new mobile forums and came across your post... I figured I should reply but maybe someone else has better advice! I'm glad you're using the forums.

[AJ615]

My son was four months old when I got a plugged duct.  Your description sounds exactly like what I experienced.  With my case, since only one duct was clogged, only a part of my breast would act engorged, but the pain and tenderness was throughout. 

Things I learned to do as I battled with this on and off for a few months until it was totally gone were:

-Nurse on all fours over baby.  Yeah, it feels totally awkward, but it did actually help open me up.

-Hot shower for as long as I could while massaging and massaging and massaging the area from base of breast toward nipple.  I'd often bend forward so the girls would just hang there so there'd be no obstruction.

-The nurses at the bf clinic ended up giving me a sterilized needle that I had to use so many times.  Often in the hot shower, after the massaging I'd actually be able to see the "coagulated" milk at the duct opening.  The needle helped remove it.  It didn't hurt anymore than my breast did anyway.  I was always so excited to actually get something to come to the surface it didn't matter that I was taking a needle to my nipple!

Hope this helps!  If it is a clogged duct, do whatever it takes to get it cleared up asap or you'll end up with a case of masitits (i did and never had the redness).