Is this a milk blister on my nipple? Please help

[MyLilPwny]

Sorry, I don't know what this is, and I couldn't find any pictures online of what a milk blister looks like but I just took this picture of my nipple hoping someone can help tell me what this is and what to do:

http://home.att.net/~hoganmtv/whitedot.JPG

I've had some plugged ducts on my right boob since Monday morning and they are still there right now. My baby could always unplug my ducts before because I've been separated from her for 5 weeks in a row now for 48 hours at a time and every time I'm separated from her I get plugged ducts and she always unplugged them before when I get reunited with her. But now this is the 5th day of my boob being plugged and I've tried all the common things and can't unplug them. 2 nights ago, I thought there was a little white dot on my nipple, so I thought if I poked it with a sterilized nipple, that might help, but nothing happened. Today, I noticed the white area is bigger. I'm not sure what it is. It doesn't hurt when I press it. My plugged ducts don't hurt that bad either. My boob isn't engorged. I nurse my baby often on that side. There is just a large hard mass in the boob, which I can't get rid of.

[PatioGardener]

It sounds like a milk blister - and that could be the 'way out' for those blocked ducts. Here is some great info from Kellymom:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/nipplebleb.html
Good luck!

[MyLilPwny]

Originally Posted by PatioGardener

It sounds like a milk blister - and that could be the 'way out' for those blocked ducts. Here is some great info from Kellymom:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/nipplebleb.html
Good luck!

Thank you. I'm reading that now, but just noticing the picture on the site, that white dot looks elevated. My white dot really isn't elevated. Does that matter?

[PatioGardener]

Sometimes the 'plug' of skin that is blocking the exit of the milk is raised, and sometimes not. If you follow the soaking etc that kelly mom says, you may feel more sure that it is a milk blister. It makes sense with your un-moveable clogged ducts. When you are able to free things up, don't be surprised expressing what looks like cheese! Good luck! (Do you have an LC you can go to for help if you can't get the blister unblocked, or it turns out to be more complicated than that?)

ETA: Sometimes a partner can move a clogged duct when the baby can't. May be worth a try?

[MyLilPwny]

Originally Posted by PatioGardener

Sometimes the 'plug' of skin that is blocking the exit of the milk is raised, and sometimes not. If you follow the soaking etc that kelly mom says, you may feel more sure that it is a milk blister. It makes sense with your un-moveable clogged ducts. When you are able to free things up, don't be surprised expressing what looks like cheese! Good luck! (Do you have an LC you can go to for help if you can't get the blister unblocked, or it turns out to be more complicated than that?)

ETA: Sometimes a partner can move a clogged duct when the baby can't. May be worth a try?

Thank you so much. I followed that article's advice and soaked in warm water with epsom salt and then the article said to rub olive oil on the nipple. I used coconut oil instead and then I nursed my baby. When she was done, I noticed there was a string of white sticking out. I pulled on it and went to the bathroom to get tweezers to pull some more out. Thats when I realized that my big massive lump was gone. I pulled out the rest of the white stuff. Some of it looked like skin because it seemed to be attached to the nipple very well, although it didn't hurt to pull it out. But, I'm very happy now. It had been 4 and a half days of that massive clog. Thank you again.

I'm thinking in the future after pumping to rub coconut oil over my nipples to help prevent clogs. Does that sound like a good idea?

[PatioGardener]

I'm so glad that you worked the clog out. That stringy white stuff is what I meant by 'cheese' - sort of solidified milk.

I have never heard of using coconut oil on nipples to prevent clogged ducts, but I can't imagine any problems from it. Hopefully it will work for you! So glad you are feeling better.

[annalaura]

i am glad that youre feeling better! its awesome to have that hard lump gone!