[selfhelpqueen]

I am expecting my sixth child. During the time when I was nursing my fourth, I caused some damage to my right breast while running up the stairs. (I turned too quickly and ran right into the banister.) I did get an infection and I'm sure a clogged milk duct as well and had antibiotics for it. I stopped nursing shortly thereafter and didn't think much of the accident after that.

When I had my fifth and tried nursing I had enough milk but continued to have problems w/ my milk flowing out of one of my milk ducts. I could only pump and couldn't nurse (only on the right side - I had no problems on my left side). It was weird. As long as I pumped, the milk would flow, but when I would try to nurse my son it would clog up - I knew this because I would get a bright white spot just where the milk was trying to come out - almost like a thin flap of skin would grow over the hole and trap it in and my milk duct would fill up and just not empty out. I went to my doctor who just used tweezers and a needle to remedy the problem, but it was only a temporary fix when I nursed that time and also very painful. It never permanantly fixed the problem.

After I could tell that the doctor was going to be of no help I went and saw a lactation specialist who also didn't know what the problem was. She had me soak my breast in warm water for 1/2 hour and pump and then try to nurse. Once again, pumping was fine, but when I nursed, I clogged up again. After five weeks of feeling like I was nursing and pumping 24/7 I finally called it quits and turned to formula. I never did find the problem.

I hoped that it was just a fluke and that maybe it was just the way my son's mouth was shaped or something that caused this problem on the one side, but I have had some red flags since I've become pregnant w/ my sixth. I get these sharp pains in the exact spot I had problems before and can tell I am going to encounter the same problem. This especially happens (and forgive me for sharing too much) after my husband and I have been intimate with each other so I especially know it's going to be a problem when baby #6 comes regardless of whether or not I nurse.

I am not sure who to go see about this problem. I know it stems back to my accident four years ago with child number four. I don't know if I have permanantly damaged myself or what the problem is. I would really like to nurse again especially since this is my last one. I also have concerns that if I leave this alone that eventually it's going to catch up w/ me possibly causing more complications down the road as I get older if I just ignore it. I just don't know who to turn to or where to turn. Do any of you have any advice of what to do or who to see or even what to say to the doctor so that I get the proper treatment? I am due in 9 weeks and the further along I get the worse the problem is getting. Like it is just flaring up all on it's own now and so I'm really nervous for the time when the baby comes. Sorry this is so long, I just wanted to give a really good explanation so that you knew what I was dealing with.

[twinzplus3]

It sounds like you need a specialist. . .perhaps a breast surgeon or a plastic surgeon? Someone who is willing to take a picture of the breast to see what's going on. It sounds to me like you've severed one of your milk ducts or somehow cut off supply. I really don't know whether or not that is a permanent thing or what can be done to have it fixed. I would contact a lactation consultant and ask. . .or do some research about whether or not you can still breastfeed after breast surgery. I know that you haven't had breast surgery. . .but sometimes in surgery milk ducts can be severed and so I would think the advice/thinking would be similar and possibly more applicable than just dealing with a plain old plugged duct.

On a side note. . .if it's not completely severed, squashed or whatever. . .you could try taking lechithin. It's fine while bfing. . .I'm not sure about during pg. But it can really help with plugged ducts. Your body begins preparing for bfing while pg and I'm sure that's why your breast is acting up.

[selfhelpqueen]

Thanks for the response. I really appreciate it. What exactly does lechithin do and do I just go pick it up at any store or do I have to go to a nutrution store? I'm assuming it's just a natural herb of some kind.

[twinzplus3]

Yes. . .get lecithin at a nutrition store like GNC. . .not an herb. It's a surfactant!

Now you're wondering what a surfactant is huh? It lowers the surface tension of liquid. . .in other words it makes liquid more liquidy. In the world of bfing. . .it is often used as a preventative measure and/or treatment for chronically plugged ducts. I'm not really sure it would work for you as I think your issue is physical based on what you've said. But it wouldn't hurt and I'm thinking that if it's just a matter of one of your ducts being squished a little, but still open--it might help. I'm also thinking that if it were me, I'd have an awfully hard time convincing my general practitioner that one of my milk ducts is smooshed and I just have to see a breast surgeon and have a sonogram of my breast! So I'd try that first. In any case, that would be my educated guess.

[selfhelpqueen]

Cool. This is really helpful. And yes, you're correct, I was wondering what a surfactant was. I just hope to get this problem solved. I enjoy bfing, I know it's helpful to me and my baby, and it's cheaper. I spent well over $100/month on formula alone w/ my last one. When you're already trying to feed 5 growing boys, that's a lot of moola!

Thanks again! You've been a big help.

[twinzplus3]

Well, I've only been a big help if I'm right and really, I'm just making an educated guess. I am glad that it's helpful and I hope that I'm close so that if you do see a breast surgeon they can help (or that the lecithin helps). And I always tell people that I only bf bc I'm too lazy to wash bottles and bc I'm cheap! (There's only a smidgen of truth to that.)

[Tracey with 6]

hey I'm with you there, I only feed cos it's cheap!!!! sorry I can't be of much help with advice on the problem, I had a mamogram last year and was told I had very dense breast tissue(?) and because of bfing I had a very low chance of ever developing breast cancer so there's another reason to feed! good luck with number 6!

[selfhelpqueen]

Thanks! Hey, I didn't know that about bfing. Another reason to try to make it work!

[twinzplus3]

The breast cancer/bfing link is somewhat debatable and/or often misrepresented. It definitely lowers the chances of someone getting breast cancer as long as they are breastfeeding for several years over the course of their lives. It is generally thought that bfing for more than 13 months (cumulatively. . .not necessarily all at once) reduces your risk a little. . .However, the best studies done show that the woman has to be lactating for at least six years over the course of her lifetime to see any real risk reduction.