update on my current breastfeeding saga

[twiceadopt]

this is re: red swatch on a very painful breast... OB said its not (yet) mastitis and she didnt feel a clog, so her only ideas were "large breasted women have pain while breastfeeding" or a yeast infection in a duct, which is apparently diagnosable by baby's having thrush (which she doesnt, as far as i can tell.) i brought baby to the lactation nurse this AM for a weight check (she's 5 wks and just reached 9 lbs!) and the nurse thought it probably -was- a clogged one, just too deep for the OB to feel. so i'm massaging downward while baby nurses, still trying to stick to 2-3 hrs nursing each side before switching to avoid more engorgement.. emailed someone at la leche, who said wet heat, better latching position, etc might help. i also ordered a bigger nursing bra (even the hospital only sells up to a K cup, i'm going to try an L cup.... sheesh.)

so that's where we are. thanks for listening :)

[DollChina]

Can you pump some out or is it too painful?

[pixijal]

Take a very hot shower, and have a hungry baby waiting.
Nurse the baby on the painful side immediately after getting out of the shower.  This has always worked on my clogged ducts in the past.  

[cutiemama]

Definitely just keep on nursing through the pain on the side that may have the blocked duct. I know have painful it can be as I had mastitis with my lasy baby but nursing is the best thing to keep the milk flowing. Good luck.

[mum2beagain]

I am sorry you are still in pain from this, at least you know you are doing all the right things, I hope it clears up soon.

[AnnieBrooke]

Pumping and a bigger bra were the only things that saved me in a similar situation.  I had to give up on getting a nursing bra and just go for an ultra jumbotron non-nursing bra, which was easier to find if that can be believed!  Good luck, I really recommend the Medela pump if you haven't gotten one yet.

[peekawho]

Be sure you are using different positions when nursing, too.  Vary between the cradle, cross cradle, and football hold.  These will empty different ducts more effectively than always using one hold.

[AndiJ78]

All really good advice, only thing I would add is motrin for pain as needed. It is an anti-inflammatory and should help ease a little bit of pain.

See if you can find "sleep and leisure" type bras. I wouldn't suggest wearing them out and about as your boobs will fall out,lol. But they are great for around the house. I lucked out when I had my first and bought up 4 or 5 Lanisoh brand ones on clearance at wal-mart for $3 a piece!!

Again, avoid underwires if possible, they are the biggest causes of those clogged ducts for me.

[twiceadopt]

for whatever reason, the pumping made that boob much more sore. i'm now having shooting pains (on and off all day, not consistently) in the other breast so i'm starting to wonder if its an intra-duct yeast infection, though baby's not showing any signs of thrush. will give it another couple days and see what happens.

question on the positioning. i use cross-cradle all the time as it seems the only way i can keep the boob from suffocating her. recently i keep hearing suctioning sucky sounds while she's feeding, which seems to be her slipping slightly off. enough of these and the boob will fall entirely out of her mouth. any tips on avoiding this? a little pressure on the areola to hold it into her mouth sometimes helps... typically i'm sitting upright, pillow on lap, baby on pillow, one hand behind her head and the other cupping the breast, which is touching her chin and sometimes nose. should i change something in how she's lying on my lap?

thanks in advance-

[anxiousmomtobe?]

Wish I was there and could help.  I would nurse, not pump the sore booby.  Much more efficient.

I usually sit crosslegged with the baby on a pillow in front of me.

You are a size L???  I didn't even know they came that big.  Wow, you must have a sore back.  When I am nursing I am a 38 DD-DDD.  Which is pretty funny as I am 5'2" and on the smallish size.  I look like a duck while nursing.