Plugged Milk Duct....

OMG!!! Yesterday afternoon my right breast started hurting like crazy and I started to notice that it was pretty hard on the right side near my armpit. I thought it was engorgement, so I started pumping and nursing every 2 hours religiously, that just made it hurt worse, but I didn't give up!!! lol

I emailed Jenny to see if she knew what it was and how I could make the pain stop. She emailed me back telling me that it sounded like I had a plugged milk duct. When I started reading about plugged milk ducts in my bible (The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins) I learned that I had a plugged milk duct. Every thing I read (book and websites) told me to put a hot, wet compress on the hard part of my boob for 10 minutes before nursing and pumping.

So at 1:45 p.m. this afternoon I grabbed a cloth diaper and got it really hot with water. I sat down on the couch and put it on my hard boobie for ten minutes and then nursed Cooper for about 5 minutes (he only wanted to be calmed down and put to sleep) and then I pumped. From just the short nursing Cooper did I could tell that it had softened!! And then I pumped, and now the pain is completely gone and the hardness is gone as well!! YAY!! I am so happy my boobie doesn't hurt anymore!

The hardness is starting to come back a little now (it's been almost an hour) so I'm definitely going to continue to put the hot compress on for the next 24 hours. I want to make sure this problem is gone!!!

I keep hearing about nipple soothers. I guess they are ice packs for your nipples.. I have to get me some of these!!! My nipples are still pretty sore, and when Cooper (or the pump) first latches on it almost brings tears to my eyes. But it has actually gotten a little better the past couple weeks. I am definitely nursing/pumping through the pain though! That's the only way to make it go away!!! So I just emailed Paul and asked him to stop at Babies R Us on his way home from work to get some nipple soothers for me. I told him to ask someone that works there to help him find what he's looking for. Hopefully he'll find them!!!

Coopers starting to stir a little, so I'm outta here!!!

xoxoxo

Amanda