Hiya. I'm desperate for some advice. I've been bf for nearly 6wks solely bf ! It's been nearly a week that vie been suffering from realllllly sore/tend breasts. As if they r bruised and I am constantly feeling sharp pains in them. ESP wen my lil one begins to feed. This may be the let down reflex but it's only stArted to happen a wk ago since breasts started to become Tender.

I've got no redness, inflammation, white dots, cracked nipples. It's just the whole breast.

On top of this, I had postnatal bleeding for approximate 30days. It started to become browny colour and whitish discharge( sorry for too much detail), then since then (without a break) i started bleeding heavily again with clots. It's day 40 now since birth.

I've spoken to two health visitors, breastfeeding support group& midwife. They all said it can't be mastitis or thrush as I don't have those symptoms ( although I do get a temperature now and then, this might be due to tiredness) and my latching is fine And got a good bra on.

The bleeding - some said it doesn't sound normal 2 b like that & hvisitor said it's a period. Which might explain the soreness of breasts but not the sharp pains.

I have to see gp but have got earliest appo next wk. I'm. Agony...I've read bf is not supposed to hurt. Any one suffered something similar or advice. It's a nightmare !

Oww!! That sounds really, really tough. Putting baby to breast in the anticipation of pain is incredible self sacrifice: WELL DONE. I really mean that.

I guess that it is really confusing having been through so so many experts and no one has been able to help. And very, very stressful. If I am honest, I think that it might be the sort of complication which is outside the remit of most health care professionals or BF supporters. It's just awful appealing for help and then feeling brushed off or without answers - and I suspect that because this is complicated, many people won't be able to give you good help.

The only real option I can suggest is consulting an IBCLC. Because it doesn't sound at all good, and there are possible complications, and it sounds painful! And I am guessing you need expert help, now. The experts in lactation are IBCLC; and even within IBCLC there are some who are more knowledgeable than others. But if you can consult a real expert, it might be incredibly helpful.

Melanie

Hiya, first of all well done for making it to 6 weeks, they are definitely the toughest!

If I think back to the early days of me breastfeeding i used to get shooting pains through my boobs as well. I am no expert but my take on it is this. you ahve probably come out the other side of the 4 week growth spurt and your boobs may therefore be very full (as they are now making more milk than they were previously) so this engorgment could explain the tenderness. I often got shootign pains and never found out why, but they did ease after a while (maybe a few months in).

I would say that it is possible to have a blocked milk duct without having a white dot on the nipple. is the pain localised at all or just the whole breast? If it is in one particular area then let me know and I can def give you some good advice for that.

I would say keep feeding and see how you get on. But at the first sign of flu like symptoms get yourself to the doctor.

oh and as for the bleeding, how big are the clots? If they are large then I would go and see a doctor, it doesn't sound normal to me but again I am no expert

are you having any stomach pains?

I did have one other thought. Iron. If you're losing lots of blood, then you may be anaemic. Milk is made from blood; lack of blood causes tender breasts...

Oh gosh, i am in a very similar situation with the breastfeeding and lo is almost 5 weeks.

hope we find some ease soon x

Yicks! you guys have made some really valid points. Possibly lack of iron as I a losing a lot of blood... Like a heavy heavy period. The breasts rose but ESP in the right side, there is one area nearly the armpit that's extra sore. No lumps there though. I have massaged it but no diff.
The thing is do the symptoms get worse with mastitis? As have had this problem for a week and the pain hasn't got more worse or tenderness. I'm assuming that with mastitis the problem would have got worse and worse as I'm not taking any antibiotics.


Sorry to be so ignorant but what is IBCLC and how do I go about contacting them?

Thank you for ur support. Really made me feel better! Don't feel as alone now !!

Sorry I meAn the breasts sore... Not rose. Silly keyboard auto changes my words. Have to change the spell check settings!

IBCLC = International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. You could google that phrase + your location, or try via the ILCA (International Lactation Consultants Assciation) here: http://www.ilca.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3337

I would be tempted to go to the doctors re. the heavy bleeding and then perhaps you could tell him about your boobs while you are at it? If you are regularly getting a temperature then I would say something isn't quite right. Don't panic but do make an app with the docs just to put you rmind at rest if anything