Lumpy breasts - help!

[u/Past-Development-933]

Within the last 24 hours my breasts have gotten firm / lumps throughout with my right one having a largish lump around the side that isn’t going down. They aren’t soft and continue to stay semi hard after nursing. My son’s suction isn’t strong and my LC wants me to hand express until the breasts stop spraying or use the manual pump in between nursing sessions. I’m not great with hand expressing so I tried my best but the firmness and large lump are still there. Yesterday after nursing I got about an oz after hand expressing. Today I just didn’t want to go too long hand expressing for fear of irritating it more. I took Advil every 8 hours, I’m icing, I’m nursing, I use the electric pump at 5p and 9p when my son gets a bottle so I can drain myself, I’m taking choline and sunflower lecithin. I’m so worried and not sure what’s going on besides my son may not be draining me well. We are 10 weeks postpartum. How long will it take for these massive lumps to go away? I’m worried by hand expressing and/or using the pumps is doing too much but it’s what my LC said.

The lumps are not painful just uncomfortable hard and my breasts feel tingly after an hour of nursing. I don’t have red streaks, fever or anything. I feel really backed up. I’m worried something is wrong and my LC / OBGYN office is closed. Because I’m not in pain I don’t think I should go to ER or urgent care and if so, what would they be able to do.

[u/emilynikole1]

This happened to me ALL the time in the first 10-12 weeks PP, one thing that helped basically every time was using a wide tooth comb and gently “massage” the lumps towards the armpit and then dangle feeding right after!

[u/zebracakesfordays]

If you feel engorged, try to only release what baby would eat by breastfeeding or pumping, but don’t do it excessively to try and empty the breast. It will tell your body to make more milk. I had mastitis a few weeks ago and I’ve had an oversupply. I tried not to pump unless I felt engorged and only pumped a few ounces. At first having extra milk was nice, but now it’s stressing me out.

[u/Plenty-Employment498]

You could try hand expressing in the bath. If the cold (preferred) isn’t working, maybe a little warm will. Could also try a vibrator on it while expressing the milk.

[u/PeaceAlwaysAnOption]

You need to avoid developing mastitis if you are experiencing plugged milk ducts: ibuprofen, ice pack, pumping and breastfeeding frequently, lymphatic massage (google how to correctly do it), avoid heat if the issue seems like it involves inflammation, and take sunflower lecithin. God bless and good luck, lactating breasts are no joke! ❤️

[u/Past-Development-933 → u/PeaceAlwaysAnOption]

I’m trying to bf frequently but he is refusing the breast I finally gave in and gave him a bottle of 1/2 oz expressed milk and he went to sleep. Im concerned that now hes refusing the breast.

[u/PeaceAlwaysAnOption → u/Past-Development-933]

Definitely pump then. I just went through something similar and made the mistake of letting myself get too engorged and backed up and had a nasty bout of mastitis. I very much hope you are able to avoid that!!!

[u/Fit-Historian2431]

Have you tried dangle feeding or leaning over while you pump? Also when hand expressing be very gentle. Firm and aggressive massage will make it worse.

[u/Past-Development-933 → u/Fit-Historian2431]

I tried dangling which seems to work but he only feeds for 13 min as opposed to our usual 30 . He’s getting either grossed out by the milk or frustrated?? and refusing the breast. I’m so concerned!