The ultrasound therapy was very painful. Basically a metal wand with a flattened tip was used to push the bottom of my breast around to loosen things up.
The physical therapist said my clogged duct was "profound" and the size of the hardened area (literally, a quarter of my breast) is only something she sees on occasion.
It did not work immediately, but when Cole and I got home from school that afternoon he burst the milk blister by nursing.
And I breathed a sigh of relief.
As a result of this clogged duct and maybe because of the stress it caused me, I've been having supply issues while pumping, so much so that I've had to dip into my frozen supply to supplement.
I am learning a lesson from all of this and am going to listen to my midwife, who told me last week I must massage the boob before pumping or nursing, especially when it's engorged. I am also taking lecithin, which is supposed to help the milk be less stringy so that my ducts don't easily clog up. She also told me to wear a nipple shield, but when I tried that Cole HATED it.
And it made breastfeeding a miserable experience for me as well.
The fun of being a mother.
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Sorry it was so painful :(
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like it is getting better, yes? And it does really sound unpleasant. Hopefully this will be the end of the clogged ducts and milk blisters.
ReplyDeleteSucky. I'm sorry. But....
ReplyDeleteI gave you a blog award. Tag, you're it! Ha!
http://beingveruca.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-first-time.html
I was soooooooo hoping the treatment was going to make all the pain disappear! I'm so sorry to hear that it was painful and that Cole hates the nipple shield (can we really blame him?). Hopefully the medication and the massaging will help things. You are a serious breastfeeding superstar. Cole is so lucky you're his mama.
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