Pain a week and a half after weening?

[mrstkeller]

Hey mamas. . first time poster down here.

I just weened my LO the weekend before last and woke up today with boob pain. . particularly on the Left.

I expected to have pain the week following but nothing. . no engorgement (I wasn't producing crazy amounts) nothing. Everything went well but then this.

Could this be delayed engorgement? Or a duct issue since it's on one side mostly? I plan on going to the Dr. here soon as I'm due for a pap. . but thought I would ask.

TIA!

[hlstevens]

My DS pretty much self weaned last month (with a little gentle encouraging from me), and I noticed that about a week and a half later, my breasts were sore. Not full, or engored at all, just tender. I felt what might have been a clogged duct, but it went away after a day or two. After a week, the pain went away.
is it really painful? Or like a bruise, where it hurts to be touched?

[mrstkeller]

Originally Posted by hlstevens My DS pretty much self weaned last month (with a little gentle encouraging from me), and I noticed that about a week and a half later, my breasts were sore. Not full, or engored at all, just tender. I felt what might have been a clogged duct, but it went away after a day or two. After a week, the pain went away. is it really painful? Or like a bruise, where it hurts to be touched?

Yeah. . hurts to the touch for sure and also when I pick my son up. My DH commented this morning that they are also different sizes now. So there is some swelling.

So for a clogged duct you just kinda wait for it to right itself?

[hlstevens]

mine did seem to work itself out, but its probably best to try and remedy it.
Nursing does help to get rid of the clog, but since you are not there are a few things to try.
From Dr Sears website

Apply moist heat compresses for a few minutes before feeding or pumping, or soak the affected breast in warm water or in the shower as described under Engorgement Try a pressure massage on the area of your breast that is swollen and painful because of a plugged duct. This may help to loosen the plug. With pressure massage, you do not actually move your hand over the skin as you would with a normal massage. You simply press more and more firmly with the heel of your hand to move the plug in the duct down closer to the nipple To do pressure massage, start at the edge of the lumpy area closest to your chest wall. Apply pressure to that area with the heel of your hand to the point just before it becomes too painful. Hold the pressure at that level until the pain eases off. Then increase the pressure again, (without moving your hand) and hold it until the pain eases. Continue to gradually increase pressure at that same site until you are pressing as hard as you can. Then pick your hand up, move it down toward your nipple about a half inch, and repeat the pressure massage in this area. Continue moving your hand a half inch and repeating the massage until you get all the way down to the nipple. You may see the dried milk come out from an opening in your nipple. Even if the plug doesn't actually come out, you will at least have dislodged it and moved it toward the nipple so that when baby goes to the breast and sucks, he will remove it with his suction. Always put baby to the breast on the plugged side first, when his sucking will be the strongest.

maybe instead of nursing, you could try using your pump or hand express to try and get the clog moving?

take some pain reliever to reduce the swelling. Try and treat best you can!
A friend of mine said she would fill a bowl full of water as hot as she could stand and bend over and put her breast into it for a few minutes and then massage it (kind of funny to picture but she said it worked!)

[mrstkeller]

Thanks Heather! I'll try that tomorrow!