Breast Management For Milk Blister or Milk Bleb
A milk blister can cause extreme pain when the epidermis seals over the ductal opening and prevents milk from draining. If the blister is not cleared, milk stasis will occur with the possibility of developing into mastitis. Milk blister may be obvious, raised and firm, or quite small requiring close scrutiny to find.
Tips if you are suffering from milk blister or bleb:
- Blister may resolve on its own while nursing.
- Soak nipple with olive oil, vinegar or warm saline may soften skin sufficiently for it to break when rub gently with a towel, or scrape with clean tweezers.
- Eliminating saturated fats from your diet and taking lecithin supplements may help prevent recurring blisters. Lecithin works by decreasing the viscosity (stickiness) of the milk by increasing the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the milk. It is safe to take, relatively inexpensive, and seems to work in at least some mothers. Recommended dosage: 4 caps x 1200mg
- Consult a lactation consultant to break blister with a sterile needle if self- management fails, expressing or breastfeeding after. Cracked skin can quickly become infected with bacteria and/or yeast. Frequent hand washing helps reduce risk of infection if needle is required.