Can engorgement bruise your breast?

[Little Chicken]

Yesterday DD2 slept through from 8 till 5.00. That in itself should be a woo-hoo but my left breast has turned it into a Boo-hoo.

Having not been fed from in 11 hours I woke up to a dull ache and sore nipple on my left side, my right was very full but not sore. It took 2 feeds to empty them both and since then my left breast has been tender to the touch, like it has been bruised inside, even when it is empty. I don't think I have mastitis as there are no lumps, heat or redness anywhere and I feel fine.

So, I was wondering, is it possible to bruise your breast internally through engorgement or should I go see someone if it doesn't settle down?

[~clover~]

I think thats what a blocked duct can feel like. I had the same thing with DS at 6 weeks under both boobs from engorgement, but did have a lumps. No red or hotness.
I'd feed her as often as you can on that side to clear it up. I think you'll find once the breast is emptied proberly the bruised feeling will go away.
You can put a heat pack or warm face washer on that spot to help.
Just make sure the other side gets feeding time too, or it'll happen there as well!

Good luck!

[skybie]

My boobs felt like that whenever DD's missed a feed and when my milk first came in, sucks huh?

[Cassius2]

just make sure that you get on top of it babe...i have had that and it can turn into mastitis pretty quickly. i recommend feeding from the breast (as you are doing) and helping the block out (which it sounds like there might be still) by gently massaging down while DD2 is feeding. also, AFTER a feed grab a bag of frozen peas or some ice-pack and whack it on ya boobs.

my LC told me that if DD sleeps through like that again and i can feel the engorgment that it is a good idea to get up and gently express off a little bit to just relieve the pressure and help prevent lumps...(which can feel like lumps or like the bruising that you have mentioned).

[Tuesday's Child]

I would get blocked ducts on my left every now and again (it was how I was sleeping on that side) until DD was 7 months old. It did feel sore and bruised for a little while even after the blockage cleared. If you can't feel any lumps that's a good sign that there's no blockage. Hopefully it'll feel better in a few hours.