I can milk my armpit!

**Curlygirly** · October 13th, 2011, 08:54 AM

I'm a new mummy and have been bfding my daughter for 4 weeks now but soon after birth I noticed a lump under my armpit. Strangely enough I can even squeeze it and I think a small ammount of milk will come out of the pores. I have been massaging it in the shower, football hold, expressing, bfding every two hours at times but the lump/blocked duct won't go down!

Is this something that is common and goes away after I cease nursing or if not emptied can it turn into something serious? I went to my dr 4 weeks ago (not my regular lady dr) and he was telling me horror stories of breast cancer and gave me antibiotics that did zip, my mw said it is definately likely a blocked duct.

Thanks

**Kmn** · October 13th, 2011, 09:31 AM

Can you get a referral to a breast specialist - it's probably nothing, but its a very very good idea to be sure.

In general if you keep stimulating a milk-duct it keeps making milk, so trying to empty it if it is not giving you grief isn't the right thing to do.

**AnyDream** · October 13th, 2011, 11:10 AM

Apparently some women do have extra breast tissue in their armpits (and sometimes extra under-formed nipple structures as well). This could be what you are experiencing. Or some kind of weird cyst. OR it could be a suspicious breast change so you need to get it checked again. An ultrasound and fine needle biopsy should confirm the doctor's clinical examination. If your GP is unable to deal with it, ask for a referral to a breast surgeon.

BTW I had a lump that everyone thought was a blocked duct and it turned out to be an enormous tumour. Get your lump checked

**Jennifer13** · October 13th, 2011, 11:34 AM

Sounds like your m/w is right and this is a blocked duct. Completely unrelated to breast cancer, btw. Have you tried a good lactation consultant? It might need alternative treatment, because given the location, it might be hard to drain it by bfing (hence the reason it's blocked in the first place!).

**Barb Glare** · October 13th, 2011, 01:05 PM

It's pretty normal for women to have milk making tissue right up into their armpit. Some people even have extra nipples or montgomeries glands (the little raised bumps around your areola - which might produce milk too.) If the milk is not released, the milk making tissue in that area will stop making milk and go back to normal. You might try some icepacks and some panadol if it's painful. I'm not sure why your doctor was telling you horror stories about breast cancer. Did he tell you that breastfeeding is a protective factor against breast cancer?

**courts&munchkins** · October 13th, 2011, 01:13 PM

With all 3 kids when my milk came in I had lumps the size of golf balls under my armpits. They were painful though. I left them alone, and they went down eventually.

**Curlygirly** · October 13th, 2011, 05:23 PM

It's pretty normal for women to have milk making tissue right up into their armpit. Some people even have extra nipples or montgomeries glands (the little raised bumps around your areola - which might produce milk too.) If the milk is not released, the milk making tissue in that area will stop making milk and go back to normal. You might try some icepacks and some panadol if it's painful. I'm not sure why your doctor was telling you horror stories about breast cancer. Did he tell you that breastfeeding is a protective factor against breast cancer?

No he didn't barb, thats comforting to know.

Thanks for the other responses girls/Jennifer good idea on the lactation consultant.. I am seeing a dr tomorrow cos I just can't seem to shake my concern now. It isn't painful at all so I don't know if that is a cause for worry but will check it out just in case.x

**AnyDream** · October 13th, 2011, 10:08 PM

Good luck with the doctor, it's 99% percent likely to be something harmless, but it's always good to cover yourself re that other 1%. And make sure you follow up on it again down the track if it doesn't go back to normal.

MissEm · October 14th, 2011, 12:20 AM

My friend had a third nipple under her armpit. She always thought it was a mole until she had her first baby and it started squirting milk out and would get engorged when her milk was coming in. She had an operation to remove it before she had her second baby.

Good luck at the doctors tomorrow. I honestly believe this is more likely to be a similar situation to what my friend went through.

**kelsbels** · October 14th, 2011, 07:17 AM

With all 3 kids when my milk came in I had lumps the size of golf balls under my armpits. They were painful though. I left them alone, and they went down eventually.

This, it was agony and my mw just said heat packs and to very gently massage in the shower. They went down after about 4 odd days but were very painful in the meantime.

I would get a second opinion just in case

**damprye** · October 14th, 2011, 09:43 AM

It is most likely to be fine. I had a lump in my armpit when my breasts were engorged with Tobias but it when down when my milk supply dropped. I did get it checked out though JIC but they said that plenty of people have mammory glands in their armpits and a midwife told me there was another lady in hospital with one and she could squirt milk.

**AnyDream** · October 23rd, 2011, 05:47 PM

Curlygirly, just popping in to find out how this is going? Any better now?

**Curlygirly** · October 24th, 2011, 04:52 PM

Thanks for your responses ladies!
Marydean, I just got the results today (I procrastinated for a bit hoping it would vanish) But good news looks like I am one of those pples who has extra breast tissue under the armpit...It should go once I cease nursing so there you go

.x