Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Any advice you receive from this post is strictly just that, advice based on my own breastfeeding experiences.

This Pain is Unbearable!

I remember the day I experienced my first clogged duct/milk blister. I had no idea what was happening, I just knew the pain was unbearable every time I breastfed. I researched and researched, what the heck is happening. Is it thrush? Is it mastitis?

I can’t even tell you how many times this occurred for me. It can be really discouraging to moms who are breastfeeding for the first time and to experience this kind of pain. It felt like my nipple was on fire when my daughter would breastfeed and the pain would instantly go away when she would stop. There were times I felt like throwing in the towel but instead I pushed through and sadly having milk blisters became pretty normal for me, for a period of time.

It looks like a white milk-filled blister on your nipple due to a blocked or clogged milk duct. This is usually due to improper latch or shallow latching. It feels like your nipple is on fire every time your baby breastfeeds. It is one of the most painful things I have ever experienced.

5 Tips On How To Treat A Milk Blister

Tip #1 : Soak, Soak, and Soak Some More

The best thing I could do was soak my nipple in warm water prior to nursing. I would either jump in the shower or I would take a baby bottle top, fill it with warm water, and let my nipple rest in it for a good 10 -15 minutes. If you have a saline solution, warm some of that up and soak using that solution. Let me emphasize… WARM WATER, do not use hot water! The last thing you want to do is cause damage to your nipple by burning it. This allows the skin where the clog or blister to soften so that when you go to breastfeed or pump it can possibly break through that blister to let the trapped milk out.

Another trick I used was soaking a cotton ball with olive oil and leaving that in my bra. I wasn’t too fond of this because it can get messy but it did work to soften the skin of the blister.

Tip #2 : Gently Use a Warm Moist Washcloth to Try to Break the Skin of the Blister

Sometimes I needed to do this, other times pumping or nursing did the trick. I also had times where I used a safety pin but I do not recommend doing that because you are opening yourself up to infection and possibly other damage to your nipple.

Tip #3 : Take a Breastfeeding Friendly Pain Reliever

When I say that it was painful, it was PAINFUL. Taking some Ibuprofen or Tylenol can help with relieving some of the pain temporarily.

Tip #4 : Use a Milk Catcher or Breast Sheild In-Between Feedings and Pumping

A key to healing is making sure that you are not irritating the affected area. Using a milk catcher will ensure your clothes are not rubbing against your nipple while it is trying to heal.

Tip #5 : Identify the Root Cause and Correct it

This is easier said than done, I dealt with these for months until one day my daughter latched properly and I never had one again. You can also lookup local lactation specialists and have them evaluate your baby’s latch.

Have you ever dealt with a milk blister? Share other tips you have used to help relieve the pain.