Size of a pin head .... face of the nipple ... uncomfortable ... mom is lactating ... mom thinks milk will come from site. All of this sounds like a (relatively harmless, no surgery required) "bleb" to me. The Breastfeeding Atlas, 2nd edition, has a great discussion at p. 46 (and a picture). Think of it as a callus over the tiny opening of one of the milk ducts in the nipple. Milk can't get out; it may coagulate at the pore opening, leaving an uncomfortable (or just plain painful) spot. Soaking the affected nipple, using a warm compress, or placing an olive-oil-saturated cotton ball in the bra, may soften the "callus." Then, (as Diane Weissinger suggests) hand-expression from *behind* the site may do a better job of removing the "caked" milk than the vacuum-like-tugging of a pump in front of the bleb. Liz Brooks, JD, IBCLC Wyndmoor, PA, USA _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html