I have the same opinion as Kathleen regarding nipple blebs.  

I am now a manager, and lurk to stay current, but before this job I worked as the lactation consultant.  I would frequently see moms with blebs.  

I work at a hospital so it was not really an option to hand a needle over to a mom, I would have been breaking some nursey rules and ended up in nurse prison.  

I always told the mom that she could boil a needle at home and pop the bleb that way.  This always worked well.  

For those that were afraid to try the needle method, I would instruct them to first apply a warm moist compress for 20-30 minutes or take a nice long soak in a tub...then find the most coarse washcloth they could locate and rub firmly on the bleb until the overgrown skin was gone.  For some of them took several trys to work.  Once the milk was flowing, I asked them to keep some breastfeeding safe ointment on the nipple until all was healed.  This also worked well, but moms reported that this method is a bit more uncomfortable, the eventual relief made it bearable.  

Once in awhile, I would have a mom go to the local surgeon for a consult with a persistent clogged bust, they also probed the duct with a good sucess rate.

PS, any one know of a LC job opening up in the nexy 6-9 months, I really miss doing LC work and am looking for a warmer climate!!?? 

Lori Peters BSN IBCLC
OB Manager
United Hospital System
Birthing Inn
Kenosha, WI

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