Help! BF with milk fistula

RebekahD8560

I had an open biopsy on Thursday and it wasn't long before I started leaking milk from the incision sight. I couldn't get to my breast that first day to pump or nurse because of the bandaging, but I went back to the doctor Friday and he redressed it for me so I could. However, I can't get hardly anything to come out pumping and what does come out is tinged with blood so I don't want to try nursing. Instead, I have all this milk constantly gushing out of my incision. I wear breast pads and bandages over it but it soaks through every hour or two and my shirts get wet and it's a nasty feeling. I'm down to only pumping twice a day, hopefully the breast will dry up and after it heals and I'll go back to nursing on that side too. But in the mean time does anyone have any suggestions for what I can do about this annoying leaky mess? It's SO frustrating and depressing. I can't even leave the house for any length of time over an hour. It's just awful. If you ever are faced with the choice of weening before surgery or trying to continue feeding, my recommendation is definitely to ween!! I wish I had known all this before my surgery and that's what I'd have done. You can always go back to breastfeeding after your body has healed.

njh514

I had to google. I'm sorry you're dealing with that. Depending on your incision, would one of those milkies work? I'm sorry if that's a really dumb suggestion, but I'm not sure what else to tell you.

CABeachMom11

Hi there- I had a milk fistula too, after I got an abscess surgically drained  that was right under my nipple. It totally sucked. I was able to pump, though. I just put a bunch of gauze on the incision, b/c the incision rubbed against the pump flange so that protected it a bit. Going out, I had lots and lots of gauze and breast pads, carried around extra in my purse as well. It finally healed and closed up 3-4 weeks after the surgery.   Good luck dear!