Has This Happened to Anyone Else???? Help!!!!

Updated on January 26, 2007
J.Z. asks from Quincy, MA
15 answers

i have liquid coming out of my breasts. sometimes its just fluid. i stopped nursing a year ago. but sometimes its thick like puss. its white. when its just the fluid stuff it looks like breast milk...off white and thinner. i am worried. other then that thats all for now. i don't have any lumps. is this normal?? i have 4 boys and nursed them all. and like i said i stopped nursing the baby of the family a year ago. i am a bit nervous when i notice the fluid coming out. oohhh and its when i squeeze my nipples. its sounds weird cause i don't usually squeeze my nipples. i was cleaning my breasts thoroughly and was plucking my hairs on my breasts and saw the fluid so i squeezed. please someone ease my mind. thanks. i love to hear from you girls...bye for now and i hope i hear good news...J.

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C.G.

answers from Boston on

Regarding the making friends issue- I moved here from MINNESOTA 6 months ago for my husband's career, and since I found out I was prego shortly after we got here, I am staying at home with kids for a while. I miss my friends and family and I've been very lonely, and I wanted to find some part time work but my doc said I needed to take it easy, so. Anyway, today I am going to meet up with some moms from a north shore moms group, and I hope to make some friends through that. Here's a link to the site:
http://moms.meetup.com/1044/about/
I hope that helps, I'm just trying it myself--

good luck!
C.

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A.H.

answers from Boston on

J.,
I had the same thin happen to me after I stopped breast feeding my son. I went to my Dr. & she said it's normal for it to last up to a year OR MORE!. If it's yellow & pussy looking see your Dr. If it just looks like breast milk, it's ok.
Good luck!
A.

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F.M.

answers from Boston on

J.,
Yes, it tis perfectly normal. And tends to happen more with each child you have. I have three kids, my youngest is three. I stopped mursing him at 9 months and sometimes it still happens to me. Usually when I am cleaning my nipples and sometimes when my husband stimulates them. So no worries. As long as you don't need to wear nursing pads. Then I'd take a pregnancy test! LOL. Hope this is helpful and puts your mind at ease.

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B.G.

answers from Lewiston on

I second the motion to see your doctor! I lactated for two years after I stopped nursing my youngest. I didn't think much of it at the time, until I was diagnosed with a severe THYROID imbalance. I had gained a significant amount of weight in a short period of time and I just could NOT loose it. I was starving myself and still gaining.
See your doctor and make sure everything is in order. Make SURE you tell the doctor ALL your concerns. Make a check list and USE IT!

Good luck!

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C.G.

answers from Portland on

Hi J.- I did have this too. What it was for me was a plugged milk duct (mastitus). Like you, I nursed both of my boys and I had not nursed for 6 years when this happened. My doctor told me you can get mastitus anytime. Unfortunately, I let it go too long and it became infected- which was very painful. I would recommend checking in with you doctor and seeing if that is what is going on with you, especially if you are seeing puss. The treatment is a simple antibiotic so it is well worth the visit. I hope this helps. C.

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K.M.

answers from Boston on

J.,

I have the same thing. My doctors told me that it's normal. I haven't breast fed in over two years and still have "fluid." The only thing that they can tell me is that I do not have a pituitary tumor and all my bloodwork looks normal. So, I am not worrying about it. It was, however, a little freaky at first.

How was your transition to Mass from Maine? I am relocating to New Hampshire after living in Maine my whole life. It's a little scary!

Hope that helps!
K.

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K.C.

answers from Providence on

Well, Breadt milk can stay in your system for quite sometime before drying up completely, I've heard 5yrs. So it's probably normal. However, if you are worried You should always share with your doctor. Any worry is worth checking. obviously leaking can be a sign of something more serious but with the fact that you just stop nursing a year ago and you were squeezing....I'd say don't be too worried.

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M.M.

answers from Providence on

Hi J.

Just wanted to try to alleviate your fears here. I also had that happen to me with both of my pregnancies. My son who is now 18 mos old is the youngest, and only about 3 months or so ago did my breasts stop making that same milky stuff. In my opinion its completely normal and I wouldnt worry unless you feel something wrong, such as a lump or a breast infection. Also, I think, and I could be wrong about this...the more you extract this milky stuff the more your body will continue to produce it, just like breast feeding. So I would let it be for a few weeks and see if it hasnt cleared up by then. No stress momma! Good luck!

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A.C.

answers from Boston on

Hi J.

I dont really think that this is anything to worry about. I had this with both of my children and nothing ever became of it. My breasts leaked (same as yours) only when I would apply pressure or squeeze them. This happened to me after I stopped breast feeding my son and all the way up until I had a breast augmentation around the time that my son was 3. I didnt have the leaking after my breast augmentation, but I believe it was due to the surgery. I now have a daughter who is 6 months old, and I stopped breast feeding her when she was 5 months old. I am now having the leaking again, same as before. I never asked the doctor about it, I just assumed it was normal. I would only consult your doctor if it really bothers you, or becomes painful. I do not feel that this is something to worry about. Hope this helps ease your mind a little bit.

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T.D.

answers from Providence on

I completely agree to call and speak with your doctor, BUT I do have a friend who nursed her first child, who is now 4, for only 2 weeks. She did not nurse her second, but started lactating just before he turned a year. We were all a little worried about her, as was she. She went for several tests and her doctor eventually concluded nothing was wrong. He had also said he has seen a woman who was in her 60's begin to lactate again. Not common, but it could happen. I just want to put your mind at ease.
Good luck and let us know how things turn out!
~T.

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A.R.

answers from Boston on

J. I have the same thing???????? I did not really think it was anything though. It was like you, about a yr had passed since I had breast fed my daughter. The same exact thing a white fluid, like puss or something. I actually thought it was maybe just left from breast feeding, though I only breast fed for about 3 wks. It is so funny that you said it is when you would squeeze your nipple because I did the same thing!!! I did not know how to tell people without explaining WHY I was squeezing my nipple. Should I be worried about this?? I did not think it was anything but now you have me a little worried. Let me know what you hear, Have you asked your dr.??

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A.D.

answers from Boston on

THIS HAPPENED TO ME YEARS AFTER MY LAST CHILD, COME TO FIND OUT IT WAS AN ANTI DEPRESSANT THAT I WAS ON. I STOPPED TAKING IT FOR OTHER REASONS (WEIGHT GAIN) AND MONTHS AFTER THAT THE WHITE LIQUIDS STOPPED. SO IF YOU ARE TAKING ANY MEDICATIONS YOU MIGHT WANT TO TALK TO YOUR DOCTER TO FIND OUT IF THIS IS A SIDE EFFECT.

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C.P.

answers from Providence on

I truly believe that we should be taught that pregnancy goes beyond childbirth. The body changes SO much --- physically, emotionally and mentally. I have to remind myself that what I am going through as a new mom is natural many times. It is most important to give myself the courtesy of listening to my inner voice and taking care when I am feeling out of sorts, especially when I just want to be in the fetal position with a box of cookies watching reruns of Will and Grace....
I found this that might be of interest...not to scare but to inform:
"A discharge from your breast(s) could mean that your breast(s) are infected, that a breast duct is dilated, or that you have a hormone imbalance. The discharge may be on just one side or from both breasts. When a milky discharge comes from a woman's breast when she is not breast feeding, it's called galactorrhea.
This condition can result from taking certain medications such as birth control pills or anti-depressants, from being pregnant or recently being pregnant, low thyroid levels, or rarely from a small benign (not cancerous) pituitary tumor. Your body may be making extra amounts of prolactin, which can cause this white discharge from your nipples. A brown or bloody discharge may come from dilated breast duct or small polyps in the breast ducts."
I think the best thing to do would be to visit your health care provider, you will feel better for knowing, especially if it is just a stage in your pregnancy.

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K.S.

answers from Boston on

J. - I wish I could tell you something but I can't. I have the thick puss too and sometimes my nipples get really dry but I asked my doctor and she didn't explain but she said it was nothing to worry about. I stopped nursing when my son was 6 months and got his first tooth and he is 2.5 now. Maybe someone can tell us both something.

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D.B.

answers from Boston on

Thank god it happens to more people than just me...I thought I was wierd. I nursed my daughter for 5 months. It was about 2 years later that I got pregnant with my son. I was having this problem the whole time until the second pregnancy. I only nursed him for a couple of weeks b/c my milk never really came in enough to satisfy him, and now he is 11 months and I'm having this problem again. I never want to say anything to anyone about it though b/c they would think I'm crazy. If you get any good advice please pass it along.

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