For so many moms breastfeeding means a lot of unknowns. Whether you're an experienced nursing mom or it's your first time breastfeeding a baby, there are often a lot of questions. We are, after all, talking about the human body. For all we know about it, it's still a massive mystery. One mom on TikTok proved just that when she shared that she was able to express breast milk out of her armpit.
The mom of two, who goes by @heavyondahustla_ on TikTok, was experiencing a clogged milk duct, but instead of being in her actual breast, it caused an uncomfortable lump in her armpit. Her midwife advised her to remedy it with warm compresses and massage, and in doing so, she realized it actually produced milk.
The mom was shocked when breast milk squirted out of her armpit.
The mom gave birth to her second child back in November, and after experiencing a dip in her milk supply, she's been sharing her journey to rebuild her breast milk supply.
In the TikTok captioned "breastfeeding mom problems," she explains, "this is what you call a milk duct that is in my armpit." She says she used Irish Springs on it in the hope that the strong soap would help bring it down and that it "kinda worked."
She also explains that on the recommendation of her midwife, she's been massaging the lump and using "warm compressions."
The lump had been there for about a week.
The mom explains that she'd had the clogged duct for about a week when she realized that she could express milk from it. "Yesterday, I started pressing on it and the [expletive] milk just started flying the [expletive] out," she says in the video.
"I thought it was so cool. My mom thought it was disgusting. Then my best friend talking about some, 'maybe you should pump it.' [Expletive], I'm not giving my baby no [expletive] armpit milk."
'That's why men should appreciate women, cuz we go through a lot.'
Yup, she's right. We do. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, mammary glands actually extend past the breast. Breast tissue called the "axillary tail of Spence," is what extends into the armpit, and it can become engorged with breast milk just like the rest of the breast.
"It is breast tissue that doesn't drain well and for that reason, the engorgement is primarily experienced when the milk first comes in. Because of the poor drainage in that area, those milk-producing cells stop producing," lactation consultant Andrea Tran told Parents.
Lots of people on TikTok were totally shocked, but some had experience with the same issue.
"I remember my grandma told us that some lady cursed her and milk started dropping from her armpits so this was normal and she died at 70 with no clue," someone commented.
"This happened to me with my first child it was so painful," someone else wrote.
Lots of commenters were calling for "the girl with the list," referring to a TikTok trend in which people list reasons to never have kids.
Most people were absolutely stunned.
"New fear unlocked," someone wrote.
"There is so many things I seen lately making me not want a chile," another comment reads.
"Four kids and I've never experienced this. Thoughts and prayers," someone else wrote.
"You ever watch a TikTok that makes you sit in silence for like two minutes?" another person chimed in.
Yeah, we don't really want to admit it, but this one has us reeling too!
