bleeding in to breast milk?

Question

Lilly was born a week ago and point blank refuses to latch on to my breast, so my midwife's suggested expressing it. and until last night it worked a charm! but yesterday i noticed i was bleeding into the bottle, and again today when i tried. how can i stop this?
poor things been on formular all day!

currently hav 2 midwives, 1 la leach person and 3 breastfeeding specialists helping me. and all are at a loss at to why she wont latch on! just sit there (k, lays ther) head butting me

Answer 1

you might have mastitis, an infection which needs antibiotics but you can still breast feed if its not too sore. don't forget if you don't want to breast feed any more or its too difficult its OK to stop, i know the breastfeeding mafia will be out to get you but its your body and sanity not theirs and just because they could breast feed the army it doesn't mean that you have to kill your self trying. if you want to try to continue then great but ultimately do what you feel most comfortable with, Lilly has had the colostrum and that's the most important bit after all so if you want to stop then do. i hate the la leche people (sorry I'm generalising) i actually hid in the shower room in the hospital so that i could get my son latched on without all of the hands pushing and pulling at my boob to the point that my poor wee baby was seriously frustrated. in the shower room we both knew exactly what to do and he was definitely latched on properly but when they are all hovering over me it just drove me mad. anyway speak to you midwife or health visitor and she'll be able to tell you if its just cracked nipples or if its mastitis

Answer 2

You can continue to use the milk with the blood in it, there is no reason to use formula. Many women breastfeed through cracked and bleeding nipples.

You need to figure out why you are bleeding, if you don't see an obvious source on the outside of the nipple, I would imagine that you have an internal problem just as yeast or and infection. This needs to be treated.

You also need to continue working on getting the baby to breast. I think perhaps you need a different advisor. Your midwife doesn't seem to be working for you and your baby. That doesn't mean she is wrong, or uneducated. She could be the best lactation consultant in the world and if she isn't getting results for YOU then she isn't the right help FOR YOU.

Please call a lactation consultant, La Leche League, a public health nurse or all three. You NEED TO get that baby to breast. It is very hard to keep up your supply without actual breastfeeding, pumping is much more difficult and time consuming. And bottle feeding, regardless of what is in it increases the risk of ear infections, also baby feeding directly at the breast allows your immune system to react much faster the anything the baby has been exposed to.

Also to help get baby back to breast you should be using a cup, syringe or supplimental nursing system to feed the expressed milk.

Answer 3

The blood is almost certainly coming from damage to your nipple. Even if you have the smallest amount of damage, it will bleed into your milk. The damage should heal up in a day or so - use a lanolin cream to help repair the cracking. It's also good to let the nipples get some air and to express a few drops of milk on to them and let that dry. The blood won't hurt your baby.
Express for a few minutes on each breast to stop yourself getting too sore. Pumps can be harsh. It's also best to do it in the morning when you have a better supply.

Answer 4

I'm sorry you have to go through this honey. i had the same problem my son just would not latch on to my breast so i did the same thing expressing it was good for a couple of days then breast started hurting and cracking i had to stop expressing for 2 days then milk came in on it's own don't worry about time frame your little sweetie pie will come around try laying her next to you in bed or on the couch at feeding time with your shirt off and her close to you she will smell your milk and try to suckle just relax it will happen it worked like a charm for me hope this advise helps you! oh you could also try a ice cube to the nipples to get them to perk up, some women have inverted nipples and that might be the problem to, so give it a shot if your still having problems contact me i'll give more pointers! good luck and congradulations!

Answer 5

Have you tried using nipple shields? My first baby had a tiny mouth and had a terrible time latching on. The wonderful ladies at my breastfeeding clinic game me these silicone nipple shields to place over my nipple when I nursed her. It worked like a charm. After about a month using them she was ready to latch on without them. They were a life saver for me. Maybe ask your midwife about them.

As far as the bleeding that is probably from cracked nipples. I was especially susceptible to them when I pumped.

Answer 6

blood is likely coming from cracks in the nipple, very common in early nursing. Try letting your nipples air dry and put a nursing cream on them. Its hard work to get a reluctant baby on the breast, especally if they have been taking a bottle. good luck

Answer 7

yes dont worry, blood is coming from your poor cracked nipples. (i had this).
the midwife said it was cause from the baby suckin so hard in your case it must be from the breast pump your using to express the milk, metion it to the midwife anyway but im sure its ok

Answer 8

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Answer 9

You need to call your OB or lactation consultant ASAP. Are your nipples cracked or is it coming out with your milk?

Answer 10

You need to go to the doctor to see what is wrong with you!!!

Hope everything goes right!!!