Urgent advice-bleeding nipple

[pinkoyster]

Am breastfeeding DS2 (7 days). Both nipples ravaged-latch has been checked. Left nipple bleeding-had been for a few days now. DS2 started regurgitating blood at the weekend so took him to hosp-blood test etc all normal and they said the blood was coming from me in the breastmilk.

I just don't know why this is happening to me. Successfully bf Ds1 for 18months with no pain. Could Ds2 have Tongue-tie? (they checked at the hospital and said no, but the midwife on duty wasn't the greatest)..

Can I still carry on bfing if I rest the bleeding side for a few days? What will it do for my supply? (please note I cannot hand express/express with a machine as the pain is immense)..

Who can check for Tongue-tie?

[MarasmeAbsolu]

:( ouch!
did not want to read n run; i have more or less the same pb: while I had no issues feeding DD, my newborn (6days old) cannot "deal" with my shortish nipples when the breast is very full and has shredded them.
Medela nipple shields have helped loads along with lansinoh.
I also have some Medela "shells" to stop the nipples drying or sticking to the bra between feeds...

hope things will improve

[Honkyponk]

So sorry to hear of your problems, massive sympathy!
Definitely get a second opinion on tongue tie from an expert..... The hallmark of ties is bad damage to the nipple. Check out milkmatters.org for info, and they should be able to tell you who is your best bet locally. Some ties are really difficult to spot, and cant be seen just by a quick look under the tongue. I had similar problem and used nipple shields for six weeks whilst the wounds healed - I literally couldn't have gone on without them. Hopefully you will be able to feed from both sides with them. . . I was in agony from open wounds but feeding was bearable with the shields. Then you would be stimulating both breasts so hopefully supply not an issue.

Good luck

[byhec]

Ouch, I found a lactation consultant to check DS after mw/hv/gp all said he didn't have a TT. Turned out he did, i got it divided and we've not looked back since.

[mawbroon]

There is a great long thread full of people who have been told there is no tongue tie only to later find out that there actually was.

Where are you based?

this is helpful

And there is also a great group on facebook. Look for tongue tie babies support group and ask to join.

If it's a posterior tie, it may be hard to spot unless you see somebody who really knows what they are doing, and they are few and far between.

[McBaby]

Get a second opinion for TT ( and 3rd and 4th is nessersary) mine was missed a numer of times.

It is hit and miss on getting someone to suggest and getting a referral to an ENT doctor.

I found a great lactation consultant privately and she also works at local sure start centres! So it could be worth trying yours - I went to next borough to find a good one!

[McBaby]

Also read milk matters website Lzl.

[McBaby]

If you think there is a tie then push for a referral through gp if needed! Mine did not agree it was nessersary as said it was mild tie! This did not turn out to be the case.

[pinkoyster]

Ok, well after an eventful visit from the mw (where I sobbed in front of her how much I wanted to bf), she checked and said defo no Tongue-tie. I'm due at the GP tomorrow for a 2nd opinion, but in the meantime am using Boots own breast shields. DS doesn't seem to be taking much today, though they do ease the soreness a bit. And he's not sicking up blood anymore..

I'm just so upset that I'm encountering these probs when I want to bf more than anything in the world..

[milkwagon]

I had lots of problems BF my 5mo DD in the very beginning. Lacerated nipples/wound care dressings, mastitis 5 times, blocked ducts etc. Found out she had posterior TT which was missed by several health professionals. It was in fact a lactation consultant who found it in the end and got a second opinion from a BF counsellor at a Baby Cafe who spotted the same. I found MW can be very good on the medical side of things but useless at anything BF related. I totally recommend seeking advice from a BF counsellor and going to a BF support group, such as the Baby Cafes.

[milkwagon]

Also forgot to say that DD spat up lots of bloodied scabby milk posset when my nipples were bad. I was so distressed seeing it, but didn't do any harm to DD. After we had DD tongue snipped it was at least 2 weeks before things started to improve. I never ever thought my nipples would heal, but they did! I used Novogel dressings which were the mutts nuts to getting my nips sorted. You can get them on prescription - I just asked my GP to prescribe a pack outright & cut them into nipple sized squares. I also have fair sensitive skin with quite pink nips which apparently those with this skin type have problems with them 'hardening up'. I now use Multi MAM compression pads to 'smooth things over' and keep my nips sweet. It was at least 10 weeks before I started to enjoy BF but so glad I persevered. Hang in there, you're doing an amazing job.

[pinkoyster]

Thanks for all the helpful advice. I'm seeing the GP (lovely lady) this morning who might be able to give a diagnosis on whether ds2 has tt or not. Also, the shields are helping a bit but I think I have thrush-my left breast feels itchy and hurts after feeding..

Anyone have any ideas on how I contact a bf councillor? Are they available on the NHS? Does anyone know of any good ones that can diagnose tt in the W London area?

TIA-you are all helping to keep me going xx

[McBaby]

Check out who does the breast feeding at your local sure start. It can just be hit and missing how good they are. Also the HV should be able to point you in direction of and local bf groups run by the hospital etc.

[YorkshireRose12]

Hi pinkoyster, how are things going for you now?

Your situation sounds very different to mine, so I just wanted to let you know that you can get through it and come out the other side.

My DS had a TT which was eventually snipped at 5 weeks, after being told by other HCPs that he didn't have one/he did have one but it was only "minor" and wouldn't impact feeding. Have you now seen your GP? If TT still has not been diagnosed, do get a second/third/fourth opinion, especially as your latch has already been checked and you've been told it looks fine. Unfortunately lots of TTs do still get missed - before my DS's was properly diagnosed I saw two MWs, the HV, three GPs and four infant feeding advisors - all were very lovely and sympathetic to my bleeding nipples with chunks missing out of them, but it still took until the last two infant feeding advisors I saw for the TT to be properly diagnosed! I would recommend the Milk Matters website - they may be able to point you in the direction of a TT expert in your area or you could try the infant feeding advisors at your local hospital, or try and find a BFing counsellor - look on the Internet for BFing support groups local to you, try your local Children's Centre or one of the BFing helplines eg NCT who might be able to put you in touch with a local counsellor.

[YorkshireRose12]

To deal with the damage to your nipples in the meantime, the following worked for me:

1. Pain relief! I took both Paracetamol and ibuprofen together - they at least take the edge off the pain.
   

1. Apply Lansinoh after every feed. It sounds like your nipples are quite badly damaged - you need to get Lansinoh all over the surface of the crack so make sure when you apply it it's stuffed right down into all the cracks.
   

1. Wear breast shells in your bra between feeds - you can get them in Boots. These were my last resort and really, really helped as they kept my breast pad/bra off the nipple which let the air get to the wounds and gave them space to breathe and heal.
   

1. Multi Mam compresses (also available in Boots) are also nice and cooling and provide a bit of extra relief when your nipples are at their most burny.

[YorkshireRose12]

Finally if you suspect thrush Google "Breastfeeding Nw
Network thrush" - this should bring up a PDF of thrush FAQs and it can help to take this along to your GP, as again many are not that familiar with nipple thrush. If thrush is diagnosed both you and the baby need treating to stop you passing it backwards/forwards between you - you normally get a suspension to squirt into baby's mouth or a gel to rub on with your finger and a cream to apply to your nipples.

And finally - a massive well done for getting this far. BFing pain is hell, to the point where I was quite often in tears feeding because it hurt so much. I could never have imagined pain free BFing - it took until about 11 weeks for my nipples to fully heal because they were so badly damaged, but it does get better, we're now at 22 weeks and I'm so proud my DS is still EBF. My left nipple us permanently deformed with a little chunk missing, but that's my reminder of what I went through to BF my DS! You will get there in the end!

[Longdistance]

Are there any Surestart centres near you? We had five different feeding clinics in our town.
I do feel your pain, as had nipple trauma with dd1, which resulted in ductal thrush. I had to take Fluconazole in different doses, and used Daktarin cream for my nips, and the gel for dd's mouth.
I too used nipple shields to feed, and wore Brest shells, and aired them to let them heal. Lansinoh did initially help, but the bf councillor said, that using excessively can trigger the thrush, so use sparingly.