Cracked nipple, orange milk - any thoughts, please?

[AppleOrchid]

My DD is eight days old. A few nights ago I let her feed with a bad latch despite the fact that it was very painful (I was extremely tired and befuddled). When I took her off, a bit of my nipple had lifted off and was bleeding (yuk).

Have been using Lansinoh and working on latch. I think latch has improved although it's still painful to feed - she seems to clamp down and suckle particularly hard on the damaged breast. At the end of last feed she spat out some milk which was an alarming orange/yellow colour. Milk on other side is normal.

I'm assuming this might be blood? Has anyone experienced similar? I really want to persevere with feeding on this side. DD has lost a fair bit of weight and needs this milk. Also, have noticed a couple of red patches on the damaged side. I know this can be indicative of mastitis, but I don't feed particularly engorged or anything. Could this have something to do with milk colour / nipple damage?

Any thoughts? Thanks...

poor you, sounds very sore. yes, the coloured milk sounds like blood, I've had the same with a bleeding nipple.

I would definitely get to the doc if you can re the red patches, that does sound like it could be mastitis, even without engorgement. I have had mastitis where I couldn't feel any sort of engorgement or lump in my boob but it was definitely mastitis. especially if the boob feels hotter than the other or you feel at all fluey. you need antibiotics for mastitis.

could be linked to nipple damage if there is scabbing which is blocking some of the milk exit points, also a damaged nipple can provide a route for infections to get in.

good luck!

ps if the poor latch and clamping continues, do get dd checked for tongue tie...

Not too sure, but would def get checked out by dr. Also, do not hesitate getting some help and hands on advice with bf.... It is so worth seeking someone out to observe feeding to help with positioning and also to check baby for tongue tie (our first was diagnosed at 7 days old with this as it was killing me to feed!!) I don't want to make any assumptions on that front, but would generally say to get support as it does sound like you need it and it is worth it's weight in gold if it means you continue breast feeding without pain and stress! Well done xx

I had exactly this. Nipple damage, orange milk and mastits too, when baby was 6 do. The mw thought the orange milk could have been blood, I wondered if it was the remnants of colostrum (my colostrum always seemed v orange, but I did have quite badly damaged, scabby nips for first 2 wks, so maybe colostrum isn't orange, it was just blood in mine???). Anyway, once we got latch sorted out the nipples cleared up quickly and milk went to normal colour.

Oh - and I didn't notice any lump before my mastitis symptoms came on (which they did v quickly in form of fever, chills, flu-like feeling like death, sore red hot boob). I got antibiotics quickly, and felt better but the mastitis came back about a wk after I finished the 2-wks course of antibs. 2nd time around I used the guidance on the Kellymom website to self-treat and that seemed to clear it up much more effectively than anti-bs...

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Latch is still uncomfortable, but I am really trying to get it right so I can feed on this side too. It doesn't help that I get really tense when putting her on in anticipation of the pain. I am trying to relax, but it's not easy with baby clamped to sore nipple! Especially hard at night when I'm tired (and often emotional).

Thanks once again - will watch for signs of mastitis and try to persevere with the feeding. Nobody said it was going to be easy (and it's not!)...

Apple , check out rusty pipe syndrome - yes, it is blood, if it is this, but it is not a reason to stop bf, and it resolves itself.

Apple...just wondering how it's going...I'm on day 6, milk finally came in yesterday. One very sore nipple, was lucky enough to be in a heavily-staffed maternity ward (not in UK) so was pumping (nothing coming out though!!) while giving nipple a break, with lots of hands-on breastfeeding support. Now at home, nipple slightly less painful but still ridiculously painful...makes me sweat, tense up, just can't face that pain at 3am, etc etc.
Baby doctor prescribed me with fucidin and an anti-bacterial cream to help healing.
Have had mastitis with previous babies, and agree just get to doctor as prevention better than cure.
Also use all local breast feeding resources...UK is so good for free breast feeding advice...I'm paying here to see a UK Health Visitor who has set up business as lactation consultant.
Would love to know how you're doing since last post...all I can say is only those who've suffered know just how painful the pain is, and for me, as I have then supplemented with formula to give nipple a break to heal (while pumping which still turns my stomach) and then feel guilty like a failure for introducing formula but actually I can't see how the nipple can heal while feeding through it, and giving break def speeds up healing, but tricky balance as you don't want to lose supply or end up with a blockage.

Hi Mummysaysno,

Sorry to hear you've been having a hard time, but pleased you've had some support. I hope things are looking up for you now?

My DD is now 16 days old and thankfully, the nipple and latch are much improved. She still fusses over the side she doesn't like, but I have been fairly strict with the latch and the nipple is much better. With the exception of two twelve hours breaks when it was totally unbearable to feed, I fed on the sore side throughout the pain, but just concentrated on getting the latch right and also used lanolin between feeds. Sometimes I couldn't let her feed for as long as she'd like on that side, but it did keep the supply up and we have now established decent feeds on both sides.

During the two twelve hour breaks I took to give the nipple time to heal, I just hand expressed enough milk to take the pressure off whenever I felt uncomfortable.

Milk is no longer orange and I intend to continue feeding DD!

I do hope things have improved for you since your post. Sorry for the delay in replying, things have been pretty full on here, as I guess they always are when you've got a toddler and a newborn!

Thanks Apple! You sound like things have turned a corner....really pleased for you both!!!
I've just started a new thread about me and my BF problems...right now it's morning and the sun is shining so feeling positive about it all..it's always at the end of the day, when the other siblings are screaming and shouting and I'm tired that things feel overwhelming and impossible!!