Bleeding nipple, help!

[Jemimabelle]

I've had nipple pain after feeds on the right side for weeks, or even months, just been ignoring it really. Thought it was the vasospasm/raynauds thing as it goes white sometimes and is painful until the colour comes back. Baby is nearly 11 months and I've cut feeds down a bit ready to go back to work, but still feeds on each side about 2-4 times in 24 hours. Hard to describe but I've noticed blood recently kind of deep in the nipple in the gaps where milk seems to come out. I've used Lansinoh for a few days with a breast pad and there's been the occasional dot of blood on the pad. Today baby unlatched mid feed and it looked like I had an open crack filled with blood, and he had blood around his mouth. I couldn't inspect as was feeding with lots of people around! Just switched sides and carried on. The crack now looks completely closed but I'm worried about continuing feeding on that side. I know it's probably not going to heal if I carry on feeding, but I don't want to lose supply, and I'm worried about providing enough milk just off the left...he already feeds 1-2 times in the night and seems hungry each time. Any advice?

Does your baby take expressed milk from a bottle? If so could you express from that breast instead of feeding for a couple of days just to give it a chance to heal and feed the expressed milk from a bottle? That would keep your supply up and give it a chance to heal. Lansinoh is excellent. I also used breast shells for a few days at a time when I was having problems with cracked nipples and bleeding and this seemed to help by letting the air get to the nipple and help it heal. It also stops anything sticking to the cracked nipple such as breast pad / bra.

www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/category/breast-shells

Thanks for the reply, I haven't heard of breast shells I'll definitely have a look at those. I have struggled expressing for a long time, presumably because I don't have as much milk as I used to. Baby doesn't take milk from a bottle but will drink from a cup, I tried to use my pump this morning as I'd only fed on the left side during the night, but nothing came out. I managed to hand express nearly 2oz but it took ages! Will do the same this evening and in the morning and hope my supply keeps up for when it eventually heals!

I would suggest trying to improve latch as that would reduce vasospasm and allow nipple to heal while continuing to bf. you can call LLL helpline for help and they are really good at describing ways to improve latch over the phone. Could also Google "exaggerated latch". Changes in teeth and size of mouth can all cause changes in how well baby is positioned at the breast

Thank you Chocolate. I know his latch isn't great, he often starts well with a lovely wide open mouth and good latch, then pushes his hands against me and stretches my boob out so he's feeding at arms length...very uncomfortable and I struggle to stop him doing it! If I move his arms he just pulls his head back and his latch goes shallow. I've been feeding him just once a day on that side and it's healing, but not completely as it is still painful after a feed.