Cracked/Bleeding Nipples while Breastfeeding
If you are here seeking help on how to help treat nipple trauma, I am here for you. This is a super common find upon breastfeeding mommies, and in time, you will heal. But in the meantime, injured nipples can make breastfeeding incredibly painful to endure…so let’s get to the bottom of it.
Common Causes of Sore/Cracked/Bleeding Nipples
- Incorrect Latch- Please ensure your baby comes to the breast with a WIDE open mouth. Most of your areola should be in their mouth! Check in with lactation for a physical assessment of your baby’s latch to ensure it is correct. They can also assess for tongue ties or other problems during your appointment.
Always remember, we are NOT nipple feeding, we are breastfeeding.
- Incorrect nipple flange sizing- If you pump with the wrong size flange, this can easily cause nipple trauma. Please double check that your nipple properly fits into the nipple tunnel of the flange. Its important to note that it’s normal for each breast to need a different size flange. Treat each breast/nipple individually, as they may have different needs
- Flat or inverted nipples- Flat or inverted nipples can be more difficult for the baby to latch onto. Consider starting with a nipple shield until baby becomes more consistent with latching properly. There are also “nipple extractors” you can purchase to see if that helps bring out your nipple prior to latching your baby.
How to Help Cracked/Bleeding Nipples
- Apply breast milk- It’s a great habit to always apply a dab of breastmilk to your nipples/areola after feeding or pumping. You can hand-express or simply grab a drop from you pump parts. Apply the milk and allow to air-dry. It is a great way to keep your nipples healthy by moisturizing and preventing cracking, while also helping to prevent infection at the same time.
- Nipple creams- There are tons of nipple creams designed for sore/cracked/injured nipples. Make sure yours is 100% safe for baby, and use it as often as you need to. I personally used Lanolin when I needed to, but stuck to breastmilk as my typical preventative.
- Ensure a proper latch EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. - I cannot stress this enough. It’s easy to get comfortable after your kiddo has nursed for a while, and pay less attention to the latch. But all it takes is ONE bad one, out of the blue, to cause weeks of pain every time you nurse.
- Push through the pain- It’s painful, but do not let it ruin your breastfeeding journey if you are not ready to be done. Once you correct the problem, continue nursing on it if you can!
You might be alarmed if you see that your milk is starting to look pink from the combination of blood mixing into your milk. We'd all love to believe it's a delicious batch of strawberry milk, but you KNOW you have a problem that needs attention. Evaluate what you're doing, fix the problem, and keep on keepin' on! You've got this! 😊