The presence of blood in breast milk may scare the mother when she first notices it. But there is nothing to worry about as it is common, specifically among new moms. Usually, it does not point to any severe health issue.
In fact, a lot of times the blood in mother’s milk goes unnoticed. She usually discovers the blood when she pumps the breast milk or if the baby spits up a little blood-tinged milk or blood is visible in her baby’s stools.
In This Article
- Blood In Breast Milk: Is It Safe For Your Baby?
- Causes Of Blood In Breast Milk
- How To Treat Blood In Breast Milk?
- How Can The Discomfort Of Bleeding From The Breasts Be Eased?
- When To Seek Doctor’s Advice?
Blood In Breast Milk: Is It Safe For Your Baby?
Yes, it is. Before getting into details, let us assure you that there is nothing to worry about a little blood in breast milk that enters your baby’s system. It will not harm your baby. Let us not forget that the baby was inside you not that long ago sharing the blood supply.
The only challenge that you might face is if the baby picks the difference in taste and refuse to suckle. But since they are very small, and the quantity of blood will be very little, the chances of this is remote.
Causes Of Blood In Breast Milk
Here are some common causes for spotting blood in breast milk:
Damaged Nipples
This is the most common reason for seeing blood in breast milk. It could be caused due to a number of reasons – a cut near the nipple, cracked nipples due to improper latching, or an open blister near the nipple. So when the baby sucks on your breast, the tissue around the cut becomes pressurized (just like when you squeeze a cut on the finger) and a small amount of blood will ooze out.
Vascular Engorgement
This condition, which is common in first-time moms, is also called “Rusty Pipe Syndrome”. It is called so because the milk will have a rusty color. It is caused due to the high amount of activity in your breasts – there is increased milk flow, there are faster milk movements and there are increasingly more milk-producing tissues created every day in your breasts. All these lead to milk having an orange or pinkish tinge.
Breast Cancer
One of the rarer causes of blood in breast milk can be Breast cancer. Certain types of breast cancer can cause nipple bleeding. This also needs immediate examination by the doctor.
Fibrocystic Breast Disease
This is another benign condition in which lumps can be felt in the breasts which are very uncomfortable. These lumps are non-cancerous.
Broken Capillaries
This is caused due to some trauma that happened to the breasts, such as over-squeezing while expressing milk using a hand, wrong use of a breast pump, or pressure due to very tight clothes.
Intraductal Papilloma
This is a benign tumor found in the milk ducts present in the breast. Do not be frightened by the word tumor, these ones are harmless. Unlike their more serious counterparts, intraductal papilloma cannot be felt during a physical examination.
Mastitis
Mastitis is a breast infection that causes bleeding. In this condition, you will notice a lot of soft lumps, swelling, and pain in the breasts. In addition to this, you can also notice redness and soreness in your breast along with a slight temperature. If you notice these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.
How To Treat Blood In Breast Milk?
Now, the good news is that all the above-mentioned causes of spotting blood in breast milk get resolved themselves. For instance,
- Cracked nipples will heal just like any wound we have.
- Vascular engorgement gets cleared up one week after it occurs without any treatment, and very likely never occurs again.
- Intraductal papillomas are known to spontaneously disappear, again, without any treatment.
- Fibrocystic breast disease also requires no medical intervention; the only side effect is the possible pain and discomfort and your doctor can prescribe methods to make you comfortable.
- Broken capillaries self-heal.
How Can The Discomfort Of Bleeding From The Breasts Be Eased?
Our advice for you is to wait it out. The pain, discomfort, and blood will disappear once your breast heals. Meanwhile, here are a few techniques for you to cope.
- You can express milk for the next 2-3 days at one go. This way, you can give your breasts some rest for 2-3 days, thereby giving them a chance to heal.
- Just make sure that you are using the breast pump correctly. Take the help of a lactation consultant, if you are in doubt.
- Wear comfortable bras with good fitting and support.
- Be careful when you express milk using a hand.
- Make sure your baby is latching right to avoid cracked nipples.
When To Seek Doctor’s Advice?
All that said, please talk to your doctor if any of the following occurs:
- If your baby has bloody diarrhea (it is normal to spot blood in the milk the child spits after a feed).
- When the baby’s jaundice is not getting cured.
- If you think the bleeding is caused by a contagious infection.
- To rule out any serious medical issues.
In conclusion, in most cases, the blood in breast milk is not as scary as it might look. The reason or cause for it is minor and it will most likely resolve itself. The inconvenience is the only problem you need to deal with. So keep your worries at bay and enjoy your motherhood.
Congratulations to the new mommy!
