Bleeding nips

[Traceyssel]

Dd is 3 days old and one of my nips looks all bloody.

Is it ok to nurse on that breast?
How do I "fix" my nipple?
I have that lansolin nip stuff..

[melindabelcher]

Yes it's safe to nurse from that side.
Bleeding nipples is most commonly caused from improper latch. any lactation consultants nearby that can help you with latch. You can also google latch and get some tutorials.
If you like the lanolin go for it. I personally prefer just breastmilk and air drying

[angiekevin03]

ouch i had latch problems and bled also it was terrible for me i had to resort to a breast shield the down side is he is 4 months old and wont nurse with out it now but upside he is still nursing

[maggiemom2000]

Safe to nurse.

You can apply the lanolin cream or just breast milk.

A damaged nipple is a sign of a latch that needs to be fixed:

from kellymom.com

No matter what latch and positioning look like, the true measure is in the answers to these two questions: Is it effective? Is it comfortable? Even if latch and positioning look perfect (and, yes, even if a lactation consultant told you they were fine), pain and/or ineffective milk transfer indicate that there is a problem somewhere, and the first suspect is ineffective latch/positioning.

If baby is transferring milk and gaining weight well, and mom is not hurting, then latch and positioning are – by definition – good, even if it’s nothing like the “textbook” latch and positioning that you’ve seen in books.

“Rules and regulations have no place in the mother-baby relationship. Each mother and baby dyad is different and what works well for one mother and baby may not work well for another mother and baby. The important thing to do is to look at the mother and baby as individuals.”– Andrea Eastman, MA, CCE, IBCLC in The Mother-Baby Dance

Following are some of my favorite resources on latch and positioning:

Biological Nurturing: Laid-Back Breastfeeding from Dr. Suzanne Colson. Breastfeeding in a semi-reclined position can be very helpful for both mom and baby.

Newborn Hands: Why are they always in the way while breastfeeding? from the San Diego Breastfeeding Center

Latching handouts by Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC

• Thoughts on positioning
• Latch-on pictures with description
• Latching-on Checklist

Breastfeeding: Off to the best start from the UK Department of Health
(Lovely latching pictures here, with simple directions.)

Deep Latch Technique from The Pump Station.
(Good latching pictures and directions.)

When Latching by Anne J. Barnes, has instructions with drawings
(The drawings and tips here are helpful.)

Latching videos by Dr. Jack Newman

Animation illustrating assymetrical latch technique by Victoria Nesterova
(Nice animation — text is in Russian.)

The Mother-Baby Dance: Positioning and Latch-On by Andrea Eastman, MA, CCE, IBCLC
(This is a longish article written for breastfeeding counselors that has some nice descriptions of latching and positioning, along with info on why some things tend to work better than others.)

Is baby latching on and sucking efficiently? How to tell from AskDrSears.com
(A useful list.)

L-A-T-C-H-E-S * Breastfeeding Assessment Tool (for the first 4 weeks) and Scoring Key by Marie Davis, RN, IBCLC
(A tool for professionals that could also be useful for moms who are wondering if breastfeeding is going fine and whether additional help is needed.)