Advice needed - nipple bleeding from pumping

jenn248

I started pumping last week and quickly ended up with blisters on my aureola.  I did some research and figured out that the 24mm breast shields that came with my pump were too big, so I ordered 21mm shields. I used them to pump twice on Thursday and twice yesterday (morning and evening sessions). When I finished yesterday evening, I noticed that there were a few drops of blood in the left shield and a small abrasion on my nipple (blood also got into the milk I had just pumped and I had to dump it, which really pissed me off).  I was using Lanolin as a lubricant and was only pumping for 20 min each session with the pump set to mid-strength.  Any idea what I should do differently? TIA!

CLLDLL

Are your nipples/aerolas rubbing on the side of the shields?  If so you may need bigger, not smaller shields.  Nipples can change sizes as you pump.  So what fits before you start pumping may not fit after you're done. 

Also, don't be afraid to lather on the lanolin. 

Hope you feel better soon! 

bellelamb

Also there's no reason to dump milk that has some blood in it. If you were nursing you'd never know there was blood and there would be no problem. If your wounds weren't healed from before they may have opened back up pumping again.

Annabelle7

bellelamb:

Also there's no reason to dump milk that has some blood in it. If you were nursing you'd never know there was blood and there would be no problem. If your wounds weren't healed from before they may have opened back up pumping again.

This!  For women who get mastitis, they still bf and sometimes have blood in the milk.  Sounds gross, but it's okay!

alie78_80

Annabelle7:

bellelamb:

Also there's no reason to dump milk that has some blood in it. If you were nursing you'd never know there was blood and there would be no problem. If your wounds weren't healed from before they may have opened back up pumping again.

This!  For women who get mastitis, they still bf and sometimes have blood in the milk.  Sounds gross, but it's okay!

THIS!!  Don't dump that precious milk.  It's really okay.  If you were to BF directly you probably wouldn't notice the blood in there.

https://www.loveyourbaby.com/blood-in-breast-milk.html

singingirl96

sounds like you need larger shields not smaller.

kyks17Wed237779

I thought I had small, flat nipples before DS was born - turns out I need the XL flanges because they plump way up when the pump is going. You don't want the sides of the nipple rubbing on the flange - ouch.

jenn248

Thanks for the feedback, ladies!  I wasn't sure if maybe I was pumping too long or on too high of a setting.  I still think the 24 mm is too big since it was pulling in most of my areola, which I guess isn't supposed to happen, according to some of the things I read online.  Maybe with the 21 mm, my nipples were just swollen from nursing all day and then pumping...