I need help breastfeeding pros!

[organicpapayamama]

I saw someone ask the same question in the bf section with no amswers so I thought I'd ask here.

I'm not sure if I woke up with it but I only noticed it now around 2. It looks likes a dark bruise or hickey about the size of the tip of my pinky and in it and around it, it has what looks like broken capillaries. It doesn't hurt but it freaked me out! Mine is on my left breast only on the areola very far from the nipple and I co sleep too. I don't think my little one sucked there by accident, she gets mad if she doesn't get a good latch. Coincidentally yesterday while doing errands and not nursing that same breast was hurting with sharp pains off and on for no reason for a couple hours... Maybe it's connected? Anyone have this?

[Wolfcat]

I would say it is one of the following:

Bad latch/hickey - DD occasionally gets a mouthful of areola instead of the nipple and she can raise a hickey in less then two seconds, and it isn't painful or sensitive after the fact

A cluster of spider veins - this would be caused by the stress on the tissues due to the fluctuation of engorgement and "empty breasts"

Bruise cause by engorgement - this is very unlikely, but possible; if you get engorged fast enough, the internal tissue could be stressed beyond the norm

If it doesn't change (except for fading) or reoccur, I wouldn't worry. Our breasts take quite a beating during the first few months of b-feeding.