Blood Blister on Nipple?

[kitchensqueen]

Yeah, not a pleasant subject line... I'm starting to feel like I post something in this forum every day now! :-(

So of course I've been wickedly sore due to ongoing issues since the baby was born two and half weeks ago. Then last night, Alexander bit down hard on my right nipple. Not enough to break the skin and cause bleeding at the time, but it was so painful I couldn't continue nursing him on that breast. I actually had to remove him and give him breast milk from a bottle. 

Of course this morning I woke up with that breast totally engorged, so I tried to feed him from it this morning. I knew it was going to hurt, and I tried to forge ahead... but only got through a few minutes. After giving him a breast milk bottle (still able to nurse him on the left side) I tried a hot shower so I could pump. Still terribly painful, but on a lower setting I could tolerate it. So I'm managing the engorgement and getting him milk that way, but just now while pumping I noticed a dark spot at the tip of my nipple, that looks exactly like a blood blister!

What next!? I'm trying to stay positive here... I'm so guilt ridden over giving him the bleeping bottles (even though they're breast milk) and he's had issues regaining his birthweight, as I've posted about elsewhere...

I guess I just needed to rant that... and ask if there is any special care I should give this blister/breast other than all of the great tips I've been getting about pain relief here already.... 

[McGucks]

My kid is screaming so I just have a sec--google "bleb" or look it up--good luck, gotta go.

[loonar]

I got one of these the other day -- my son is teething and changed his latch in a way that did some damage, and I ended up with a blood blister. I exclusively pumped that side for about two days (painful, but not as painful as nursing) and used a little ointment on the nipple after each pumping session. I went with APNO because it's what I had on hand. It cleared right up. There's still a little scab but it doesn't hurt to nurse anymore.

Hope that helps...

[kitchensqueen]

Thanks, that's about what I did. I couldn't believe it hurt so much. It's finally mostly healed now, but I'm having a hard time getting him back on the breast - he's had nipple confusion since day one since he was started on bottles when he was in NICU... but at least he's getting breast milk from a bottle. I'm hoping I can try to nurse him tonight when he's a little calmer, then at least re-introduce it to start off with at every feeding tomorrow. The poor kid gets to impatient and frustrated to try it for his middle of the night feeding. :-(