How Do I Heal a Bite Mark on My Nipple?
First let me reassure mothers that it is entirely possible and normal to breastfeed once a baby has teeth. Keep in mind that the leading health organizations recommend breastfeeding for one to two years minimum–a time span that surely involves teething. Many babies never bite (they know not to bite the breast that feeds them!) and if they do they rarely break the skin and they quickly learn not to bite. A firm but gentle “no biting” and temporary removal from the breast is generally all that’s necessary. The mother’s natural reaction of startling and yelping may also be enough, but it’s important for a mother to attempt to control that reaction so as not to trigger a nursing strike (a sudden refusal to nurse unrelated to weaning–get help if this happens!)
If a baby manages to bite, check for broken skin. Rinse the nipple with water. While generally mothers are told not to use soap on their breasts (both because the scent might bother the baby and because soap removes essential oils on the breast), if there is an open wound, a mother should consider using a mild non-antibacterial soap once a day to prevent infection. Another option is to make your own saline rinse described by Kellymom. Rinse with plain water and pat dry gently. Then express some breast milk onto the sore and let it air dry. Breast milk has antibacterial and healing properties and sometimes that’s all it takes to get a sore to heal. Lansinoh nipple cream is also helpful. It helps with moist wound healing and it’s bacteriostatic.
According to the Breastfeeding Answer Book, another option for healing the wound is a topical antibiotic ointment like Bactroban or Polysporin. Absorption through the skin is minimal so very little gets into the breast milk and it is metabolized quickly by the baby. Alternate this treatment with lanolin cream.
If the wound does not heal or starts to get worse, or signs of a infection appear such as redness, pus, tenderness and warmth to the touch, seek medical attention. A doctor may prescribe an all-purpose nipple ointment and/or oral antibiotics to help resolve the problem.
It’s important to continue removing milk from the breast as the mark heals. If nursing is uncomfortable, try starting the nursing session on the other breast first and switch to the sore side second when the baby will not be sucking as hard. Experiment with different positions. Use a breast pump or hand express.
It’s not easy dealing with this situation but it can be worked through and it’s worth it!
Tags: breastfeeding, breastfeeding basics, health of the mother, lactation, medicationRelated Stories
POSTED IN: breastfeeding, breastfeeding basics, health of the mother, medication
3 opinions for How Do I Heal a Bite Mark on My Nipple?
Steph
May 18, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Angela,
Thankyou for your helpful post on how to heal a bite mark. I hope you don’t mind me asking a further question. My 12 month old son is used to being nursed to sleep, but with three teeth coming in at once, he is now also a dedicated biter.
He bites me so often and so hard that I have had to limit his nursing sessions for the first time. His first birthday ended in hysterical screaming all night… he couldn’t sleep without the breast, but can’t seem to feed without biting. It’s been like this for days.
I have been firmly telling him “no” and taking him off the breast when he does this, I have offered him cold things to chew on. Giving him infants’ paracetamol for his teeth seems to help a little, but it’s really not a permanent solution!!
Unfortunately, the only other advice I have received on this topic is to either bite him back or wean him… neither of which suits either my parenting plan or appeals to logic.
Is there any chance of a post on this topic any time soon???
Sincerely,
Steph.
PS I hope you don’t mind my using your blog as a “breastfeeding counsellor”, but I can’t find any help/information elsewhere and have always found your blog informative.
Breastfeeding 1-2-3 » How Do I Stop My Baby from Biting While Breastfeeding? (Mom-to-Mom #8)
May 22, 2007 at 12:49 pm
[…] I wrote about how to heal a bite mark, one reader asked the very reasonable question of how to prevent a baby from biting in the first […]
Uzra Khatoon
May 15, 2008 at 8:42 pm
My experience has been that babies bite especially when they are growing teeth and / or are emotionally disturbed. If in spite of the precautions mentioned by Angela’s post, biting takes place, unless it is severe. application of own milk and allowing it to dry on the nipple helps a lot. If one can afford do not wer a bra or a tight fitting blouse / shirt for some time (5-6 hours usually). If there happens to be a found, in my case it happens only once, medication may be necessary. The doctor in my case suggested not to nurse from that side for a day or two and genly self express or pump to avoid engorgement.
Uzra
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: