Blood In Breast Milk

One day, as you express milk, you notice a red tinge to your breast milk.

You realise it’s blood and now you aren’t sure whether it’s safe to give it to your baby. After all, doesn’t blood usually signal a problem?

Interestingly, human milk might appear to be a variety of colours, such as red, pink, brown, black or olive.

Many breastfeeding mothers don’t notice the presence of a little blood in breast milk, until they use a breast pump to express and then they notice it in their pumped milk. Before we began to pump breast milk with breast pump devices, we didn’t get to see what went into our baby’s tummies.

Some mothers, though, discover their breast milk might have contained blood when they notice blood in their baby’s stool. Or perhaps they notice the baby spitting up blood-stained breast milk.

What is blood in breast milk?

Finding blood in breast milk can be frightening at first. But is it safe to feed this milk to your baby?

Your breast milk may appear red in colour from something other than blood. Something as simple as consuming food with artificial colouring, or even foods like beetroot can alter the colour of your breast milk. In these cases, it is completely safe to feed this milk to your baby.

Common causes of blood in breast milk can include cracked or damaged nipples, ‘rusty pipe syndrome’, and mastitis. Other less common causes might be papilloma’s or carcinomas.

These are discussed in more detail below.

Is blood in breast milk normal?

Although noticing blood in breast milk is relatively common, it is important to determine the cause with your healthcare provider.

It is advisable to discuss any breast conditions with your doctor, even for breastfeeding mothers.

What causes blood in breast milk?

The good news is, in most cases, blood in breast milk is usually completely harmless, and is more common than you think, especially in the early weeks of breastfeeding.

Here are 5 things that can cause blood in breast milk. Some are relatively common; others are quite rare.

#1: Cracked nipples

The most likely cause of blood in your breast milk is a cracked or damaged nipple.

Bleeding nipples are often due to a problem with positioning and attachment. As well as sore nipples, it’s common to experience breast pain if your baby isn’t attached correctly.

For tips on getting a good latch, you can read BellyBelly’s article Prevent Sore Nipples | 7 Easy Steps While Breastfeeding.

Speaking with an Australian Breastfeeding Association counsellor or seeing a lactation consultant can also provide you with tips to help manage damaged nipples, as well as improve tour baby’s positioning and attachment.

#2: Rusty pipe syndrome

In the early days after giving birth, some breastfeeding mothers notice their early breast milk is pink, orange, brown or rust-coloured. This is a rare condition referred to as ‘rusty pipe syndrome‘.

Rusty pipe syndrome occurs in 0.1% of primarily first time mothers and is thought to be caused by increased blood flow to the breasts, associated with the onset of lactation. The rapidly development of milk ducts and alveoli can result in vascular engorgement and broken capillaries, causing bleeding nipples.

No specific treatment (other than time) is required for rusty pipe syndrome. In most cases, the breast milk blood does not usually persist for more than about one week after birth.

#3: Mastitis

A common cause for mastitis is unresolved blocked milk ducts that develop inflammation in the surrounding breast tissue. Symptoms of mastitis can include:

1. Sore nipples while feeding
2. Breast pain
3. Body aches
4. Fever
5. Other flu like symptoms.

If the inflammation develops into a breast infection, you might notice a bloody discharge from the nipple. If you develop mastitis, it’s important to continue breastfeeding or expressing milk, keeping to your usual schedule. If you stop breastfeeding, it could make the infection worse.

Mastitis can temporarily affect your milk supply.

For more information about mastitis, you can read BellyBelly’s article Mastitis | Breastfeeding, Symptoms and Treatment.

#4: Benign intraductal papilloma

An intraductal papilloma is a small, benign (noncancerous) growth that forms in a milk duct in the breast. It is made up of a combination of small blood vessels and glandular and fibrous tissue.

An intraductal papilloma might cause nipple discharge or bleeding. It can feel like a small lump under the skin, behind or next to the nipple, and might show up in a mammogram or ultrasound. Sometimes it can be painful.

Remember, it’s important to seek advice from your healthcare provider if you see or feel a lump in your breast. Your doctor might want to perform a biopsy to confirm the lump is benign.

For more information, you can read BellyBelly’s article Breast Cancer Screening | Why Breast Exams Are Important.

#5: Ductal carcinoma

Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) is a condition that refers to changes in the cells of the milk ducts lining the breast. In some cases, DCIS can cause a bloody nipple discharge. If left untreated, DCIS can progress to Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC), the most common type of breast cancer.

In addition to nipple discharge, other symptoms of IDC are:

1. Nipple or breast pain
2. Nipple retraction
3. Skin irritation
4. Swelling in the breast.

Diagnosis always includes a physical exam, a mammogram or ultrasound and a biopsy.

Is it safe for baby to drink blood in breast milk?

In short, yes. It is safe for your baby to consume breast milk that contains blood. Blood in breast milk is usually not harmful to your baby and will not affect the quality of nutrition.

It is still important, however, to address the underlying problem that has caused the presence of blood.

What to do if your breasts bleed during breastfeeding

If you notice blood in your breast milk, you should not panic.

In Australia, you can call the Australian Breastfeeding Association’s free helpline for support.

Internationally, you can contact La Leche League International for free advice.

Alternatively, your family doctor or an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant can help determine the cause and advise you on the best course of action, depending on your circumstances.

In most cases, blood in breast milk, when there are no other symptoms, is not a serious condition for a breastfeeding mother. Even so, it’s always best to check with a lactation consultant or your family doctor if you are concerned.