BREAST ABSCESS AND SORE NIPPLE

"The lady in the photo below had her baby via c-section. She lactated 24 hours later. During this time, the baby suckled and she ended up sore cut bleeding inflammed nipples. She had to do partial feeding (breastfeeding though low supply and bottle feeding). When She started breast feeding her again, the used her as a pacifier and would suckle the fore milk. The hind milk left over for days caused severe breast engorgement and breast abcess (abscess).

She had to undergo emergency surgical intervention to remove the pus and collected milk. Her doctor tells her to continue breastfeeding but the baby still doesn't drink milk ,and her weight gain pattern is not encouraging.

The surgical wound is still open and will take  days to heal at least. It is leaking pus and milk all the time. Her body is still producing milk in the operated breast.

Engorged Breast and Breast Abscess

Stopping breastfeeding quickly may lead to engorged breasts and in some cases, mastitis.
Cracked nipples are a common occurrence among breastfeeding women that has several causes. Knowing what causes a cracked nipple helps you choose the proper remedy to alleviate your discomfort.
Cracked nipples can be caused by improper positioning of the baby during nursing, improper latch of the baby onto the breast, soap residue on the breasts if improperly rinsed, as well as thrush (yeast infection of the breasts)
1.The nipples have what are called Montgomery's tubercles. These glands produce antibacterial lubricants that keep the nipple clean. Soap can dry this lubricant up, causing the nipples to crack. It is best to avoid the use of soap and only use warm water to cleanse the nipples.
Thrush, more commonly known as a yeast infection, can be a common occurrence amongst breastfeeding moms and their babies. Symptoms of thrush include painful, and sometimes cracked nipples, as well as redness and itchiness of the breast. When there is thrush, the baby will usually have white patches or spots that look like cottage cheese in the mouth, and may also have yeast like patches on their buttocks and groin area. Thrush is usually the result of being on antibiotics while nursing and/or taking oral contraceptives, but there may be other causes as well. If you suspect there is thrush, you may continue to nurse, but make an appointment with your care provider for a proper diagnosis. If thrush is diagnosed, your physician will prescribe a medication for both mother and baby that will heal the thrush as well as the cracked nipple(s)

 2. Avoid toughening nipples while pregnant. Sometimes pregnant women are advised that they need to prepare their nipples for breastfeeding while they are still pregnant by “toughening them” through methods such as rubbing the nipples briskly with a towel, pinching, and/or pulling on the nipples. This actually causes more harm to the nipples and usually results in a woman having cracked nipples.
If you are pregnant and have been advised to do so, then you should stop doing this to your nipples to prevent any damage.
If a cracked nipple has already resulted from attempts to prepare your nipples, you can treat it with your own colostrum. Gently hand express a small amount from your breasts and rub it gently onto your nipples multiple times a day to sooth the affect areas
3. Check the position of your baby. There are many positions that you can use to breastfeed your baby, however some may work very well for you and your baby and others may not.
Whichever position you are trying to use with your baby, make sure you are doing the position properly. When the baby is not properly positioned he/she will try to suck harder on the breast so that milk will flow. Friction from the harsh suckling on the nipple can cause the nipple to crack.
If you need help learning proper positioning, make an appointment with a  lactation counselor to have your positioning assessed as well as corrected.
4. Ensure your baby is latching on properly. Improper latching can cause your nipple to crack as well. This is due to your nipple rubbing against the roof of your baby’s mouth. An improper latch can also cause the baby's gums to rub against the nipple.
To get a good latch, watch for the baby's feeding cues. Early feeding cues that a baby exhibits are wiggling of the legs and arms, and sticking fingers and hands in their mouth. Mid-level feeding cues are fussiness, and high-pitched noises. When a baby exhibits late feeding cues, they are usually red and crying loudly.
When the mother doesn't attempt to feed the baby until they exhibit late feeding cues, it is impossible for the baby to latch on correctly; the baby must be calm in order to feed properly.
To get a proper latch, mom and baby should be skin to skin. Then the mother should move the baby towards the breast, lining up the baby's nose to nipple. After that, move the infant a few inches away from the nipple; this let's the baby gape as the head tilts back. If this approach doesn't work the first time, the mother should try again.
Signs of a good latch and suckle are wiggling of the ears, rounded cheeks, and hearing the baby swallow. The mother should not be hearing a clicking noise if the baby is latched on properly, and there should not be a dimpling of the baby’s cheeks while the baby is nursing.
 5. Medicate the area. Mothers can use a medical grade lanolin ointment to ease the discomfort of cracked nipples. Lanoish is the only brand approved for breastfeeding mothers, as it does not contain chemicals that may be in other brands of ointments. This ointment can be applied to cracked nipples and allows for moist wound healing. It does not need to be washed off prior to nursing the baby.