Seeing red or pink milk in your pump collection bottle can be alarming. This phenomenon, medically known as hematolactia, occurs when blood mixes with breast milk, causing the vivid discoloration. While the sight of blood-tinged milk is unsettling, the cause is frequently temporary and benign. Understanding why this happens and what to do next can provide clarity for your continued feeding journey.
Understanding the Causes of Discoloration
The most common reason for blood to appear in pumped milk is minor trauma to the nipple or areola tissue. Cracks, abrasions, or micro-tears on the skin, often caused by a poor latch during breastfeeding or incorrect pump flange sizing, allow small amounts of blood to mix with the milk. These surface capillaries are fragile and easily damaged by friction or high suction settings on a breast pump.
A different source of discoloration is often seen early in the postpartum period, known as “rusty pipe syndrome.” This occurs as increased blood flow to the breasts causes blood vessels to leak slightly into the milk ducts. The resulting milk appears brown, orange, or rust-colored. This condition is self-limiting, typically resolving within a few days to a week after birth.
Bleeding can also originate from deeper within the breast tissue itself. A rare cause is an intraductal papilloma, a small, non-cancerous growth inside a milk duct that may cause a bloody discharge. Inflammation from conditions like mastitis, a breast tissue infection, may also lead to blood-tinged milk. Mastitis is usually accompanied by other symptoms like pain, redness, and fever.
Safety Considerations for Feeding
The immediate concern for many parents is whether this blood-tinged milk is safe for the baby to consume. In the vast majority of cases, especially when the cause is benign like nipple trauma or “rusty pipe syndrome,” the milk is safe for a healthy, full-term infant. The small amount of blood is not harmful, though the baby might spit up more frequently or pass darker stools due to the iron content.
There is generally no need to discard the milk unless the quantity of blood is substantial or the baby refuses to drink it due to a change in taste. You can continue to store the discolored milk, though it may retain a pink or reddish hue even after freezing. Continuing to feed is important to maintain your milk supply and ensure the baby receives the nutritional and immunological benefits of breast milk.
Feeding the milk may be discouraged in rare circumstances, such as if the parent has an active blood-borne illness like HIV or Hepatitis. Such cases require individualized guidance from a healthcare provider. For the average case of hematolactia, continuing to feed is encouraged while addressing the underlying cause of the bleeding.
When to Consult a Healthcare Provider
While most instances of red-tinged milk are temporary and harmless, monitoring the condition is important. If the bleeding is due to a cracked nipple, focus on improving your latch or adjusting the pump flange size and suction level to allow the tissue to heal. This type of bleeding should resolve once the skin repairs itself.
You should consult a healthcare provider or lactation consultant if the blood in your pumped milk persists for more than a few days, especially outside of the immediate postpartum period. Persistent bleeding or discharge from only one breast is a specific concern that warrants an evaluation to rule out less common causes like a papilloma.
Seek immediate medical attention if the discoloration is accompanied by other signs of infection, such as a fever, chills, a painful lump, or flu-like symptoms, which could indicate mastitis. A provider can help diagnose the source of the blood and ensure that any underlying issues are properly addressed.