One of our TIBS advisors, Rosemary Anatol, has asked me to put this
question to LACTNET (they do not have access to a computer).  She has a
first-time mother who has been breastfeeding totally for five months
without any problems until now.  She returned to work three months
postpartum and has been pumping during the day.
Three days ago she began expressing milk mixed with blood from both
breasts.  Her nipples are said to be sore and cracked but she is not in
very much pain.  There's been no change in hygiene etc.  She feels well,
afebrile etc. and of course she's continuing to feed her baby both both
ways.  Rosemary would like to know whether this is most probably due to
burst capillaries due to vigorous handling or pumping or what?  I have
reviewed the Archives and found only three posts since March 1995 on this
subject.  Thank much, David, Paediatrician in Trinidad, West Indies.