Martha, Sounds like clenching/clamping with resultant nerve compression causing breast pain. I've had two cases recently with one mom's so severe she went on Nifedipine with good results-mom has declined CST which I think could help. Both women were diagnosed by LC phone help as thrush but one look at the squashed nipple and white tip (blanching), breast pain was sure to follow. Perhaps the bruising outside the areola is because it dlidn't show up on darker areola and the interstitial bleeding from trauma drained beyond area where infant latched-upper jaw compression from infant feeling he was losing breast can occur; sometimes lip being pulled in causes breast damage, too. Barbara Latterner, BSN, RN, IBCLC *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html