Can a woman's nipple fall off during breastfeeding?

Think again if you believed that the hardest part of being a parent was giving birth. Having your nipple bit off during breastfeeding is almost as terrible as pushing a complete human out of your vagina, which probably sounds like the most nightmare-inducing pain you can imagine.

Jasmine Chiswell, a popular TikTok celebrity, had a nightmarish experience with breastfeeding. Sharing it with her followers, she said, “My husband was startled when I woke up in the morning because my shirt was drenched in blood, she claimed. Afterward, Jasmine said that her nipple was "hanging out."

She said, "I yelled right away. I had been informed that this might occur and the nipple would simply fall out. According to Jasmine, she took a bandage and an ice pack "after freaking out" on the suggestion that her nipple will "glue itself back together."

A few days later, she gave her followers an update, saying, "Okay, so here's an update." She continued, "Basically I was assured that it [her nipple] will glue itself back together. "I'm not joking. No one was lying. Are there any bruises? Yes. It looks crusty. Yes. But it's still attached!"

Dr. Amit Gupta, Senior Consultant Paediatrician & Neonatologist, at Motherhood Hospital, Noida, says, “Breastfeeding can be extremely difficult and painful for some women. Nipple fissures, blisters, and tiny cuts are some of the usual concerns we hear from breastfeeding mothers. Children who are seven to eight months old and experiencing teething may bite on nipples to ease their discomfort, which may be the cause of the blisters and minor cuts which usually heal on their own but one should keep a check on any kind of infections around the nipple.”

Children might even bite due to reasons like sensitive gums, in an attempt to stop or start the milk flow or even get the mother's attention. In extremely rare scenarios, it has happened that the child has bitten off the nipple which resulted in the tip of the nipple falling off which can be very painful.

“In extremely rare scenarios it may happen that your child who has developed milk teeth may bite the nipple very hard and it may lead to the tip of the nipple falling off and not the whole nipple. Alternatively, in order to avoid your child from biting the nipple, it’s a good idea to give your child something to chew on before breastfeeding and firmly telling them no when they bite is an effective way to stop them from biting,” advises Dr. Gupta.

Also, ensure that they are latching properly in order to reduce the chances of your child biting the nipple for attention or if the baby isn’t getting enough milk or is getting overwhelmed with the flow. It is advisable to consult your doctor if such a rare scenario ever happens.