Mom’s Nipple Bitten Off While Breastfeeding (Exclusive)

Rebecca Conklin was breastfeeding her 15-month-old son to sleep when she noticed something unusual. As he drifted off, she gently unlatched him and clasped her bra — only to spot blood on his chin. Looking closer, she realized he’d bitten her nipple.

“I’m at the ER right now because my son accidentally bit my nipple, and it’s like hanging on,” Conklin starts in her now-viral video. “It doesn’t hurt, but I don’t know — I was told to go to the ER.”

Conklin, 22, immediately called her OB-GYN, who instructed her to head to the emergency room. Once there, doctors explained there wasn’t much they could do beyond providing pads, ointment and tape, since the wound would heal on its own like a scab. That same day, she also made the difficult decision to wean her son from breastfeeding.

“The weirdest part was that I felt no pain,” Conklin tells PEOPLE exclusively. “My son honestly didn’t bite much, so I never thought this would happen. But of course it could — he has 12 teeth, and they’re very sharp.”

“I asked if this injury would prevent me from being able to breastfeed future kids, and they said it was a possibility,” she recalls. “But they reassured me I’d likely heal completely and be able to breastfeed again.”

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While waiting in the ER, Conklin decided to share her experience on TikTok. She thought some moms might relate — but didn’t expect the video to rack up more than 700,000 views.

Over 1,600 people flooded the comments, with many admitting they now felt nervous about breastfeeding. “I never intended to scare mothers away, but I can see why some women were terrified,” she says.

Despite a few negative comments, Conklin says the support far outweighed the criticism. “Breastfeeding is already hard enough — no one should be shamed for how they choose to feed their baby.”

She later posted a follow-up video, opening up about her tough week and leaning on her TikTok community for support. “It made me so happy to connect with supportive mothers who’ve gone through similar journeys,” she says.

Today, Conklin says she’s feeling great and continues to document her weaning journey on TikTok.

“This experience made me realize how strong I am as a mom and as a person,” she reflects. “I didn’t freak out, I handled it calmly and even joked about it. And even after this, I’ll still choose to breastfeed my future children. It’s such a magical experience that helped me bond with my son.”

Her advice for other moms: “Breastfeeding can feel daunting, but I urge everyone to just try it. No pressure — just experience it. And that’s coming from someone who never planned to breastfeed.”