Hello great minds!

I'm writing with the hope that Lactnet's collective wisdom can help me with a tricky situation.

I've been contacted by the mother of a 7 day old who is continuously leaking from a hole on her areola created when she had her nipple pierced years ago. I haven't seen her, so am relying on her description of the location of the piercing; she tells me it is just past the base of the nipple, on the areola. When the baby is nursing, it is inside his mouth. When he is not nursing, it is continuously dripping. She has been wearing a menstrual pad (don't know if a light or heavy flow one, plus three breast pads and has to change them every hour because they soak through. Needless to say, this is very uncomfortable for her.

When I spoke to her, my first thought was that there's probably not much that can be done here...

Upon further thought, only two possible things to consider have occured to me:

1. Maybe she can put gentle pressure on it after feedings with her fingertip for ten minutes or so, to see if the flow will be reduced or stopped until the next letdown.

2. Possible future surgical closing of the hole. 

I have no idea whether either of these would be advisable or work. It seems to me that the first idea might help some. I have told this mom that, probably, as time passes and her breasts are not on immediate postpartum overdrive to make milk, the leaking will slow down. Of this, I am also not so sure. She knows that this is an unusual situation and I was honest in telling her that I am just thinking of possible ideas without having any experience or evidence.

So, brilliant friends, anybody have other ideas or experience with something like this? Your suggestions would be MOST appreciated. I told this young mom that I would look into this and email her in the next couple of days with any further information...

Thanks for helping!

Best,

Ana

Ana Estorino Uribasterra, IBCLC
www.lovingstartlactationservices.com
South Florida, USA 

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