Dear Friends,

I have a question I've never heard before.

Background:  I have been phone helping (LLL) a mother whose baby was born
Dec 19, at 33 weeks gestation and 3lb 5oz.  She began pumping immediately
and produced well.  The baby was released on Dec 24th at 3lb 12oz.  The
mother has been putting the baby to breast first (about every 3 hours), then
giving a bottle of expressed breastmilk (about 1.5 to 2 oz), then pumping
(about 1.5 - 2 oz).  She takes a 4-5 hour break at night.  The baby is
gaining well (4lb 5oz on Jan 2nd), but the mother does not feel like the
baby is getting much if anything from the breast. From the way she describes
it, it seems like mainly flutter sucking with little nutritive sucking.  The
baby pushes the mother's finger out of her mouth when she tries to let her
suck on it.

Question:  Today the mother said she noticed "mucous" in the milk when she
pumped.  She is very firm that this is mucous, clear, "just like comes out
of your nose".  She said she had about an ounce of mucous in the milk.  She
says that she has no breast pain, no fever, no red areas on her breast, no
places that are firmer than others, she did state that the underside of one
breast is a little warmer than the rest.  She has had some sore nipples, one
nipple is inverted and that side doesn't produce as much.  She called the LC
at the hospital, who told her she'd never heard of such a thing.  I told her
about Lactnet and she was delighted for me to ask all of you.

The mother is extremely concerned because she is just barely staying ahead
of the baby's needs and doesn't want to throw away any milk.  However, she
is very concerned about the safety of giving this to her baby.  I reassured
her, but it didn't help that the lady at the herb and alternative medicine
shop told her it was "Toxic!"

Have you ever heard of a mother producing so much of what appears to be
mucous?  Is it mucous?  Any ideas at all?  Any suggestions for helping this
baby do better at breast (I've suggested cross-cradle, the dancer hand
position, basic latch and positioning - babe does best in the football
hold).

Many thanks!!!  I know if anybody knows, you will :-)

Melanie

Melanie Young, B.S., IBCLC, LLLL

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