I have helped a mom recently who has one side that was much more traumatized than the other and I've seen this in the past as well. Observing what happens when she pumped, we saw that the Right nipple had very poor circulation. Turns a dusky blue very quickly, and though it doesn't blanch, mom has all the other symptoms of Raynaud's. This was very difficult to see at first due to compression from shallow latch from birth with no tongue tie.. baby was bunching tongue up (fixed with CST - like night and day after 3 treatments!), and raging thrush and most interesting is how friable that nipple tissue is compared to the other one. So once we sorted through all the other problems, this is what has surfaced. Both nipples were extremely sensitive during pregnancy Mom is also using pec massage and doorway stretches as well as Chiropractic for possible Mammary Constriction Syndrome. She can handle pumping as long as her breast is warm and she oils flanges so there is reduced friction. Will be interesting to see if treatment for Raynaud's allows her to use that breast for direct feeding. I will keep you posted. 

I am leaning toward exploring the aspect of body mechanics when mothers are breastfeeding and before they give birth. What is their line of work, are they at a computer all day, did they hunch up a shoulder to take phone calls throughout pregnancy, do they carry more with one side than the other, do they do yoga or some other kind of regular stretching, etc etc.. and when they are breastfeeding, do they tend to lean toward baby more on one side, or do they seize up in anticipation of pain, which we know can exacerbate it as we pull away from the sensation, creating a less optimal latch (I've done that ..aiaiaiaiaiiii my poor first baby and poor me!.. didn't help!) .. mostly I'd like to figure out what is going on with breastfeeding and mom's body that one nipple feels fine or at least adequate, and the other is more prone to injury and less able to heal.. a circulation issue is my thinking.... 

well, I certainly meandered in this post. 

on a more light note.. I treated myself to dinner out at my favorite Thai restaurant (I was exhausted after working my first day at the plant nursery that feeds my soul)... and across from me were two young boys goofing around with what looked to me like a pump flange.. LOL.. it was a lid from a to-go cup, but I have been rather obsessed with pumps and flanges lately... silly me..

Celina D, IBCLC, LLLL 

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