Hey all,

So far I've gotten *eleven* responses to this post, privately, since I
posted.  Of the eleven, all were posting b/c they hadn't heard of the idea
and thought it was pretty cool.

I've actually never heard it mentioned by LLL recently.  I do however, have a
story to illustrate it quite nicely.

I remember once, my mother coming down the stairs (I was in the living room
playing at the bottom of the stairs)...she was topless and holding a canning
or mayo quart jar on her breast.....the mouth of it over her nipple/areola.
I do remember thinking that it was strange, and thinking that perhaps because
she was nursing my baby brother, she had to keep air from touching her
nipples  - or something wierd like that.

Well, when I was pregnant with alana.....2 yrs ago, I asked her about it.
Told her what i remembered (the above) and asked her *why* she had a *jar* on
her breast.  She couldn't believe that I remembered.  Apparently, I was only
23 months old - as this happened when my brother was 4 wks old.  She had
mastitis.  It came on very suddenly.  Incredibly painful....  It was a friday
late afternoon and the dr's office was closed.  Another nursing friend (the
only other breastfeeding mom she knew) told her to call LLL.   They gave her
the whole typical management of plugged ducts/mastitis/breast infection and
explained to her how to use a jar to express her milk if baby wasn't eating
however often and after baby nursed.

here's what you do.....Boil some water, pour boiling water into canning/mayo
jar - either are strong enough to handle the heat unless they've previously
been dropped.  Just in case, do this in the sink.  Let it sit for a few
seconds, then using pot holders, pour the water out.  As soon as the jar has
cooled *just* enough to not scald the skin, place the opening over the
nipple/arealo area.

As it sits there, cooling, suction will form, breast tissue will be pulled
into the jar, expression will start.....  I did this once when I was really
engorged and my baby had decided to take the day off (or at least six hours)
and have a sleep 'n grow day....it really helped - it was amazing.

katherine in atl

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