Barbara,

Thanks for that post and letting us know about the research. I have
always been so focused on the
"un-nursability" of the mother's breast if lots of IV fluids (and
pitocin) have been given, that I never really observed any marked edema
or excess peeing in the babies, and after seeing it mentioned so often on
LN, have been wondering how I could possibly have missed it after seeing
so many babies over the years!

However, my experience seems mainly to have been not that the mother who
receives lots of IV's has flaccid breasts on the fourth day, but that
there is lots of edema in the breast tissue by then, which may mask the
presence or absence of increased milk as well.

What has caught my attention mainly is the distortion of the nipple,
areola and often the breast as well. I will question and look more
closely and consider this other possibility in the future.

It may just be that when I see the edema, I ask about IV's and almost
always get a positive answer. Maybe I just don't see the flaccid ones.

Jean
*********
K. Jean Cotterman RNC, IBCLC
Dayton, Ohio USA

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