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Date: | Tue, 24 Sep 1996 23:22:03 +0100 |
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Hi!
As I am new on this list I first would like to introduce myself. I live in
Sweden and work as a journalist in a morning paper in Stockholm. I have been
working with/studying breastfeeding for many years, both in my profession as a
journalist and as a member of the Swedish LLL, "amningshjälpen". Some years ago
I had a scholarship and spent half a year on a unit for midwives' research at a
Stockholm hospital, where breastfeeding issues were central. Some of my
"special" interests concerning breastfeeding are long-time bf, and the
historical background to the process that made breastfeeding a medical issue
with rules and limits. I have written quite much about this and will speak
about it at the international bf week in oct. I am also a mother of three
children and have experience both of not breastfeeding at all, and of
breastfeeding for several years.
Right now, beside my daily occupation, I work with a revision of the Swedish
health authorities' official book on breastfeeding, which is used in education
of all kinds of health staff.
As some of you may know, breastfeeding has increased in Sweden (as in many
other parts of the world) during the last decade. The latest statistics show
that around 65 percent of babies are still breastfed at six months - in some
areas 75 percent. Almost every new mother starts breastfeeding. But it is still
common that mothers get bad advice and there are still negative attitudes
hanging around.
I read what Linda Volkovitsch wrote about odd nipple pain (the nipple aching
and stiffening as when very chilled). From what I know this is a TYPICAL
description from mothers of thrush reaction (they also say that the nipple
becomes "whitish"). The nipple doesn't have to be sore. This could also be a
symptom of other infections, i e bacterial, but that would be less likely if
the nipple looks OK. On advice from one of my friends, a midwife and LLL
consultant with tremendous clinical experience and lots of knowledge, I
included this "subjective" symptom in the book's chapter on breast
complications and thrush. The ob/gyn I worked with recognized it as a common
complaint from the mothers, but underlined that there is no scientific "proof"
that there is a connection.(The mechanism seems to be unknown, but I guess it
should have something to do with ischemia - perhaps the body's way to try to
limit the infection?) However, clinical observations say that this seems to be
a symptom of infection. And with this antibiotic history, it is most likely a
thrush manifestation in the case Linda described.
Sorry this was so long! Malin ([log in to unmask])
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