Hi. I am a breastfeeding mother interested in becoming a LLL or National
Childbirth Trust breastfeeding counsellor, which is why my husband lurks on
Lactnet on my behalf (I'm not very computer-literate).
        The story of Chris Linch RN's patient struck a chord with me and I
thought my experiences might help. My daughter is now 2 1/4 but I still get
some pain with b/f. When she was born I was determined to b/f but had
inverted nipples and large engorged breasts, while she had a very small
mouth! The hospital kept threatening me with bottles but I was not going to
let that happen! Luckily I had brought with me some nipple shields on the
advice of a friend, and we managed to start feeding using them. They may
help because they give the baby something to get hold of to suck on and at
the same time the nipple gets sucked into them and stretched. It still does
hurt, though. After about 2 weeks and a couple of visits to the b/f
counsellor at a different hospital we learned how to cope without them. The
only explanation anyone anywhere has so far given me for the pain is that
my milk ducts are narrow and got inflamed because of the sudden unfamiliar
pressure. A health visitor at my doctor's recommended that I take ibuprofen
because it is formulated in a slow-release manner and therefore very minute
amounts get through to the breastmilk (is this true?), and it certainly
helped. But I do still get pain and seem prone to duct blockage and
mastitis, which might support the narrow duct theory. I have never met
anyone with the same problem. Good luck to your patient.

Caroline Ashton (Mother & LLL member)

c/o

Tim Ostler <[log in to unmask]>

Architecture
Writing
Research
Cognitive Science

167 Dalling Road, London W6 0ES

Tel +44 181 740 1567
Fax +44 181 746 2904
Mob +44 973 313032