Thanks for all the timely and helpful responses about breast
abscesses.  I was able to share these with the surgeons as well as
provide them the names of hopefully bf friendly physicians at two
major universities with lactation centers.  The docs at least now
know that I don't make this stuff up.
Interestingly, one of the docs once called me at home from our ER
wanting to know how to order the application of cabbage leaves for an
elderly woman with a severe mastitis.  He is a pretty good guy.
The mother with the abscesses is still nursing, although she has a
clogged duct in the breast with the wounds from the I & D.  The baby
has always refused this breast and continues to do so.  She did try
pumping recently but had some blood mix with the milk which she could
not tolerate.  So she is using some warmth on that breast just prior
to nursing on the nonaffected side, and gently massage as she is
nursing.  When this clog is resolved, we've talked about trying ice
again to help this breast settle down.  I had hoped that with no
stimulation the breast would have dried up.  Baby is doing well and
mom does not mind that one breast is trying to clean itself with milk.


As for sterilizing pump parts.  Our hospital and the NICU's we
transfer to ( Baltimore, D.C. & Hershey)
for the most part give each mom her own kit and instructions to wash
the washable parts with hot soapy water, rinse in hot water and air
dry on a clean towel.  The air drying can be tricky in a hospital,
but can be done with a little creativity.  There have been no
problems with this clean technique that I am aware of.

Kathy Bell, RN, IBCLC