I have been away in Darwin, Northern Territory for three weeks giving one
of two papers on breastfeeding and investigating the breastfeeding rates
for aboriginal women.  The good news is that the further away from
"civilisation" aboriginal women are, the breastfeeding  rates improve to
become 100%.

This reply is a one off long diatribe to make up for my absence and
therefore replies to a few different issues.  If I sound like a lecturer it
is because I am one.  So forgive the directives please.

(1)  Gentian Violet

Since I sent my advice about using aqueous Gentian Violet on l9 th August a
lot of mail has been generated!.  Australians have been unable to obtain
gentian violet easily in Australia and have been unable to recommend if for
a few years due to an edict from the medical profession.  The message was
that preterm babies had been affected possibly by exuberant use.  I
question in whose interests the curtailment of this wonderful cure for
thrush was made.

However I agree that the effect of its use is rapid provided the cause is
thrush.  I have observed its use for genital herpes and it was also
effective on an adult pregnant woman.   Enthusiasm (that is more is better)
should be curtailed and twice a day for adults and once a day for infants
is the normal.  Infants buttocks need to be exposed to air likewise women
need to expose breasts to air.  Women need to wear cotton undergarments and
avoid synthetic materials..

(2) Australian Position

I have to disagree with  those who abandon ideas on the basis of anecdotal
evidence or one limited research study.  Posture feedings of various kinds
have been used as far back as time for improving individual breastfeeds.
Many up-to-date texts including the WHO  workbook ( a stranger brought this
back for me from Sweden) have various posture feeding positions described
and demonstrated.

 In my over thirty five years (this year) experience with helping
breastfeeding women some women  have found the lying down flat position
very useful for the wonderful problem of initial (first couple of minutes)
fast rates of flow.  Provided gravity is used for the remainder of the feed
then banking  up or stasis is not a problem.

I have spoken to some women who found they could not feed any other way for
several months as this "oversupply problem" continued especially early in
the morning.

(3) Cabbage Leaves

Once again these poor leaves are getting a pounding.  If it works use it.

 However just as for posture feeding, and gentian violet find out the cause
of the problem first then treat.  One problem with the new (old) ideas they
tend to be used as a cure all  without assessment and therefore sometimes
fail.  Loss of milk supply may be related to the original problem  ie poor
attachment or flat nipples or cracked nipples etc. and should be addressed
first before applying cabbage leaves.

Secondly give the information to the mother and let her decide for herself.


I am always concerned when ideas are prohibited for a total population.
There are no rules, even a change in position or technique, however,
strange, is sometimes the trigger for the baby to take up an improved
pattern of breastfeeding.  The baby makes no judgement  about right or
wrong, they usually just didn't like the last method tried!!

(4) Cleft Palate Surgery

I was so impressed with the replies to this question.  As an educator I
need some more help and would like the video but I have only three weeks to
my next course.

l wonder if using Heather Harris's method of  RE-imprinting  (that is
placing mother and baby in a bath to breastfed (re-birth) might help the
older baby with the post surgery breastfeeding attachment problem?

(5) Bras

There was a study done  in Hawaii on a large number of women, but
unfortunately the researchers failed to include variables such as whether
participants were smoking  breastfeeding or note etc.

However they concluded that there was a strong link with underwire bras and
cancer.  In my experience of examining the use of bras I have noted the
constriction to circulation and subsequent oedema caused by so-called
breastfeeding bras.

Some of us avoid wearing bras because of neck ache??

General Comment

It is wonderful that our collective knowledge is now on Internet.  Writing
a book might help but the immediacy of the knowledge when problems are
current increases my motivation.  Why else would I read through three weeks
of mail?

Thanks Lactnetters.

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http://www.rie.net.au/~bevw/