Greetings from unseasonably mild England.  I'm new on Lactnet - finally
took the plunge following warm recommendation from fellow National
Childbirth Trust (NCT) breastfeeding counsellor.  (For more about the NCT,
try http://www.nctms.co.uk).

I live in a small village near Oxford, mother to three young children,
midwife - but not presently practising.  (Previously worked in West Africa
and London, UK).  Now my youngest is at nursery school, I manage to squeeze
in some freelance writing - mainly on childbirth topics.  I edit "Digest" -
the supplement to the NCT's national quarterly journal "New Generation".
"Digest" is aimed at NCT "workers" - breastfeeding counsellors, antenatal
teachers, postnatal supporters and so on.  The emphasis is on offering
support and research-based information relevant to lay, volunteer (but
well-trained) workers.  I also write for various midwifery and
mother-and-baby publications.  In the middle of all this theory, it does me
good to keep getting the "Help!" phone calls from breastfeeding mothers.

I've been following the "abraded nipples" posts with interest.  I agree -
sounds like stubborn candida - but perhaps keep in mind, also, the
possiblity of a long-standing bacterial infection.  (Has a swab and culture
been done?)  I have, just once or twice, come across instances where a
staph. infection has stopped open sores on nipples healing - in spite of
close and expert attention to positioning.

Hannah Hulme HUNTER
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