Thanks to all of you who sent in the many ideas of how to treat the mother
with the contact dermatitis from the hard plastic flange/shield of the
electric breastpump.
She has some success with cloth, is going to try a plastic wrap like Saran
wrap.
Her MD r/o yeast.  (I tried to rule it back in as at least a
possibility...very diplomatically I might add!).  No sx with the baby.  The
glass shields are not really an option.  My inquiry at the company told me 1)
the plastic ones are made of polypropelene  2) the glass ones are for large
breasted women (she is not) AND cost (get this)  $ 81 apiece 3) the company
has never heard of this "allergy" happening (at least as far as the service
rep knew).

Her MD put her on a topical betamethasone with instructions to wash it off
with soap and water before nsg.  She has used it only twice, but it cleared up
the lesions both times.

From your responses, I now know a number of you have seen this, even though as
I posted earlier, I have not experienced it until now.  She, incidentally is
sterilizing the kit in boiling water daily and washing it with hot, soapy
water in between.

I suggested an experiment to the mother which she is doing today.  I asked her
if she would be willing to "pump her abdomen."   No cloth, just the shields as
if she was doing it to her breasts. I am trying to elicit the same response,
even though the tissue is not the same.  IF she gets the same rash, yeast can
pretty much be excluded from the equation.  If she doesn't, if could or could
not be.  She loved the idea and is going to do it today.

It does sound like contact dermatitis to me, but I'll let you know any new
info and how she manages pumping.  A number of you asked for how to handle
this in case you see it yourselves.
Thanks again so much for your great input.

Linda Pincus, RN, IBCLC