Pat Young wrote:
<I have recommended Tom Brewer's info for years. It makes sense to me!
My
niece was following Fit for Life and really put herself into PIH. Too
low
protein!
Another PIH idea. Mom soaks in pool or tub, decreases fluids in mom's
tissues. (please don't ask me the ref. It is some study I read a while
ago :-)>
As I have been reading these related posts, an idea came to mind. I'd
like to hear some thoughts particularly of the RD's and MD's on this
observation of mine. What if?
# 1. One thing I comment on frequently is how often I have observed edema
in the breast tissue prenatally. Enough that it occupies space and
thereby, holding it "uses up" the elastic potential needed to start out
promptly extending the nipple-areolar complex into the proper depth in
the baby's mouth to avoid nipple trauma and provide for good milk
transfer.
# 2. I have recently been personally trying Protein Plus (High protein lo
carb diet) and noticing how consistently that formerly retained fluid has
been kept flushed out of my legs and probably more areas.
# 3. Putting 2+2 together, if a mom who is "too full" of baby to eat much
in the late 3rd trimester comes into the home stretch (pun intended) with
a medium to low amount of protein in her diet, that might make her serum
albumen or globulin on the low side? And less likely to promote prompt
osmotic entry of 3rd spaced fluid back into lymph vessels? Ergo,
seemingly storing extra fluid on board as what has long been assumed to
be nature's insurance plan against dehydration in labor and/or
hemorrhage?
# 4. Said mom is then given several liters of glucose (non-protein) fluid
IV in labor, diluting the ratio of blood proteins even further. In
combination with other factors with antidiuretic action, this could also
effect the amount of fluids retained by the whole body, the breasts
sharing in the retention.
# 5. Sounds like it couldn't harm anything, and might help for moms to
pay close attention to eating an extra helping of protein daily,
especially chicken and fish, in the last month or two of pregnancy? It
would be interesting if someone were to try recommending this routinely
to their OB patients and see if it changes the commonly seen amounts of
prenatal and postnatal fluid retention, perhaps thereby cutting down on
one source of breast swelling and subsequent latch problems.
# 6. Maybe even someone with research dollars to run some blood tests to
see if serum protein levels are higher with an extra helping of protein
daily? Then, would that be sufficiently "research based" proof, one way
or another?
Always tempted to be thinking out of the box!
K. Jean Cotterman RNC, IBCLC
Dayton, Ohio USA
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