>I have a client who is successfully breastfeeding a baby at 2 months of =
>age. She came in today bewildered, because just 2 days ago she was pumping =
>an incredible 8 ounces at a time with a Lactina, and now she has had a =
>sudden, dramatic lowering of her milk supply. Her breasts have become much =
>softer, and she is able to only express 2 ounces at a time.=20
>
>This lower supply was preceded by a weird event. She had pumped her =
>regular 8 ounces, refrigerated it for 8 hours, and noticed that her milk =
>was "spoiled". She told me that there were huge clumps in the milk which =
>wouldn't break down when heated, but no bad smell (lipase??). Ever since =
>her milk appeared this way, her supply has gone South. Other factors =
>include her infant's sudden breast refusal/fussines, and tenderness from =
>the axilla to the nipple on both breasts. She does not feel ill or have =
>any other mastitis symptoms. No thrush evident in baby's mouth.Brenda -
Huge clumps in the milk can be related to mastitis. Is there any way you
can fit that into this mom's scenario? Mastitis compromised her supply, the
baby is tasting salt now and isn't happy?
I'm just fishing here, but I know the clumps - like gelatinous blobs up to
the size of small eggs(!) in my experience - can be mastitis-related.
Consider talking to a dairy farmer about this. Seriously! They're the ones
with the really good mastitis info... and they routinely see mastitis much
more advanced than what we see, because the cows don't go running for help
as soon as they have a sore spot. According to a dairy mastitis lab here,
Staph aureus (I'm pretty sure; this is from memory) has a coagulating
component that's responsible for the blobs. Let the milk stand for a few
hours, pour it back and forth a few times, and they disappear.
I've had only 2 clients with those clumps (blobs). For one, the clumps
resolved *immediately* on finding her a comfortable pump. The other mom
needed antibiotics.
Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC Ithaca, NY
www.wiessinger.baka.com
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