Thank you to everyone who responded to this case. The overwhelming response
was for treatment of possible thrush. However, I would especially like to
thank Debi (who called me on the phone). We talked about the possiblity that
this baby was clenching his jaw during feeds. This caused nerve damage to the
nipples and also resulted in the delayed breast pain this mom was
experiencing. Debi suggested the mom try massaging the baby's TMJ area before
nursing (Dad is a DMD so probably knows something about this!) She also said
many babies outgrow this by about 6wks. Any othr cases of jaw clenching/cures
out there???

Update - Mom has moved into new house now and  did have painful plugged ducts
the night before the move (no surprise there) .She had her mom come over in
the middle of the night and she avoided another bout with mastitis. Luckily I
had rented her a pump to pump the right (sore)side and BF on the left. She
tried the thrush meds. for 2 days and said she really didn't think it was
thrush (diaper rash did go away). She does like using massage and thinks this
is helping. Soreness has decreased and is feeding on both breasts. She said
soreness came back and she pumped for 24hrs. again then went back to both
breasts. Even had nursings with NO pain and thought baby might not be getting
enough! I quickly dispelled that thought!!!  She said she has thought alot
about her life style and is trying to relax more. Her mom babysat while she
got sometime to go shopping she was away 4hrs. and came home quite full (baby
already ate) . She told me that before she would have waited (in pain) for
baby to get hungry but now she pumped instead. She is realizing that it is
important to take care of herself it is a responsibility not an option.
Hopefully, there is no thrush, I guess we will know one way or another soon
enough!

Ross Booklet - I do not remember where I heard this (maybe the BSC 5-day
course I took in 1995?) Anyway, I heard the formula companies did a study
that showed that Moms who begin by breastfeeding will choose to use formula
longer than Moms who begin bottlefeeding right from the start. Even if the
info. in the booklet is accurate the company knows our western culture will
influence the mother and the majority will use formula at some point (someone
else mentioned that early product recognition). Of course now they have
toddler formula so even if you BF for one year you still need their products
for optimal nutrition(after all no one BF for more than one year, do
they?!!!!!!!)

Funny story -  My third child Alex (age 3 on 8/22) still nurses once or twice
a day or skips a few days in between. The other morning I was still in bed
when he asked to nurse, He had been on my right side for some time and  I
asked him if ther was any milk in there and he said yes (rather just shuck
his head) then I asked if he wanted to switch and he said no because the
other side was dried up! Then my husband (this is a routine question) asked
Alex if he could have a turn and Alex usually says no and pushes him away.
Well, this time he said here Dad you can have this dried up one!  Maybe I
should start my own comic strip!

Robin B. Frees, BA, IBCLC (Josh 8, Jamie 6 ,who watched me pump and said mom
why are you breastfeeding that bottle, and Alex 3)
Malvern, PA