Thank you for the warm welcome to Lactnet.   I love it and I am addicted!
I am just returning to the b/f field after a long time away so please  bear
with me.
 (a)A Mum contacted me saying that the doctor had taken her baby off the
breast as she had shingles on her shoulder and the medication she was taking
would come through in her milk.   The generic name is famciclovir (an
antiviral) and she is taking 250mgs in tablet form.   At the moment she is
pumping and the baby is still very interested. (8 months old).   Any
comments?   Is this right to take baby off the breast?   I find that a lot
of babies are taken off the breast when it isn’t necessary.
(b)To Linda (Lactnet 19th Dec.)   I have had quite a few cases of vacuum
extraction’s where the baby will only drink on the one side due to the other
being badly swollen and have also had a fractured clavicle (undiagnosed)
where the baby only fed on one side.
©A friend of mine made me two “bean” bags in which she put wheat seeds and I
use them for mothers with engorgement – they work well as retain their heat
for a long time – can also be used as cold packs – she used a dinner plate
as a pattern.
(d)I made copies of Dr. Jack’s notes and had them made into booklets for all
who were interested to read them. I worked  with a “dream” professor,
girls – doing a locum here.   He wanted to know when our hospital was going
to become baby –friendly, he is moving towards Kangaroo care in the large
hospital in Pretoria and asked a mother outright if her decision to
bottle-feed was an informed decision.   He found Dr. Jack’s notes excellent.
What a pleasure!!
 Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!
Barbie Currie.  RN,RM,RICN. [log in to unmask]
“Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted” – source
unknown.