Dear Lacnetters,

Before a lot of you disappear off the ILCA I'd like some input. The midwife
here has a woman on her list who's baby is due in December. This is the
first child for this woman (she is 38 years old) and she is planning to
breastfeed. The problem is that since 1992 she has had recurrent
inflammation in both her breasts, the midwife called it a 'sort of
mastitis', but is herself not clear what it is. I was quite shocked to hear
that she has had this problem for ten years without it resolving; but this
woman does get her breasts checked every year (by mammogram I guess). When
her doctor comes back from holiday we (i.e. pregnant woman, midwife and
myself) are going to discuss breastfeeding and what we can do to prevent
inflammatory problems during lactation.
I'm probably posting prematurely as we have not spoken with her doctor to
get a clearer picture of the problem; which does not seem to have been given
a clear diagnosis, except chronic inflammation. But do any of you have an
idea what could be causing this? I'm wondering whether it could be hormonal
cycling, although the midwife didn't think so. I'm also concerned that it
could be a signal for breast cancer; althought she does get check-ups every
year. I'm also wondering that by having a baby and breastfeeding will mean
that the breasts will become fully developed and the problem will resolve.

Sorry to be so vague, but it has got me wondering and I want to have more of
an idea for when we meet up.

yours

Sara Bernard
The Netherlands

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