I think what Marie has proposed regarding more-or-less standard protocols or
treatment modalities would be very helpful. I'm not a nurse (and consider
the diversity within the LC profession its strength, as Kathy A. has
mentioned), so haven't had the benefit of that background (but you CAN talk
to me about education issues!). Where I live, tests are done reluctantly
rather than routinely--we have a much less litigious atmosphere in Canada,
so there tends to be less "cover your a**" medicine practiced than what it
appears is done in the US. I like this atmosphere, in general, but there are
times it would be nice to have more testing done. I'd like the benefit of
the expertise of knowledgeable people which tests might be helpful in
looking at things like persistent FTT that defy usual strategies or which we
suspect might be the result of retained placenta. This could be in the form
of flow charts (as Pat has suggested) such as Dr. Jack's or the one from the
American Academy of Pediatrics on treatment of hyperbilirubinemia, might
include normal values (such as for prolactin, as Marie mentioned, if this
information is known and useful) and which might include items such as
possible tests.


(And I think the recent post on using basal temperature readings to see if
they correlate to retained placenta is fascinating. Another example of the
wealth of knowledge in this group and the value of divergent thinking)...

The Breastfeeding Answer Book is an enormously helpful resource, as are
Lawrence and Riordan/Auerbach, but a fairly short and sweet book along the
lines of what Marie is suggesting would also be welcome.

Leslie Ayre-Jaschke, BEd, IBCLC
Peace River, Alberta, Canada