Hi Hilary,

I am an LLL leader in Los Angeles, California, with 9 years personal bf
experience and 6 1/2 years as a leader... first I would like to address
the rheumatoid arthritis... this condition is brought on by pregnancy
hormones in individuals who are prone to auto-immune disorders [which
in turn are set up by high levels of stress in their normal lives]...
it appears that the mother's immune system attacks itself wherever
stress and damage [to cartilage in the case of arthritis] are
present... perhaps mom can make adjustments in positioning, I would
recommend she try nursing with her child in a baby sling... slinging
baby is easier on moms body and supports baby's weight evenly across
her back not in her arms/ hands/ wrists...

in my group we have seen several moms with various types of auto-immune
disorders post-pregnancy... the high levels of preg hormones protects
the mom until birth, postpartum symptoms are exacerbated by the
mother's postnatal duties and mother's offset focus on her baby's care
rather than on her own health... usually, mom will seek some type of
health care to lower her immune response and slow the effects of the
disease... one mom here nursed her son until 3 1/2 years with severe
rheumatoid arthritis in her hands and pelvis... post weaning, she
receives care for her overreactive immune system from allopathic
docs... naturopathic docs have been highly effective also, but less
popular due to the lack of insurance coverage in the US...

these are not medical research models, only anecdotes from women I have
seen through LLL, but maybe it will help...

good luck, Jules Kim
Leader, LLL Hollywood/ Silver Lake
(323) 669-3366


On Oct 31, 2004, at 8:18 AM, Automatic digest processor wrote:

>
> Date:    Sun, 31 Oct 2004 11:06:53 -0000
> From:    Hilary Myers <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Mum with arthrits and OAMER
>
> I have permission to post
> I have been supporting a first-time mother with a 14 week-old baby.
> She has
> always had an abudent milk supply and in the beginning an OAMER which
> she
> managed to improve with the usual techniques of feeding one side for
> several
> feeds, changing position etc.
> Since the birth she has developed arthritis especially in her wrists
> and is
> taking ibuprofen and paracetamol for the pain and awaiting an apt with
> a
> rheumatologist. She is finding it really painful and difficult to cope
> with
> holding the baby for feeding and the OAMER is again a huge problem.
> Watching
> them feed the other day, baby was fussy, slipping down the nipple,
> pulling
> off, choking, gallons of milk flying everwhere. Her nipples are
> feeling very
> sore.
> Lying down to feed is better but she finds that difficult when she is
> not at
> home! Interestingly she finds bottle feeding position less painful but
> expressing is hard work and she is reluctant to just express and bottle
> feed. She's feeling very tired and low and considering giving in and
> formula
> feeding although her intention was to breastfed for at least a year.
> Any suggestions of how I can help her? Does anyone know anything about
> post-birth arthritis?
> Hilary Myers RM, IBCLC
> Somerset, England
>
>              ***********************************************

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