Fellow Lactnetters,
I have been off the list for a couple months, but I need your
collective wisdom dealing with a mom I have been working with.
Her baby was 6 weeks old last Friday and she has had 7 breast
infections (2 in left breast, 5 in right breast) since the birth
of her daughter.  I'm not even sure these can be called breast
infections--I have not seen the mom, only talked to her over the
phone.  What she describes to me are areas 2-3" across or even
larger that get hard and tender to the touch.  She has seen the
one "breast" doctor I know of in the area twice--yesterday being
the last time.  He says she has areas of her breast that become
engorged and it would seem her supply should have evened out by
now, but since it doesn't seemed to have done that "there are
some women who can't breastfeed."  What he recommended to the
mom early on with this was massage of the area going toward the
nipple, heat, nursing no longer than 5 minutes on a side then
switch nursing, then back and forth.  This has succeeded in
letting the mom "get rid of the sore, hard area" in a 24 hour
period--she hasn't been on antibiotics--but she's getting
discouraged because the problem keeps coming back.  The area of
the breast involved changes each time.  Baby is doing fine--
gaining, peeing, pooping, etc.  Mom had an injury to the left
breast years ago and probably isn't producing a lot of milk on
that side.  She is using both breasts at each feeding.  She says
she feels multiple let-downs while she is nursing, and feels
let-down in the right side while nursing on the left, after
having nursed on the right side to start with.  She says she
has been trying to watch her diet since before pregnancy, she is
overweight (I don't know how much) so tries to minimize
saturated fats, has maybe 1 drink a day with caffeine, doesn't
eat chocolate.  What do you think is going on?  I'm really
concerned she's going to develop some horrendous abscess with
such large areas of breast involved.  Doctor told her there was
nothing wrong as far as infection was concerned.  She's coming
here late this afternoon to rent a pump to use after feedings.
Will that help or hinder things?
Any suggestions, etc. would be greatly appreciated.
Please reply privately as I'm not back on the list yet.
Thank you.
Pat Bucknell
Avon Lake, OH
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