Hi,
I am posting my first question on lacnet although I have been lurking for some
time.  I am a hospital based lactation consultant and have worked in the
maternal/child field for 17 years as a staff nurse before specializing in
lactation.  I have 2 children and am about to become a grandmother for the
first time in 3 months.
I recently worked with a breastfeeding mom who has lupus.  She is 35 y/o and
delivered twin boys at 38 weeks gestation.  According to her doctor, her lupus
rarely flares up and appears to be well managed.  She is not on any medication
at this time.  The doctor feels there is no problem with mom breastfeeding and
both twins are breastfeeding well.  The question comes from mom herself.  She
is concerned that she may pass the antibodies that cause the inflammation to
the babies.  In Ruth Lawrence's book she has a small section that briefly
mentions lupus and only mentions the medications taken for the lupus. I am
assuming that if there were a problem with breastfeeding with this disease she
would have mentioned it in the book.   I know of one other mom with lupus who
breastfed for six months with no problems.  I shared all of this information
with the mom of the twins but told her that I would post a question to lacnet
and see what the experts have to say.
Thanks,
Debbie Nawracaj R.N., IBCLC - Chicago, Illinois
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