The area WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator called me today to discuss two
different pregnant ladies.  The first was shot with a gun and has fragments of
the bullet in one breast.   The pregnant mom's question, could this cause the
baby to get lead poisoning?  Our thoughts are, if mom has high levels of lead
in her blood then possibly baby could possibly get lead through milk.  But, if
mom has high levels of lead then baby would be exposed at more risk from
sharing blood during gestation.  Should mom have a blood test for lead levels?
Also, what about damage to breast ducts from injury of gun shot?  We figure if
the lead poisoning issue is resolved then there is always one unaffected
breast that should work fine (and maybe both).

Second mom is a pregnant teen mom that had cancer as a younger child and
extensive chemo for brain tumors.   Can this mother safely breastfeed?  I
would think so as I have had several moms who have lost a breast to cancer and
undergone chemo and later gave birth and breastfed with the one breast.  This
mother to be is also blind which I think would be even more of a reason for
her to breastfeed.

Any thoughts or wisdom would be appreciated.

Warmly,
Pat Lindsey, IBCLC
Pediatrics Plus, Orlando, FL