>I do wonder why the
>woman's doctor isn't taking more seriously the suggestion that there
>could be retained placenta.

Several people have questioned the doctor's reluctance to explore the
possibility of retained placenta.  I had a client last summer who had
"some" milk, but only drops.  She didn't fit the common profile of retained
placenta--red bleeding, etc.-- but did have uterine pain. OB said that
retained placenta has nothing to do with milk supply anyway (and she said
that she had references.).  She concluded that, unrelated to milk supply,
mom had an infection, so mom was given an "industrial strength" anti-biotic
with which any breastfeeding was contraindicated.  Nine days later, with a
dwindling milk supply, mom's abdomen was still tender, so OB did a D&C.
Upon examination, there was a placental fragment.  After the D&C mom
experienced engorgement for the first time, but, unfortunately, was not
willing to work to get baby back to breast.

When the OB called the mother to tell her about the retained placenta
fragment, she said, "It is with embarassment that I have to tell you this..."

I think that it is seen as the height of incompetence for an OB to miss an
incomplete placenta when it is examined after the birth and that they are
reluctant to pursue this course when there is compromised milk supply.

I would suggest a second opinion if an OB won't even consider checking for
retained placenta.

I feel, in my case, that if this problem had been resolved before all of
the delays, the mom would have gone on to breastfeed.  It was 6 weeks
before the D&C was performed and the mom had tried everything that her
midwife and I could do to build a milk supply.  She had 4 other children
and was just worn out with the struggle.  She shouldn't have had to go
throught that to get proper treatment for her post birth condition.

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee
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