I am a childbirth educator and doula in the Indianapolis area. I recently
joined this list hoping to glean information from you knowledgeable women so
I can better serve my students and clients. I really had only planned to
read, and not post, but I've recently had a woman come to me with a problem
I have not seen or even heard of in the 13 years I've been working with
breastfeeding moms. I emailed Jack Newman about it (who kindly sent an
immediate response) but unfortunately, it has him stumped as well. I am
hoping that out of the thousands of professionals here, someone will have
seen this before and can offer some insight. If you are able to respond,
please cc a copy of your response to [log in to unmask] I don't
want to "lose" any responses in the high volume of this list! Here is her
description, as well as Dr. Newman's response:
*>>*** refuses to nurse on my right side. It began in April when he was
biting me, so I pulled him off to practice relatch. He would refuse to
relatch, and switch sides instead. Over time I got engorged and now it's
almost twice the size of my left breast. That thing is stuck. My OB's office
is sending me for a surgical consult and ultrasound tomorrow. I can only
find info that says to have the child nurse on it, but he will not. Pumping
to no avail, cabbage leaves, showers, my jet spa tub, compresses and garlic
have not budged it. Any other suggestions to get that sucker open?
It doesn't hurt and I don't have mastitis. OB is stumped and I'm a little
worried. *
*I spent a good 20 minutes in the tub today with that boob getting zonked by
the jets and got a little bit out. I have a Medela Pump in Style which
worked better than the Lactina I rented after delivery. I dipped my breast
into a bowl of warm water w/epsom salts last night, but couldn't stay on it
for long because i skinned my right badly last week. A baby would do the
trick...i should find a newborn.
It only hurts now when I try to manually open the ducts w/a sterile pair of
tweezers and pick the crusties off the top. No infection. Checked for that
last week. I'm sure he won't nurse on it because the nipple is so clogged
and it probably tastes yucky. *
*I have an ultrasound tomorrow (it was scheduled for 7/5). A LLL/LC felt it
today and seemed pretty worried.
So, we'll find something out tomorrow i guess. it's hard not to freak out
about what it may or not be. << *
Dr. Newman's response: "This is not a simple blocked duct, not if it lasts
this long. I'm not sure what it is, but as the mother does not speak about
it hurting, an abscess is unlikely. I don't know what this is, but I think a
good breast surgeon (I despair about having mothers see a breastfeeding
friendly breast surgeon) is a good idea. I will attach the first draft
chapter on sore breasts (which discusses surgery on the breast, and how the
mother
does not have to stop breastfeeeding), from my book, Dr. Jack Newman's Guide
to Breastfeeding (itle in Canada, Harper Collins, revised February
2003) or as the same book is called in the USA, The Ultimate Breastfeeding
Book of Answers (Random House, August 2000).
(He went on to recommend other handouts and websites with latch videos.)
After her ultrasound, the surgeon put her on two weeks of Keflex, saying
they couldn't rule out an infection since her doctor tested foremilk, rather
than hindmilk. The other possibility she was told was inflammatory breast
cancer? Thank you for any insights you have to offer!
Celeste
Celeste Kraft, LPN, CCE
Gentle Spirit Birth Services
Childbirth Classes ~ Doula Services ~ Birth Photography
Lactation Education
Serving Central Indiana
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