Kathleen,
This doctor is really off base.  Perhaps if the woman loss so much blood that
she went into shock there would be a problem.  But if that happened, losing
her milk would be the least of her problems.

I had a mom last year pregnant with her third child. She was nursing the
second one while pregnant with the third.  1st child was c section due to
breach, 2nd was a vbac and mom tore REAL bad and lost alot of blood.  I
wanted to give her a transfusion since her HGB was below 8 but she refused
((and did ok but was really tired for a while) when #3 baby came by she want
to do a AUTOLOGOUS donation (donate for herself) incase she bled bad after
delivery and needed blood again.  I contacted the blood bank and we arranged
for her to do this.  The Blood bank  requirements were that the fetus be
monitored during the donation process.  So I took a doppler to the blood
donation center and listened to the heart tones 2-3 times during the prcess
and everybody was satisfied.  Anyway this mother was pregnant AND nursing and
she didn't have any problem.

One time my wife was refused donating because she was still nursing a child.
 I quess the blood bank has fear of litigation too. (But unfounded in MHO.)

I would suggest a nursing mother that wants to donate for herself or family
do one of the following:
Forget to mention that she is nursing and let the blood bank use all the
other criteria to decide if she is able to nurse and don't tell them.  If
they ask if a female is pregant or nursing say no I am not. If she is
pregnant that may be impossible to hide and would suggest that they do option
two below.

Get a note from her doctor that it is ok for her to donate.  The blood banks
will sometimes accept people especially for directed donation and self
donation on otherwise disqualified people if the personal physican says it is
OK.

********************************************************************
*  Jon Ahrendsen, M.D. FAAFP, LLLI Medical Associate   *
*  215 13th Ave SW                                                        *
*  Clarion, Iowa 50525  USA                                            *
*  515-532-2836, FAX 532-2523, Email [log in to unmask]   *
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