Dear Lactnetters,
        I have been on "nomail" recently and now have 2 questions, one for
Dr. Hale if he is around. Is Vermox (Mebendazole) safe for breastfeeding
moms? I could not find it in your book. It is used to treat parasitic
infections. Having just returned from a medical mission trip to Bolivia, we
gave out a lot of Vermox and most all babies are breastfed there. Of course,
due to the conditions there, it would be much more harmful to wean a baby
than to suffer a few side effects from a drug, I would think. And mom will
be much healthier for herself and baby if she can be rid of her worm infection.
        Question #2. What effect does nipple piercing have on future
breastfeeding and milk production? Has anyone had any experience with this?
(Talk about a twilight zone question right after returning home from south
of the Equator.)
        Interesting comment from the ObGyn on the trip who saw ~150 women in
4 days of clinic: He saw no fibrocystic disease and only 1 suspicious breast
lump (which he had no way to biopsy to prove if it was cancerous).

Thanks for any answers,

Becky Mannel, CBE, WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator, (IBCLC wannabe)