Dear Friends:
  This is response to Jan'queries: "is this anecdotal/clinical experience (I
have nothing against this,
just am concerned about using heat on the breasts) or is there documentation
in the literature to demonstrate the efficacy of this?  And why gravity?
Logic tells me that to decrease the swelling the part needs to be elevated
which is what we do with edematous extremities.  A good fitting, supportive
bra with mom lying on her back so her breasts are above her heart ought to
help.  Seems to me that leaning over a warm basin, besides giving her a
backache, would increase the swelling." This is purely anecdotal, and I
learned it from a very skilled, highly credentialed, many years experienced
person. It is only used in those cases when the usual methods (expressing or
pumping or nursing) don't work. It is not to be used on everyone, just for
those frustrating cases when the woman is plugged into an excellent breastpump
and nothing comes out. And she isn't leaning over for more than the few
minutes it takes to get the breasts to let go of some milk. This feels quite
comfortable, or so I have been told. Once the flow starts, then the usual
management techniques can be effective. Warmly, Nikk Lee