Dear Lactnetters,

A mom of a five month old, totally breastfed baby is extremely upset and at
her wit's end in severe pain from arthritis.   It has been suggested to her
that she wean in order to heal.  She says she has talked with many many people
about this and feels she cannot regain her strength and heal unless she weans.
Obviously it seems as if breastfeeding has been blamed once again.... She says
she feels let down by the breastfeeding/birthing community who only support
moms who are fully breastfeeding.   She gave me permission to share with you:
She writes,

”This is not your standard post-pregnancy rheumatoid arthritis that sometimes
arises and abates over time like the tendonitis often does...

I've had this arthritis and inflammation and stiffness in my knees since I
was 16, so for 14 years, and its onset was as an allergic reaction to a
very bad case of the chicken pox at that time, so it's a reactive
arthritis....

the inflammation had disappeared with pregnancy but much of the internal
tightness remained...at the 3 mo. postpartum mark they blew up again to
their size at the original onset and while the inflammation's come down
with acupuncture the stiffness is worse than it's ever been and there's a
very inflamed tendon in the left knee such that I cannot walk up and down
stairs normally, have difficulty getting strong enough footing to carry
Kate around (I limp around slowly by myself ok), cannot sit down or stand
from sitting without supporting myself with my arms...things that need to
be treated with herbs and enzymes to be healed as acupunture can't get to that

in Chinese medicine arthritis and tendonitis are very connected to liver
health and obviously mine isn't healthy...when my system is down (and it
has been for months and months) its weak link, inflammation, goes wild and
that's what's been up for 5 months now, first with tendonitis in both
thumbs and then the arthritis  ..... wanted you to have the info on
the herbs/enzymes I've already tried from various practitioners the past
few months...

Kate takes a bottle from Dad if I'm out of the room...loses all interest
if I'm in the room...she's taken a bottle from familial females without me
present but not very much gets ingested and sometimes there's a lot of
fussing and confusion...she can with help drink from a sippy cup and even
from a regular cup

I've already tried and had to stop due to K's digestive troubles all of the
following:

BromInj-bromelain based anti-inflammatory supplement with curcurman
Ligaplex-ligament building supplement
ginger
curcurman
B6
Silymarin

coenzyme Q10
plain Bromelain

another problem is that I need to take a supplement with iron for K but
iron's toxic to my liver right now
and I've now lost so much weight, I weigh less than I did pre-pregnancy and
I feel weak and tired a lot”

If any of you know about any of the herbs or supplements she mentions and
their safety in terms of breastfeeding, please do let me know.  It seems to me
she isn't totally committed to weaning or she wouldn't be asking about these
supplements.  If I can help her feel supported and give her any information it
would be terrific.

Thanks so much,
Janaki Costello, IBCLC, ICCE, C.D.
El Cerrito, CA.
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