LACTNET Archives

Lactation Information and Discussion

LACTNET@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Price Pamela B <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 4 Feb 2004 11:47:46 -0600
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (113 lines)
Hello fellow lactneters, I have been very busy so I have not really had time
to read all of the information being said about this topic but I wanted to
share something with you all that has worked very well for me.
I have been doing a pre-study on this, by getting responses from how it
works from my patients and the staff.  I am gathering info to begin a
legitimate  study.

I work in a hospital and about 80% of our labor patients receive epidurals
during labor. All of them receive pitocin after delivery (which as we know
edema is a side effect). If the patient is induced with pitocin then there
is pretty much a guarantee that they will swell up.  Usually the swelling
starts within the 1st 24 hours but by day 4 many of the induced patients can
not even bend their ankles, the edema is so severe.  And of course I am
seeing them as an outpatient because they are engorged, their baby is
frantic and the mom and baby are crying and miserable...

What I have found is that these moms are drinking at least 8-10 glasses of
water, some of them could almost float with all the water they are trying to
drink to flush this out of their system. My theory is that the side effect
of the meds and IV fluids combined with the patients increase in oral fluids
causes a shift in the electrolyte balance.  The fluid then sits in the
tissue and the tissue acts like a sponge just soaking up all the oral fluids
mom is taking in, causing the pitting edema.
To test my theory, I suggested moms drink an electrolyte balanced fluid,
like athletes drink.  The one I suggest is Propel, it is made by Gatorade,
(although I have found that regular Gatorade does not work)
Propel is  the trade name. It is advertised as a fitness water, vitamin
charged, it also contains glucose and potassium. It is lightly flavored and
comes in several different flavors.

Anyway, the first person I suggested this to had the most severe engorgement
I had seen in a few years. Five days post partum she had so much swelling
that she no longer had cleavage between her breasts, she just had the shelf
look. She could barely walk around because the swelling in her feet was so
severe.  She was still at the hospital as a courtesy stay because her baby
was (of course) hyperbili.  She drank 2 -12 ounce bottles of Propel ( they
come in 12 and 24 ounce bottles) that afternoon.  She reported to me the
next day that she almost felt the difference as the fluid left her face and
neck area.( I am sure she did) She said her urine, which had been so clear,
suddenly had color and odor to it, and although she thought she was voiding
a lot before, she claimed she had to get up many times that night to void
large amounts. By the next morning, there was some definition between her
breasts. She kept drinking the Propel in place of plain water and within 2
days her swelling was almost completely resolved. By 5 days she had no
visible swelling at all. She then went back to drinking regular water but
she told me later that she has made that drink a part of her fluid intake
everyday.

My suggestion to moms is to drink it in place of a portion of their water
intake.  I always make sure they are not on any diet restriction since there
is sodium and glucose in the drink.  I had a patient that was on Maxide and
since there is a risk of hyperkalemia with Maxide (and potassium in the
drink) I did not think it appropriate to recommend to her, although she was
not on any diet restriction and I was probably being over cautious.
Certainly it can be bought at most stores in the US so who is to say she
would not have bought it on her own, just my personal safety net when it is
something that I am recommending as opposed to something the patient would
do on their own.

I have suggested it many times over and every person who has tried it has
had positive results, and they all call me to thank me for the idea.  There
is even a pediatrician who was one of my patients and she tells all her new
mommies about it.  Many of the staff here are starting to recommend it when
a mom has been induced.

 Final note*** I had a minor surgery and had a lot of edema afterward but
the Propel did not work for me at all ( which was disappointing) but I had
only received a small amount of IV fluids, since my procedure was outpatient
and conscious sedation. My edema was not pitting edema and was not caused by
meds and IV fluids, but by my body's reaction to the muscle and tissue
trauma.  Drinking cranberry juice and 24 hours of bed rest (5 days post op)
resolved that swelling.

I did contact the company that makes Propel, but I have not received any
response to my letter.

If you would like more info on the product visit www.propelwater.com




Pam Price IBCLC, CBE
Lactation Services Coordinator
Women's Health
Trident Health System
9330 Medical Plaza Drive
Charleston, S.C. 29406
(843) 824-5013 office
(843) 728-9640 pager

> This email and any files transmitted with it may contain PRIVILEGED or
> CONFIDENTIAL information and may be read or used only by the intended
> recipient. If you are not the intended recipient of the email or any of
> its attachments, please be advised that you have received this email in
> error and that any use, dissemination, distribution, forwarding, printing,
> or copying of this email or any attached files is strictly prohibited. If
> you have received this email in error, please immediately purge it and all
> attachments and notify the sender by reply email or contact the sender at
> the number listed.
>

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

ATOM RSS1 RSS2