Would anemia in the mother be a contraindication to breastfeeding? A
patient  says that she had to have a blood transfusion bec. she was
anemic, and was told not to breastfeed. I don't know if she had a
postpartum hemorrhage or not, but I just got La Leche League's "New
Beginnings" today, where  a mom tells how her postpartum hemorrhage led
to Sheehan's syndrome (damage to the pituitary) and she wasn't able to
breastfeed fully. Even when she gave birth to her second child, the
damage proved to be permanent...BUT would anemia in and of itself be a
contraindication? I couldn't find anything in Riordan & Auerbach or in
Lawrence, so I thought that perhaps it's not a problem since its not in
the books!

Pearl Shifer, IBCLC