Hi,

I'll give a brief re-introduction since it's been sometime that I've posted
to this list.  My name is Connie Chiavario, I am currently Area Coordinator
of Leaders for LLL of Illinois.  I am a Certified Lactation Counselor, (CLC)
and just took the IBLCE exam this past July.  I still lead LLL meetings and
teach breastfeeding classes at a local WIC clinic.

Anyway, last night at an LLL meeting, the mother of a pregnant mother
stopped by our meeting to bring back several library books.  This woman told
me that her daughter was heartbroken and didn't want to attend our meeting
because she was told by her doctor that she could not breastfeed her baby
because of her past history of depression.

This mother is off of Prozac due to her pregnancy and is doing okay, but her
doctor feels that she is at risk for severe postpartum depression and is
advising her against even considering breastfeeding so that she can get back
on her medication right after birth.

I talked to the mother of the pregnant mother after the meeting and offered
to provide her daughter with information on breastfeeding and postpartum
depression, certain antidepressants while breastfeeding, etc.

This pregnant mother came to our meeting last month, very enthused and
talked about how she knew that the only thing she wanted to do for her baby
was be able to breastfeed and provide the best nutrition for her baby.
According to her mother, she is pretty devastated about "not being able to
breastfeed at all".

My question is:  Yes, we know this mother is at risk, so what else could I
advise her to do?  I did suggest getting in touch with Valerie Raskin, (who
lives in the Chicago area) to speak with her......I know she is very open to
working with breastfeeding moms with postpartum depression.  She spoke at
one of our Area Conferences a couple of years ago and it was one of the best
and most informative sessions I ever attended!

I am looking for more input on how to best help this mother!

Thanks a bunch!


Connie Chiavario

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