Hello, Lactnetters--We have a couple of situations here that would benefit
from your expertise.

(1)  Recently, three women complained of pain using a double pump kit, when
switched to the old style single pump kit the pain disappeared.  No other
confounding variables we could find, just the double pump kit.  Anyone have
any idea what's going on or why?

(2)  Posting for local LC not on LACTNET--We have a mother, breastfeeding her
second, who had frequent mastitis with her first baby--baby would refuse to
nurse from the affected side whenever she had an infection there.  With this
second baby (now 5 1/2 months) she has noticed the same behavior, has had
mastitis three times that she's been treated for (local LC suspects that
mastitis has been on-going since first infection since mother self-medicates
until it's really bad, then goes to doctor).  Had first bout of mastitis at 6
weeks postpartum.  Mother also has frequent problems with thrush and
oversupply and has self-treated several times with cabbage leaves rather than
go to the doctor because it's so hard to convince the doctors to treat her
for thrush (Yes, here in the South where thrush is rampant, doctors don't
believe it!).  For the first time (10 days ago) the mother expressed milk to
relieve engorgement and saw bright, pretty green swirls--looks marbelized,
like nasal mucous--in her milk (only on the side that's infected) and wonders
if it's always been there and that's why the baby refuses it.  Used warm
compresses of cabbage leaves (mother concocted this remedy for herself) on
breast and green milk was gone within 24 hours; now the other breast has
green milk.  This seems to happen every couple of weeks--signal is that baby
suddenly refuses one breast or the other.  Is currently on dynapen (ten-day
course) for the mastitis--this is the med the mother has been on for all
three bouts of mastitis.  Also, demanded this time that the doctor also give
her meds for thrush; so she's treating both mastitis and thrush.  Local LC
has recommended that mother have milk cultured--culture due back today.  Any
clues as to what's going on?  Is dynapen the med of choice for this
situation?  Any other ideas/tips/info on the "green" milk and its
relationship to the recurrent mastitis and/or thrush?

(3)  One more question.  One of my Lactation Specialists has noticed that all
mothers who get the depo shot at day 2 postpartum (remember, this is
Mississippi--it doesn't do any good to ask WHY they get the shot on day 2!)
get sore, cracked, bleeding nipples.  Does anyone know if the depo shot and
sore nipples are related in the literature?

Thanks in advance for your help and input.  :) Keitha Whitaker, BS, IBCLC