Hi to all in general - and Jean C in particular (my guru of obscure
lactation knowledge):
I have been in practice over 10 years and just saw a first.  please let me
know if you have seen anything like this, and what it might be.

Mom is a healthy young primip, baby born at home 4 1/2 weeks ago after a
longish push and delivered OP.  Mom and midwife report baby was fussy for a
few days at first, head seemed sore.  Mom's nipples have been sore from day
1.  Weight gain for baby has been fine, about 2 pounds the 1st month.
Problem 1: I sent them for craniosacral therapy b/c:
*       mom's nipples have a classic white compression stripe when baby
releases breast from mouth
*       digital suck exam finds baby's use of tongue is not fully
coordinated, and that jaw motion is more chomping than stripping on the
breast
*       Feedings are long, averaging an hour

Problem 2: potential yeast.  No visible symptoms, but mom reports nasty
shooting pains inside her breast, onset 2 weeks ago.

Problem 3, (this is the stumper):
*       mom reports bruising around the margin of the areola, top half only,
both breasts.  No accompanying symptoms of illness for mom, no bruising
elsewhere on her body, no changes in baby's feeding behavior.  Usual feeding
position is cradle, so the bruises are not underlying the baby's jaws.  Also
the bruises were outside the area where baby's mouth contacts the breast.
by the time of our visit, the bruising had resolved, I could still see faint
shadows of it, though.  mom did have mastitis about 2 weeks ago and was
successfully treated by home birth midwife with herbal poultices and
homeopathic poke root.  When I heard this symptom report over the phone, I
thought maybe she had an abscess, and I had her come in ASAP.  But it is
definitely not an abscess.  Any ideas, gang?

Thanks in advance from
Martha Johnson RN IBCLC
Eugene Oregon
I need a personal response, please.  I cannot keep up with Lactnet's volume!

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