Just back from a long book tour with my just-turned-3-months-old son,
I suffered my first ever blocked milk duct two days ago. This after
three years of continuous breastfeeding.
I thought some of you might enjoy hearing about the heroics of my own
lactation consultant in response to my phone call for help. Here's
how the story unfolds:
Wednesday night I was scheduled to give a reading, lecture, and
booksigning here in Ithaca where I live. All day I had been
experiencing mild nipple pain on the right side during nursing but
was ignoring it in the flurry of preparing for the event. I also had
my (very proper) in-laws here visiting from England--a classic case
of trying to do too much. While in the shower an hour or so before
leaving for the restaurant where we were to have an early dinner
before the talk, I noticed to my great surprise a small white
bulge--like an infected pimple--on my right nipple at about the 5
o'clock position. The entire medial surface of my breast was hard,
hot, and lumpy. What's more, I was running a low-grade fever. I
quick consulted my breastfeeding manuals and tried all their
suggestions, including hot compresses and extra nursing sessions on
that side, but could not get the duct to open.
I took a Tylenol and called Diane Wiessinger, who is practically my
neighbor out here and who had helped me through a couple of rounds of
thrush in earlier times (am I lucky or what?). However, she was out
of town. So I then called my midwife at the September Hill Birth
Center, Deb Bissennette, who is also a board-certified lactation
consultant. By now, I had about 20 minutes before I needed to drive
into town, and Deb's office is more than an hour away. But guess
what? She had heard about my reading and was planning to come.
(Okay, my book is about pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding, so
that's not so coincidental, I guess.) Even better, she was also
planning to have dinner in the same restaurant that I was (the famed
Moosewood), so she suggested we just meet there and have a little
lactation-consulting session in their restroom. (!)
To make a long story, short, we did, and, between the main course and
the dessert, while standing in a toilet stall, she was able to help
me get the duct open, and with little Elijah's thoughtful assistance,
the breast drained and soft again.
Then we walked across the street to the lecture hall where I managed
to get through the lecture, read a few passages, and sign some books.
By the time I return home, I had spiked a fever of 102.5, but woke up
the next morning feeling much better. I stayed in bed most of the
day with my nursling, asked my sister-in-law to entertain my 3 year
old, and today am as good as new.
So, my public thanks to Deb and to lactation consultants everywhere.
If only our political leaders were as generous, smart, kind, and
resourceful as all of you.
warmly, Sandra
--
--
Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor
Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors
110 Rice Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
[log in to unmask]
www.steingraber.com
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