I am a hospital based IBCLC and have been a passive member of Lactnet for
several years. I have a situation now which has me stumped and I am turning
to fellow Lactnetters for assistance.  I have a patient who delivered twins
at 35 weeks by CS on 1/2/00. Twins are currently in NICU and being kept
NPO. Mother started pumping post op day 1 and reported to me when I came on
duty that night that her milk is "black". She had pumped out approximately
10 cc of dark gray colostrum. The best description I can give is a gun
metal color. The colostrum has no odor. Mother was treated for PIH with
MgSO4 x 24 hrs. post delivery and is currently on Phenobarbital. No other
significant history or medications. Mother was NPO for about 24 hours all
together before and after delivery so I don't think her diet is a factor. I
have searched the lactnet archives and found several references to dark
yellow or green colostrum but nothing about gray.  Has anyone out there
encountered anything like this before?  The OB is now involved and is
ordering cultures, sonograms, mamograms, and is generally alarmed. Since
the babies are still NPO I am maintaining a low profile here and trying to
gather as much info as I can.  I am encouraging mother to continue pumping
and have been collecting the colostrum and storing it in the nursery
fridge.  Any advice or input regarding this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.  Christine Foley, RN, IBCLC in Long Island, NY

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