Hey all,

Computer been down and family problems up, but I'm finally looking at some of
the digests and wanted to add some info on blanching.

I've worked with a fair number of these over the past 5 years or so, and have
found that most seem to be related to vasospasm.  This is the protocol I
follow (it was suggested by Mary Ann Neifert years ago):

Use alternative feeding methods with expressed breastmilk.
Pump for the first 24 hours.
Next day begin nursing every third feeing and pump the other feedings.
Next day nurse every other feeding
The next day return to full breastfeeding

This has been very successful for the moms that I have worked with, and lends
to the theory that this could be a extreme response to sudden suckling of a
newborn.  Maybe this could even be the reason, in a lesser way, to the normal
discomfort most new moms experience.

Along with this, I believe the allergy factor, mentioned in an earlier
posting, could only increase the likelihood of this vasospasm response and/or
the intensity of the episode.

Hope this info helps!

Barbara Heiser, RN, BSN, IBCLC