I've just come online and the first subscription was to LACTNET! I'm a staff nurse and IBCLC in an LDRP unit in Pittsburgh, PA. One of our OBs is working with a 6 week postpartum mom of 2 children who developed a large breast abcess on her right breast at 3 weeks postpartum. The abcess was drained, with a 5 cm incision just behind the edge of the areola on the top of the breast. Since the surgery, a fistula has formed under the incision and milk is leaking/dripping/freely flowing from this incision site (which actually appears to be healed). The mother does not want to wean but her surgeon has suggested this as a way to dry up the breasts and allow the fistula to close and heal. If the mother nurses only on the left breast and provides no direct stimulation to the affected breast (nursing or pumping) will the right breast eventually involute? Milk is still being removed from the right breast through leaking. Since breast milk has antiinfective properties, is there a great risk of infection while this fistula remains open? The mother is willing to put up with the mess and inconvenience of having this milk draining if it will evenually stop without her weaning from the left breast. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions, either to Lactnet or directly to me at [log in to unmask] Now back to reading the digests! Martha ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com