Breastfeeding/Lactation Consultant

YIKES!! Hopefully I can help so this doesn't continue..........more

http://boards2.parentsplace.com/messages/get/ppbreastfeeding600/47/2.html

And some reasons for recurrent plugs:

1)Infection, (yeast and/or bacterial) causes inflammation in the ducts and can lead to narrowing and a tendency toward plugs. So a trip or call to the doctor may be in order to see if infection is involved and for treatment if needed.

2)Persistant breast compression in the plugged area such as a too tight bra, baby carrier straps, holding the baby against that area frequently, squeezing the breast when you are supporting it or compressing the breast to create an airway for the baby's nose (not necessary anyway).

3)Breast milk oversupply can increase your risk b/c of the perpetual back up of milk in the breast. Treating oversupply can reduce the risk.

4)Having a plug makes you vulnerable to more (in general) b/c it may deform the duct a bit in the area of the original plug making a spot that is more prone to clogging so you need to be especiallly careful to keep the area flowing after a plug resolves.

5)Anything that inhibits the baby's ability to adequately drain the breast such as poor position and latch or any suck dysfunction.

5)Sudden changes, usually a reduction, in the amount the baby is breastfeeding. These changes may be related to mom's return to employment outside the home, the introduction of solids, the onset of longer sleep stretches, or illness in the baby that makes the baby want to bf less.

6)Breast surgery of any type may be make women more vulnerable to plugs b/c of areas where ducts might have been damaged or cut.

7)Vigorous upper body exercise may make some women more vulnerable to plugs.

Some women find that in addition to being very careful to keep the milk flowing from the affected breast, it is a help to reduce the amount of saturated fat in their diet and take lethicin.

Hope this helps you to resolve your plugs better and keep them away permenantly.

Warmly Kathy

HELP!!! My 8 wk old has not had a BM in 5 days. I talked to the dr (m)

not kathy but my 2 cents..it is very common for bf babies to go days in between poopy diapers...

HTH, I know that may not be what you wanted to hear.

Shauna

AF ? when she returns PP does she then come regularly...(m)

Anyway, the day before I figured she was to return (CD 31) DH & I has unprotected intercourse-thinking that according to Natural Family Planning we were well out of the baby zone. I even had fertile CF around day 17 like a usual p-b cycle. Well the intercourse was 14 days ago & I have been haveing fertile CF for the past 10 days, but no AF.

My main question, besides does this make any sense, is this: Once AF returns, can she stay away for long periods of time again, or is she her old self again?

We were thinking of TTC in about 3mos so being PG now wouldn't be bad, but just unexpected. I had hoped DS would be closer to 2 before another.

Thanks for your help! Jess & Elijah