Guest guest Posted August 2, 2010 Report Share Posted August 2, 2010 Permission to post.... I have a client who is exclusively pumping, who says that she has noticed that the amount of nipple openings has decreased. She states that she used to notice more that four streams of milk and now only has 1 really good stream. She has increased the amount of time she spends at the pump so that she can fully drain her breasts, but now her nipples are swollen. I have never heard of nipple openings closing up....what is going on here? Could it be a let-down issue, since she is feeling pain from the pump? I recommended for her to get a larger pump flange and to reduce the amount of time during each pumping session. I was also going to share some information about slow let-down reflex. Is there anything else she can do to open up those closed nipple openings? Thanks you!!! Robin Kaplan, M.Ed., IBCLC, RLC San Diego Breastfeeding Center, LLC www.sdbfc.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2010 Report Share Posted August 2, 2010 Is her baby able to breastfeed at all? Or another baby? the sandpaper-ishness of the human tongue is important for breast health for the lactating woman, other methods are helpful, but nothing works quite as well as the human tongue, with a proper latch > > > > I have a client who is exclusively pumping, who says that she has noticed that the amount of nipple openings has decreased. She states that she used to notice more that four streams of milk and now only has 1 really good stream. She has increased the amount of time she spends at the pump so that she can fully drain her breasts, but now her nipples are swollen. I have never heard of nipple openings closing up....what is going on here? Could it be a let-down issue, since she is feeling pain from the pump? > > I recommended for her to get a larger pump flange and to reduce the amount of time during each pumping session. I was also going to share some information about slow let-down reflex. Is there anything else she can do to open up those closed nipple openings? > > Thanks you!!! > > Robin Kaplan, M.Ed., IBCLC, RLC > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2010 Report Share Posted August 2, 2010 Dee has a great memory! She has combined several different posts on this topic (some of which were mine, some not). Her suggestions seem very reasonable, though the mother I worked with had no trouble with decreased flow. Interestingly, the original "crusty nipples" mother I posted pictures of had a new baby last week. I'm interested to see what happens! Becky IBCLC Milky Way Re: Blocked nipple openings Hello, Robin. I think it was this list and I think it was Becky??? Someone posted a photo of a woman with thickened skin on the nipples. No report of lowered milk flow, but I'm wondering just the same if the thickness might not eventually close off a nipple pore. Becky (??--so sorry if I'm not remembering the right person to give credit to), suggested that the nipple is naturally exposed to sloughing of the skin between baby's tongue and palate, but that this doesn't happen when mothers exclusively pump. She recommends to everyone she works with who is exclusively pumping that they gently rub the nipples with a wash cloth in the shower each day and that seems to help keep the thickening from occuring. Perhaps this would help the mother you are working with. Also, Medihoney is a natural exfoliant. It is pricey, but less expensive than formula if this mother can't get the milk out of her breast. Perhaps it would be worth it for her to try using Medihoney several times a day for a few days and see if that helps open things up? Dee Kassing I have a client who is exclusively pumping, who says that she has noticed that the amount of nipple openings has decreased. She states that she used to notice more that four streams of milk and now only has 1 really good stream. She has increased the amount of time she spends at the pump so that she can fully drain her breasts, but now her nipples are swollen. I have never heard of nipple openings closing up....what is going on here? Could it be a let-down issue, since she is feeling pain from the pump?I recommended for her to get a larger pump flange and to reduce the amount of time during each pumping session. I was also going to share some information about slow let-down reflex. Is there anything else she can do to open up those closed nipple openings?Thanks you!!!Robin Kaplan, M.Ed., IBCLC, RLC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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