Jean, mammograms are perfectly safe to do anytime while you are nursing. You will probably be asked to nurse your baby right before the exam, because the more drained you are, the easier it is for technicians to read. Because pumping is fairly inefficient, nursing your baby beforehand is your best bet.
What your first baby experienced could have been several things. It's possible you had an oversupply or strong let-down which overwhelmed your baby. If that was the case, that condition is easily treatable. You simply let the first letdown occur in a towel and then let the baby latch on. You also need to switch breasts less often in order to lessen the supply of foremilk. Were your baby's diapers green or frothy during the first month? That would be another clue.
I strongly suggest you get a good lactation consultant lined up before the birth. You need one that will look into what happened the first time around. I highly suggest looking for the IBCLC credentials.
As for pesticides and problems in milk, there is a wealth of data showing the advantages of breastmilk over formula. Although the level of pesticides in milk is *not* a good thing, there is nothing to link what your first baby experienced with them. You may also be surprised to know that simply by nursing your first baby for a month, you've already reduced the levels of any dangerous toxins in your milk.
You may be relieved to know that a recent study in Mexico showed that only 5% of mothers had levels of toxins in their milk exceeding the WHO's guidelines (and the WHO still recommends breastfeeding despite those levels). Many of these mothers had a high consumption of salted meats and fishes and lived in agricultural areas. I think this is encouraging news for the US, where our agricultural system has long been under some regulation.
| © 1999 Paula Bobbett Last Update: May 16, 1999 | |