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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

'crystals' in my (wife's) bra!

26 replies

retailgirl · 12/01/2009 22:41

Hi am posting this on behalf of my wife as she's in the midst of a feed, not long after being vomited over (not by me!).

She is concerned by small yellowish-white 'crystals' that have appeared in her bra in the past few hours, after removing her breast pads. It's between the pad surface and the bra itself. We think it's dried milk, but looks odd, like something from a chemistry set. She is concerned re possibility of something leaking/leaching from pads. Any comments/ideas?
James

OP posts:
SamJamsmum · 12/01/2009 22:43

How old is her baby? Dried colostrum looks exactly like crystals.

liahgen · 12/01/2009 22:43

agree woth samsmum

whomovedmychocolate · 12/01/2009 22:44

Were they by chance Lanisol pads? Some breast pads contain water absorbing crystals (the same as disposable nappies) which can leak out.

They are harmless!

TheInnocentBystander · 12/01/2009 22:44

Well I'm no expert but it sounds like the contents of the pads. Its the stuff that makes them absorbent (similiar to that in Sanitary towels. It goes like a gel/crystals when it meets liquid and friction against your Mrs' bra would have caused the pad to wear through and contents of pad spill out I imagine. Once they get wet you have to change them to stop it happening.

whomovedmychocolate · 12/01/2009 22:45

If you squeeze them they should squash and break up if they are water absorbing crystals. Or for fun, drop them in red wine and watch them swell to mega proportions (tis v dull round here in the evenings obv. )

ilovelovemydog · 12/01/2009 22:49

Think it's the silica they use in packaging.

(or fairy dust )

Original poster
retailgirl · 12/01/2009 22:51

Silica sounds bad - she goes beserk at the sightr of that stuff. I assume if its normal that the stuff comes through from friction the mfrs wouldnt allow it to be anything DANGEROUS - not Tommee Tippee- surely!? PS our Georgia is 8 weeks on weds so not colostrum, thanks.

OP posts:
whomovedmychocolate · 12/01/2009 22:54

Actually it's acrylic acid polymer salts (yeah that sounds reassuring ).

Tommee Tippee - yep they use the above.

ilovelovemydog · 12/01/2009 22:56

I stand corrected

whomovedmychocolate · 12/01/2009 22:57

Silica removes water.

Acrylic acid polymer salts are a smart material which change shape to accomodate fluid (a bit like a bloke in a bar!)

siriusmew · 12/01/2009 22:57

Think its quite safe. Like the stuff they put in nappies. Goes all squashy.

siriusmew · 12/01/2009 23:00

Oh just love my really intelligent post there when compared to the one above!!!

treedelivery · 12/01/2009 23:04

You'll find them in your childs armpits when you start having nappy explosions.
Guilt inducing yet hilarious when it happens.

whomovedmychocolate · 12/01/2009 23:07

Urgh tree delivery - I can honestly say I've never had that (we've had poo up the neck but it's never spread underarm - what manner of arm waving was your child doing to achieve this? - no don't tell me)

treedelivery · 12/01/2009 23:10

I may have simply failed to change a clearly sodden nappy and after that who knows!! I think they were under her chin too....
On the washables this time so will have to buck my ideas up!

bubbleymummy · 12/01/2009 23:11

I personally would switch bpads! I wouldn't want any of that gel stuff anywhere near where my DS could get it in his mouth! I used ones that were just lots of layers of cotton - no absorbant core and they worked fine.

whomovedmychocolate · 12/01/2009 23:12

Supermarket own brand ones tend to be gel free. Incidentally you do get to a point where you don't need them anymore (for me it's always about four months).

Or you can get washable ones (but they go all hard and nasty after a few spells through the machine). Personally I used fleece nappy liners folded in half. Very effective and can be bunged in wash with other things.

ilovelovemydog · 12/01/2009 23:15

Tree Delivery ! Overdue now?

chloejessmeg · 12/01/2009 23:17

I would switch to washable breast pads. Or some Lillypads?

Original poster
retailgirl · 12/01/2009 23:20

Brilliant - thanks! This site's great isn't it. Dad's should join in more

OP posts:
treedelivery · 12/01/2009 23:26

It's not everywhere you find outacrylic acid polymer salts and fleece wipes at this time of night!

39 weeks. Seem to be caught in some sort of slow moving time warp where I never get to be significantly nearer to giving birth....

madmouse · 12/01/2009 23:27

thanks for the opportunity to pmsl

obviously not much going on in this house either

ds started to sleep through, so i am still awake

ilovelovemydog · 12/01/2009 23:30

It's a groundhog day pregnancy!

Original poster
retailgirl · 13/01/2009 00:50

Hi - this is me rather than my dh as previous posts - thanks for the replies - they were lansinoh pads and it really gave me a shock as I didn't like the idea of getting anything nasty in her mouth. Will switch brands as these seem to be super leaky

OP posts:
whomovedmychocolate · 13/01/2009 09:34

Go for the cheapest you can find - Sainsburys has a third off all baby stuff till Thursday so theirs are good value at the minute - cheap ones don't last as long but don't have the nasty stuff in either