Breastfeeding may be beneficial for the health of both the infant and the mother. Research indicates that even a minimal amount of breastfeeding may decrease a woman’s risk of breast cancer by about 30%.
Breast cancer occurs in about 1 in 3,000 pregnancies. It’s the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer during pregnancy, after birth while breastfeeding, or within a year of delivery.
Diagnosing breast cancer during pregnancy or while a mother is lactating may be difficult because symptoms of breast cancer are often similar to those caused by nursing or inflamed breast tissue, including pain, redness and masses.
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Can you breastfeed with breast cancer?
If a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer while nursing, most physicians recommend that they stop breastfeeding. The good news is that breast cancer doesn’t harm an unborn baby. Though cancer can’t be passed to a baby, some of the treatments or medicines used to treat breast cancer conditions may be harmful to a nursing baby.
Chemotherapies, hormone therapies, and anesthesia administered during breast cancer treatments may be passed to a baby through breast milk.
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If surgery is needed, a doctor may recommend that breastfeeding be stopped. Ceasing to breastfeed may decrease blood flow to the breasts, making them smaller and easier to examine by a doctor.
Breastfeeding after surgery or radiation therapy is possible. Cancer treatments may decrease milk supply to the breast, but milk should still be able to be produced. If you want to breastfeed with breast cancer, talk to your doctor. They will tell you whether breastfeeding is safe based on the kind of treatment you’re getting.
Remember that common breast cancer symptoms to look for include:
A lump in your breast
Although not all stage 4 breast cancer includes large tumors, many women will still be able to feel or see a lump in their breast. The lump may be under the armpit or another surrounding area. Women with stage 4 breast cancer may also feel general swelling around their breast or armpit areas.
Red, swollen, or scaly skin on your breast or nipple
Some types of breast cancer may result in noticeable skin changes. Paget’s disease is a type of breast cancer that occurs in the nipple area. It is usually accompanied by tumors inside the breast. Paget’s disease may cause the skin to itch, tingle, turn red, or feel unnaturally thick. Some women also experience dry, flaky skin.
Inflammatory breast cancer may also cause skin changes. The cancer cells block lymph vessels, which causes redness, swelling, or dimpled skin.
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An inward-turning nipple
Nipple discharge may also be a symptom of any stage of breast cancer. Nipple discharge is any fluid that comes from the nipple, whether colored or clear. The fluid may also be yellow and look like pus. The discharge may even look bloody.
Changes in the shape or size of your breast
A breast may look and feel normal in the early stages of cancer, but during later stages, women may experience swelling in the breast area or under the affected arm. The normal flow of fluid is blocked, and a backup of fluid is caused.
This may cause changes in the shape or size of your breast. These changes may cause discomfort and pain as cancer grows and spreads throughout the breast.
A large tumor can grow into the skin and cause painful sores or ulcers. It can also spread into the chest muscles and ribs, causing discomfort and pain.
Protecting your breastfeeding child
You may choose to wean your baby off of breastmilk prior to beginning chemotherapy. Continuing to pump during chemotherapy and throwing away the milk is also an option. By pumping, you will continue to produce milk so you can resume breastfeeding once it’s safe to do so.
