Question: I have a suspicious looking mole on my left areola that I have to have removed May 8th. Breastfeeding has been going very well and I wonder if I will be able to continue to bf. Is it possible to feed on just the right until the left heals? I’m not sure how long it will take to heal or how sore it will be.
If I am unable to continue what is the best way to wean her? I have about 8, 5oz bottles of frozen breast milk. I was thinking if I have to switch to formula to slowly add it to her breast milk.
Breastfeeding After Surgery
Many women go on to breastfeed successfully after breast surgery. Whether or not a woman is able to continue breastfeeding after surgery, to some extent depends on the surgeon and whether or not he was able to preserve the milk ducts. However, in this case, it is a mole being removed from the surface. Since the milk ducts are further back into the breast tissue, the doctor will not be cutting deep enough to affect them. There is no reason you shouldn’t be able to breastfeed after having the spot removed.
What To Do About Pain
Just because you can breastfeed, doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be painful though! However, you do have a few options. First of all, go ahead and talk to your doctor and ask for stronger pain medication to take while you’re breastfeeding. It is safe. After all, women who have had c-sections take pain medication after delivering. Time your taking the medication so that it is hitting its peak right about the time when you’re supposed to feed. Taking the pain medication would be the easiest and best thing to do in this situation.
Another temporary measure you can take is to feed from one side and to pump or hand express from the other. Use your stored bottles to feed your baby if you have to. Do this only if you’re too sore to even think about breastfeeding your baby–even witht he pain medication. Doing this for a few days can cause plugged ducts on the one side you’re not feeding on, and it will take awhile to get everything back to normal. Do this if the pain is simply unbearable–even with the medication.
You can also use a nipple shield. I do not recommend using nipple shields long term as they have a tendency to decrease supply. But we’re really talking about a few days here and I imagine that using one might make it just bearable enough without adversely affecting your supply long term.
As an aside, I would suggest starting to pump once every morning between now and then. This can help you build up a supply to use while you’re incapacitated.
Valorie Delp shares recipes and kitchen tips in the food blog, solves breastfeeding problems, shares parenting tips, and current research in the baby blog, and insight, resources and ideas as a regular guest blogger in the homeschooling blog. To read more articles by Valorie Delp, click here.
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