I have recently met with the mother of a 5-day old who asked me if she can 
BF using only one breast.  Her reason for asking? Her doctor told her that 
she cannot BF with her left breast that has 2 very large (size of 
oranges) "milk filled lumps" - I assume he diagnosed them as 
galactoceles.  She would like to breast feed with both breasts, if it is 
safe.  

This is her third child and with every pregnancy she has developed cysts 
the size of a quarter.  In the past she has breastfed successfully and the 
lumps have gone away after nursing.  In this case, the cyst grew and grew 
through pregnancy and after birth the doctor biopsied determining that is 
was nothing harmful and merely "filled with milk".  He noted that this is 
very rare.  The lumps do not cause her pain, but are so large that they 
have flattened out the nipple area so that her baby cannot latch on.   

Can she pump to remove the fluid and then nurse on that breast, or should 
she wean off that breast feed from only one side?

Also, is there something she should do during her next pregnancy to 
prevent the quarter sized cyst from developing into a galactocele.

Thank you,
Gabriella

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