Elisheva, and everyone else,
I am no mail myself at the moment but this post came before I pulled the
switch.  (I can still be reached by direct e-mail, I am just taking a break
from LN while on a course.)
A woman about to undergo chemotherapy for a limited time could certainly
continue to maintain her milk supply if she has the energy to do so.  How
much chemo she will need is uncertain.  It may be that she could resume BF
after the chemo, and it may not, but unless she maintains supply, the choice
will be heavily skewed in favor of permanent weaning.
Maintaining supply could give her a hopeful focus, provided she is able to
do the expressing without wearing herself out.

Chemotherapy as it is used to suppress organ rejection after transplants,
may be compatible with breastfeeding.  There is a growing body of data from
women with transplanted kidneys who breastfeed their babies despite taking
the chemo drug that kidney transplant patients use.  I worked with a mother
who had chronic glomerulonephritis, an autoimmune disorder, and was on
chemo, but breastfed her child with no ill effects.  I believe the doses are
higher when treating cancers, though.

Lack of breastfeeding is recognized as a risk factor for ovarian cancer, so
I would imagine that lactation is not harmful, but I am not an oncologist so
don't take my word for it.

I wish this mother the best.  Please keep us posted.
Rachel Myr
Kristiansand, Norway

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