Dear Kerrie,

One of my fondest memories of my very early LC career was helping a mom with a mastectomy nursing her first child.  Her nipple was badly cracked and she was in terrible pain, but desperately wanted to breastfeed this baby.  I helped her to rent a pump, she weaned for about 4 days, then gradually resumed nursing and went on to breastfeed the child for over a year.  Several years later, she became pregnant again.  The same thing happened - cracked nipple, temporarily off the breast (with pumping) then back to breast for a long and enjoyable breastfeeding relationship.  We never did figure out exactly why her nipple cracked - everything looked and felt (digitally) OK.  I can't remember if the babies ever got any formula - I think they only got her pumped milk.  But anyways, I have always wondered how she did in the long run, if the cancer ever returned.  She got pregnant against her doctors recommendations.  She and her husband were Italian, working at a local university and I believe they returned to Italy eventually.  She was a lovely woman and cooked me some wonderful Italian food for lunch one day during a consultation.
Warmly,
Sharon Knorr, BSMT, ASCP, IBCLC
Newark, NY (near Rochester on Lake Ontario)
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