There is no reason not to encourage a mother to breastfeed after a
lumpectomy. It is quite possible that one or more ducts have been severed
as a function of the surgery, but each breast has numerous ducts. I have
worked with seeral mothers who have had lumpectomy (others following
mastectomy) and mastitis was no more likely to occur with them than with
mothers whose breasts were intact.
Tell the mom to go for it and stay in close touch with an LC who can follow her.
Def. of LC service: "We are all faced with a series of great opportunities
brilliantly disguised as impossible situations."
Kathleen G. Auerbach,PhD, IBCLC - [log in to unmask]