Tammy, I am sending you a post (below) that I received in 1998. It tells
about a woman's dealing with leaking of an incision after surgery.

I had a client who had an abscess that was surgically removed and who had
leaking from the incision for a couple of weeks( not as much as the woman
in the story below). She used sanitary napkins to soak up the milk. The
opening was fully healed within about 2 1/2 weeks. The antibacterial
properties in breastmilk wash the site clean, protecting it from infection
better than if she were not leaking.

I have other posts from Lactnetters but I can't discover under what
subjects I filed them. They were all positive about the healing of an
incision after a week or two of leaking milk.

So assure the mother that her incision will heal and will heal more
effectively if she continues to feed on that side. Weaning could end with a
painful breast at best and an abcess at worst.

Pat Gima, IBCLC
Miwaukee, Wisconsin

_____________________________

When my son was 7 weeks old I found a pea-sized lump
fairly high up in my right breast. My mother had died of cancer while I
was
pregnant and my aunt was dying of breast cancer. I was sick with worry.
I
was booked to have the lump removed after a suspicious ultrasound
showing
solid particles within fluid in the lump. While I don't know that I
would do
anything different in hindsight, I want women to know about
complications
with surgery on the lactating breast. When the surgeon opened the breast
it
was immediately obvious that I simply had a galactocele - milk retention
cyst - probably caused by a blocked duct and no concern. Of course I was
greatly relieved! The surgeon tried to be very careful removing the cyst
as
to not damage ducts. Because the site was so high - about where the
clasp is
to undo the cup on the bra to nurse (maybe that's what caused it?) he
felt I
would not have any complications with breastfeeding. WRONG! By the next
day
I had a plum sized lump in the area of surgery - milk was backing up.
The
incision site opened in the centre the following day and began to leak
milk.
Every time I had a let down or nursed, milk was leaking from the
incision
site. The surgeon said that while risk of infection was likely low due
to
milk's inherent antibacterial properties, I would have to keep the site
clean and dry. This was next to impossible. I wore gauze pads taped over
the
site and changed them whenever they were wet...constantly. Night nursing
was
always wet. A week passed. The surgical site had healed leaving an open
hole
about 2 mm in diameter. It was determined that milk was backing up
through a
duct damaged in surgery and was taking the path of least resistance out
the
hole. I understand that this is called a "sinus tract". I was raw from
the
tape that held the dressing in place. Every time we nursed I would have
to
change the dressing and peel off the tape. A 2 month old nurses almost
constantly. The surgeon was dismissive. He said "wean - you'll never
heal -
and besides your baby has already reaped most of the benefits of
breastfeeding". I could have hit him! My son was only 2 months old!! I
think
I was in such shock that I didn't even answer him. I stumbled out of his
office. My mind was whirling but I knew that weaning wasn't a
possibility. I
went in search of my own information. I called La Leche League and spoke
to
a leader who was keen to help me find information and was encouraging. I
saw
and talked to 3 different lactation consultants, one an MD with special
interest in breastfeeding. She was angry that the surgeon had not
considered
a needle aspiration of the lump before surgery. She recommended that I
try
to wean to the other breast to reduce the pressure in that side, hoping
that
it might allow the hole to heal. If it worked I could relactate on that
breast later. I tried to wean to one breast. I tried cabbage leaves
which
didn't help me. That breast is my big producer and Sean's favorite. I
noticed little reduction in supply in spite of reducing the number and
length of Sean's nursings on that side. A let down to nurse even on the
other side still caused milk to gush from the hole. A week passed. I
gave up
trying to play around with my supply. I was resigned to nurse on both
breasts as long as I could hang in there. I was so greatful for being
able
to nurse Sean. He was a much longed for baby that came after many losses
and
almost 10 years after the birth of his sister. Nursing was so much a
part of
the way I mothered that I couldn't imagine not nursing my child. An
early
weaning for us would have been another huge loss and one that I was not
prepared to even consider. I was just going to take it one day at a
time.
And so I began. 2 weeks to the day of the incision splitting open I
noticed
the hole seemed smaller - by that night it was closed over. It healed!
25
months later I have an ugly scar and a happy nursing child! In some ways
I'm
proud of that scar - it's like a war wound that I earned. I have a story
to
tell about it, much like my grandpa proudly sharing stories about his
scars
to me as a child. It's a sign of the power of my body and a testament to
the
amazing breast! As for the surgeon, when I was healed I went back to
talk to
him. He said he still felt that he wouldn't have done anything different
if
he had it to do over again, but I think that was just to cover his ass.
I
took delight in showing him he was wrong about weaning and sat there
nursing
to prove it.
--
Carolyn, mom to Sean 2 and Brittany 11 years

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