while my own experience is ancedotal I had a galactocele while nursing my second child.  I discoverd it when it was the size of a large egg, and was able to use massage and gentle pressure to reduce it to the size of a large grape.  We did ultrasound to confirm that it wasn't something more serious and within a few months (when my milk supply leveled out) it totally resolved on its own.

There was never any question of not feeding off that breast.

--
M. Green
Breastfeeding Counselor

-------------- Original message --------------
From: Gabriella Bass <[log in to unmask]>

> I have recently met with the mother of a 5-day old who asked me if she ca
> n
> BF using only one breast. Her reason for asking? Her doctor told her tha
> t
> 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 th
> e
> 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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