Hi everyone,
    On the mammogram topic:  My friend just called today to say that she was
refused a mammogram since she is nursing her 4 year old twice a day.  This
Mom is 42 years old and was told that her lactating breasts were too dense to
read and would give them no information for even a baseline exam that she
wanted.   She hasn't found anything unusual in her breasts but has been
seeing a lot of Rosie O'Donnell's promotions on women getting mammograms done
and felt she should have one done too for the first time.  ( plus Rosie will
send you a t-shirt :)
    Dr's. tend to say when you're done nursing we'll do it.  I had a baseline
mammogram done at age 30 when I was nursing my 2 month old.  My own Mom had
been diagnosed with breast cancer at age 37 and then died when she was just
49.  The Dr. who read my mammogram was wonderful and was able to read my
dense, younger lactating breast film.  They told me what about when your'e
done nursing for the next one.  For many people, (like me) we nurse our
babies right into that next pregnancy so there is a long block of years where
we are always pregnant and/or nursing.  I could have been well past the age
of 37 (when my Mom was diagnosed) if I had decided to wait until I wasn't
breastfeeding anymore for a mammogram.

Sincerely,
Katie Constantino
N. Tonawanda, NY
MSEd., LLLL, WIC BF counselor (in case you wanted to know my initials :)
    Interesting call of the day: Mom told by a LC that she needs to do breast
compression and massage every time baby nurses to shorten feeding time, in a
"normal", gaining fine, mother happy with nursing frequency and duration,
baby.

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