Esther asked about resources for weaning with the threat of breast cancer and surgery.  I helped a mother of a 12 month old last year with a similar situation.  Her baby nursed to sleep and nursed frequently all night long, and this particular mom was very apprehensive about abrupt weaning and the loss of their close relationship.  In this case, chemo was first and surgery and radiation followed.  As we thought about it and investigated the chemo regimen and particular drugs the mother needed to take and the length of the treatment cycles, it was clear the baby could not safely drink her milk for an extended period of time.  So the baby had to be weaned abruptly, but the mom did not have to stop lactating abruptly.  This mom opted to nurse fully as long as possible, until the day her chemo started.  Then she gradually reduced pumping/expressing her milk over a period of time.

The abrupt weaning of the baby went better than anticipated.  The first night was hard, but the mom found she could walk the baby to sleep instead of nursing to sleep.  They still slept together and maintained their very close connection with baby wearing and other means.  There was strong support from the family: husband, mom’s parents and siblings, etc.  Donor milk was available also.  it still was very tough.  This mom is doing well a year later.

Suggestions are to wear clothing to bed that makes it hard to access the breast, so that the bedsharing baby doesn’t accidentally get latched on while mom is asleep and not aware of it.  

There is a helpful web site on rapid weaning at  http://nativemothering.com/2012/08/rapid-weaning-for-emergency-situations/ <http://nativemothering.com/2012/08/rapid-weaning-for-emergency-situations/>

And a good resource is "Young Survival Coalition: Young Women Facing Breast Cancer Together."  
See their web site at https://www.youngsurvival.org
Look at the section on "Understanding Treatment" and especially the “Newly Diagnosed Treatment Navigator” at https://www.youngsurvival.org/breast-cancer-in-young-women/living-with-breast-cancer/treatment
It has downloadable logs to take to appointments, with spaces for writing down names of doctors, recommendations, test results, medications, questions, etc. at a time when people are feeling very stressed and overwhelmed.
Lots of information.  Many, many stories of other young women in their 20s and 30s facing breast cancer diagnosis.

I’m sorry to respond to the request so late, but my husband had hip replacement surgery last week, came home from the hospital the very next day, and needs a lot of care and help.  I am the rehab nurse, and got way behind on everything else.

Anne Altshuler, RN, MS, IBCLC, LLLL
Madison, WI, USA
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> Date:    Tue, 10 May 2016 13:30:30 -0400
> From:    Esther Reich <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
> Subject: Breastfeeding and breast surgery
> 
> PTP. A close friend of mine is being worked up for breast cancer right now.
> She is 35 years old and is currently breastfeeding her 11mo daughter. At
> her appointment for the biopsy (of the breast mass and swollen lymph node),
> the surgeon advised her to wean in preparation for surgery. Based on her
> ultrasound results, the mass is highly suspicious of cancer, which is why
> the surgeon was preparing her for the likelihood of surgery. The biopsy
> results will be back in about a week and if positive for cancer, she will
> get genetic testing and an MRI. If the genetic tests reveal BRCA 1 or 2,
> she will be advised to get a double mastectomy.
> 
> My question is this: if she does NOT end up needing a double mastectomy, is
> it ok for her to just wean from the affected breast and continue
> breastfeeding from the unaffected breast? I realize that if she has to get
> chemo, she will no longer be able to breastfeed.
> 
> I would appreciate any feedback or anticipatory guidance that I could give
> my friend. We are all in shock about the possibility of cancer and she is
> feeling very sad about having to wean her daughter sooner than she wanted
> to. Her daughter is sick right now and is wanting to comfort nurse a lot,
> so it is feeling especially hard to try to wean her. Do you think she has
> to do this? Is it ok for her to wait for the bx results? Or would surgery
> likely happen soon after the results, giving her less time to wean? Does
> she have to wean from the unaffected breast? What should she expect in
> terms of how soon she would go home (ie., how many days' worth of milk she
> should have stored up for baby while they are apart). I don't have
> experience with this kind of thing, so would appreciate hearing from those
> of you who do and how I can best support my friend in this.
> 
> Thank you,
> 
> Esther Reich, RN, BSN, CLC
> 




> Date:    Fri, 13 May 2016 17:06:13 -0400
> From:    Esther Reich <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
> Subject: weaning and breast surgery
> 
> Thanks for your responses regarding my friend. Kika, that discussion you
> mentioned sounds very interesting . . The surgeon told her that the
> presence of milk would increase the risk of infection post-op. Is this true?
> 
> Esther Reich, RN, BSN, CLC

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