I received a call from a pregnant woman today and could use your collective
wisdom to assist her.  This woman is 40 years old and due with her first
baby in April.  She was born with a hemomangioma on her left nipple.  When
she was a young girl, she received a direct application of radium on that
nipple.  She reports that this stopped the growth of the hemomangioma and
left layers of flaky scar tissue (no visible nipple).  During her pregnancy
all of the flakiness has disappeared.  She now has flecks of brown pigment
resembling normal areolar tissue.  At puberty both of her breasts developed
normally.  She has noticed an increase in size of both breasts during
pregnancy.  She wants to know if she will be able to lactate off the
affected breast.  One doctor has already told her that nursing is out of the
question.  I assured her that she would be able to nourish a baby off just
one breast, if the radiated nipple never developed openings for the milk to
pass through.  What type of further test could she pursue to determine if
nursing on that side is possible?  Any other suggestions on our approach to
nursing when the baby arrives?

Thanks!
Janet Talmadge, IBCLC, LLL Leader
Naperville, IL