Breastfeeding enhances the connection between a mother and her child while promoting nursing. This becomes rather more intricate for women who have had breast cancer. Tactics like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can alter the physiology of their breasts, which makes producing milk on the impacted side very difficult, if not impossible.
Simply put, women can still breastfeed on the unaffected side, and with the help of doctors and lactation consultants, they can find a fitting solution. These mothers need to ideally engage with their healthcare team to understand what options would work best for them.
According to the blog “Navigating Breastfeeding Post-Cancer: Expert Insights and Personal Stories,” evidence suggests that breastfeeding after treatment is safe and does not heighten the risk of the cancer returning. Other mothers’ Personal narratives depict that breastfeeding is an excellent way to connect with the child regardless of the challenges.
Breastfeeding After Cancer Treatment: How To Understand?
Conventional treatments may inhibit a mother from nursing her child effectively. For women who have breast cancer, the treatments they undergo impact their ability to lactate. After having a bilateral mastectomy, a woman is utterly incapable of nursing. She may, however, have undergone a unilateral mastectomy or “lump” removal.
Women are recommended to refrain from breastfeeding during chemotherapy due to the medicines transferring into the milk and affecting the baby adversely. Women are advised to stop breastfeeding when receiving this treatment. Radiation may also impact milk production; some women might be able to produce milk, but it may not suffice. Discussing breastfeeding challenges and treatment with the doctor is essential for the child’s well-being.
What Are The Key Research Findings?
Mothers and their infants can resume breastfeeding following breast cancer treatment, according to a study that was published recently. Dr. Alessandro Peccatori, a researcher on this issue, stated that women with a history of breast cancer can become mothers and breastfeed their kids without compromising their health. This optimism can come from two studies presented at the ESMO Congress 2024, which suggest that breastfeeding does not increase the relapse rates of the disease, even in ladies with unique genes known as BRCA.
A study on breastfeeding after treatment revealed that out of the women studied, close to 7.7% and 90.9% attempted to breastfeed after treatment. Doctors, lactation specialists, and mothers require motivation to breastfeed. These experts are essential to ensuring mothers’ confidence in feeding their babies.
What Difficulties Do Survivors Face?
Several women who have undergone breast cancer treatment wish to nurse their babies, but they encounter certain obstacles.
- Physical Obstacles: Some have trouble producing sufficient milk or have changed their breast structure due to surgery that affects how the baby can latch onto the breast. This tends to make breastfeeding more exhausting than it should be because they are often forced to use only one breast.
- Emotional Obstacles: The mental impact of cancer is equally detrimental and can be worrying, making women wonder if they will even be able to breastfeed. Others end up feeling low and anxious as they contemplate whether they will be able to feed their babies adequately.
- Unavailability of Assistance: Furthermore, other women may not receive the necessary support because they fail to receive proper advice from some doctors who may not be very supportive of breastfeeding after cancer treatment. Some doctors may believe that there is more harm than good in trying to produce breast milk after surgery, so a lot of women are left feeling inadequate. Those women must receive assistance and motivation from family and other caregivers so they may not feel alone in breastfeeding.
What Do Experts Recommend?
Healthcare workers need to assist mothers who are cancer survivors in their efforts to breastfeed. Some of these practical hints stem from the views of the specialists:
- Enhancing one-on-one Care: Since no two individuals are the same, healthcare professionals must offer specialized guidance. Identify the barriers that can be caused by specific cancer treatments and how they can be overcome.
- Moral Aid: Lactation consultancy services can enable mothers to learn breastfeeding practices efficiently. Emotional help from relatives or support groups can also go a long way in helping new mothers.
- Understanding Safely: This group of mothers should understand which drugs are contraindicated while nursing. They should, however, be advised that no treatment is too risky for them or the baby while breastfeeding, provided they get advanced consultation with their doctors.
Personal Stories: Triumphs and Trials
Women talking about trying to breastfeed after undergoing treatment for breast cancer portray the battles and triumphs they have to endure and fight after the treatment.
Story 1: The Journey Begins
A brave mother spoke about trying to breastfeed during her chemotherapy cycles, followed by a lumpectomy. Initially, much to her dismay, she thought she would not be able to produce milk, but her partner helped her pull through. She was able to succeed because she was willing to fight. “I was determined to try,” she says. “Every drop felt like a victory.” This reinforces how optimistic emotional support is for someone trying to send a loving message.
Story 2: Living With One Breast
One brave mother narrated her experiences of how she managed to breastfeed for 6 months while only having one breast due to cancer surgery. Although it seemed nearly impossible, she did manage to experience some of her child’s first breaths. “It was exhausting,” she admits. “But every time my baby latched on, it made all the hard work worth it.” Such stories only amplify how hard mothers can strive to provide a healthy life for their children.
Conclusion
Many mothers who seek to regain their health post-breast cancer treatment find breastfeeding comforting. Considering the growing evidence that supports its safety and its possibility, even healthcare providers should be encouraged to create a breastfeeding culture among survivors.
Women’s breastfeeding stories and research tend to evolve, and so should the aim of empowering saber survivors. With proper items, collections, and facilities, these women should be able to afford their motherhood aspirations with support and resources.
Breast cancer survivors are all unique; thus, the breastfeeding experience may vary from one woman to another. While it is true that understanding, support, and tenacity are needed when managing breastfeeding after having cancer, many women will find comfort in understanding and encouragement.
Sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7947020/
https://lactationmatters.org/2012/06/19/great-breastfeeding-blogs-to-read/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2714446/