Breastfeeding after core biopsy

Hello...I had a core biopsy performed on my breast this morning, and I was wondering if any other breastfeeding mothers have had this done. If you have, how soon after the procedure were you able to breastfeed? Was there any supply problem with that breast? How did you deal with engorgement?

My incision was very close to the nipple and I know I can't breastfeed yet on that side; just the let-down while feeding on the other side is very painful. Also, I bled profusely and don't want to aggravate it. However, I don't want my milk to dry up on that side!

By the way, my son is just about 13 months old, and is eating solids and drinking cow's milk in the day, but is accustomed to nursing at night. I plan to allow him to self-wean, if possible.

Please share your experiences.   Thanks!

I recently had a core biopsy (2-3 weeks ago), however the needle was not close to my nipple. I had the local anesthesia, but did not take medication for the anxiety since I was nursing. I did not know how it would interact with my breast milk and supply.

I had some bleeding and was instructed by the on call provider to lay on my opposite side and put pressure on the site with a cold compress.

I nursed the same day that I had my biopsy.

If you are engorged, you may want to try to hand express or pump if there is little to no pain. I would recommend a hot shower, but I know I was instructed not to shower for 24 hours.

Sorry I'm not more help  

Quoting Ali*24:“ I recently had a core biopsy (2-3 weeks ago), however the needle was not close to my nipple. I had the ... [snip!] ... no pain. I would recommend a hot shower, but I know I was instructed not to shower for 24 hours. Sorry I'm not more help  ”

Wow, they offered medication for anxiety? They didn't offer me any...though I wouldn't have taken it anyway.  

I can't really express any milk...the breast and nipple area are very swollen and bruised (though it does leak when I nurse on the other side, so I suppose that offers some relief). The procedure took an hour and a half instead of 20 minutes because they spent so much time trying to stop the bleeding! They've ordered me not to go to work or lift the baby for 2 days. I've been putting little bags of frozen peas on in my bra, but I've run out.   And you're right...I can't shower yet.

Did it hurt when you nursed? I'm not afraid of experiencing pain, but I'm concerned that it's not supposed to hurt and something went wrong...

Thanks so much for answering!

Quoting ‡ †aþárw€n ‡:“ Wow, they offered medication for anxiety? They didn't offer me any...though I wouldn't have taken it ... [snip!] ... experiencing pain, but I'm concerned that it's not supposed to hurt and something went wrong... Thanks so much for answering!”

It did not hurt at all when I nursed. I was very careful because the site where I had the biopsy was still a bit sore.

I found information on the LLL website about this -- another mother gave her account of nursing after a biopsy and said she experienced no pain to feed. This gave me confidence that I could do it and tried. It was fine.

Could you gently let your baby latch? Try for a minute or so and if it hurts give him the other side?

If it hurts tonight, I bet it wont hurt to at least pump tomorrow. If you have been feeding well for 13 months, one night of not expressing most likely won't effect your supply.

Time to be nosy -- was this just a routine biopsy for a lump? How is everything going?

Here is the article that I found. I actually printed it and brought it with me --
http://www.llli.org/NB/NBJanFeb97p20.html

My lump is a lactating fibro adenoma, which is quite common in nursing/lactating mothers.

Quoting Ali*24:“ It did not hurt at all when I nursed. I was very careful because the site where I had the biopsy was ... [snip!] ... most likely won't effect your supply. Time to be nosy -- was this just a routine biopsy for a lump? How is everything going?”

Haha...I don't think my son knows how to latch gently.   You know, I just realized the steri-strips are also covering up half of the nipple, which may cause a problem since I'm supposed to let them fall off on their own...well, I'll take your advice and try to let him latch on anyway (though I think I'll wait until tomorrow!).

And thanks for putting it in perspective--you're right about one night not being detrimental.

Nosy nosy! But then again, I suppose that's why so many viewers peeped in anyway...   Last Monday I felt a lump and had a low grade fever, so I thought I had a blocked milk duct. I spent days massaging, using compresses, pumping, nursing, taking lecithin, etc., but it would not go away and kept getting more painful. I visited the lactation center, but they felt it and thought that it wasn't a blocked duct after all, so they sent me to radiology last Friday. They performed an ultrasound and a mammogram, and the doctor who analyzed them said he had never seen anything like it before. It looks almost like a cyst surrounded by a tumor...and it is growing. So they scheduled me for a core biopsy today, and here I am. No fluid came out, so they don't think it's a cyst, but I won't really know what it is for 3-5 days (if they can figure it out at all) or whether it's benign or malignant.

Anyway, thanks again for your replies...I'm going to bed!  

Quoting ‡ †aþárw€n ‡:“ Haha...I don't think my son knows how to latch gently.   You know, I just realized the steri-strips ... [snip!] ... for 3-5 days (if they can figure it out at all) or whether it's benign or malignant. Anyway, thanks again for your replies.  ”

Please don't worry yourself waiting for your results.

I had the same symptoms that you described. Lump, growing, fever. I also thought it was a clogged duct and mastitis since I was also getting a little sick to my stomach when I nursed that side. The mass didn't go away, so I had more medical tests done.

My doctor actually said the same exact thing to me -- "I haven't seen anything like this". No fluid came out of mine, either.

Not saying it is definitely the same thing, but there is a good chance that it has sprung from the changes in your breast during nursing.

Good luck! Please update when you get the results!

Quoting Ali*24:“ Please don't worry yourself waiting for your results. I had the same symptoms that you described. ... [snip!] ... chance that it has sprung from the changes in your breast during nursing. Good luck! Please update when you get the results!”

Strangely, I'm not that concerned; I'm more interested in it from a scientific standpoint...I think I must be the only person in history to laugh during a biopsy.  

I have developed some complications. I was unable to pump or nurse due to the location of the incision. Of course, I became very engorged and developed some swelling, redness and bruising. The redness was odd--it was a 3-inch diameter circle that was clearly delineated by the swelling. Because of that, I was worried about infection, so I went to urgent care last night. The doctor said that now I really do have blocked ducts, so she told me to express the milk by hand.

I went home and began the process, when some bloody milk started leaking from the incision site. The advice nurse said to keep expressing the milk anyway and to call the radiologist who performed the biopsy this morning. However, I couldn't get the ducts freed. Well, the steri-strip came off in the shower, and while I was expressing a clump of milk came out of the incision. That started the draining process! I am now leaking milk out of the incision...lots of dried milk and blood clots. So, I started expressing through the incision instead and was finally able to get it mostly emptied. It's a pretty gory scene around here though...

The radiologist said to talk to the lactation center again, because they're more knowledgeable about breastfeeding. Unfortunately they never called me back, so I'm just going to keep expressing and hope they call Monday! Luckily it doesn't hurt as much anymore.  

It's benign.

Congrats! That's good news to hear.