Lump in Breast - Breastfeeding My 13 Month Old

Well you should go get a mammogram and I believe you should stop brestfeeding since she is a year old. Some people take their kids off the bottle at a year old and only give the sippy cups. Well Good Luck.

Ifound my first lump at 20 yrs old, stay calm, this could be a fibroid cyst and nothing to worry about. I am a medical assistant and have had fibroid cystics since i was 20 with vit.E EASY ON THE caffeine it will not go away but it does help with the soreness

I actually had the same thing BEFORE I delivered. I freaked out and told my OB about it. It was not super painful, just uncomfortable but looked like I had a hard boiled egg in my armpit. He told me it was a clogged milk duct and that it wouldn't go away until I stopped nursing. He assured me it was not anything to be alarmed about and fairly common. I am pregnant again and was still nursing my first when I got pregnant. It is smaller, but just recently started to ache again. Maybe that is it??? Might be worth looking into.

For your peace on mind, if I were you, I would request a mammogram. Although the probably of it being something serious is slim, I would have it done. Then you don't have to worry about it. I am a certified Mammographer, don't leave anything to chance. God Bless!

Please be assertive for yourself with your doc and don't accept a lot of 'wait and see' or 'you're too young', 'it's because you're nursing' etc. For your own peace of mind, get it thoroughly checked out. Mammogram, second opinion, something to rule out the bad stuff. Good luck!

It may be just an infection of the glands but, considering that your daughter is already over a year, it would be better to stop breastfeeding and have it checked. This is coming from a health professional with first hand experience (in the family) with breast cancer.

Hope that helps.

Hi C.,

I would agree with weening your daughter. If the lump is bothering you don't settle with the first opinion. I had a similar situation. My doctor did not think anything of my lump but my gut said otherwise. It could just be a fibroid cyst or clogged duct. However, don't assume it can't be more because of your age.

I hope you find the answer you are looking for, the main thing is don't worry. Do what it takes to calm your nerves.

For me it was a clogged duct. It was in the same area as yours...same symptoms. Some days it HURT and other days it would be fine. mine was a little larger than a pea...

I was told to use a warm compress on my breast and soak in the tub. To breastfead often and or pump and massage the area to help work it self out.

Yes, it did go away after i stopped breastfeeding.

I nursed 2 kids for a collective 3 years and what you described sounds like a clogged duct. I got mastitis only once and that's what can happen if you don't relieve the clog. (Mastitis feels like you have the Flu). If you pump, do so more - much more - like every hour. If you're just nursing, you can relax, take a warm bath and try to self express with your hands (that worked for me when sometimes I couldn't let down with the pump). Also, it helped to massage the breast gently and use warm compresses. It will go away, hopefully within a day.

Don't forget that when you nurse/pump more, your body thinks that the baby is needing more nourishment and will therefore make more milk. So, just because it goes away, doesn't mean you need to go back to just nursing on demand. Let your body adjust back to normal easily and gradually decrease the frequency again...

Hi C.,

I too had this same aching in what sounds like the same spot. It did go away a little while after I stopped nursing. I also had mastitous (don't know the spelling) twice and it was much more painful. I would randomly get knots in my breast while nursing too. Some were painful, some not. I hope all turns out well with you.

Warm Regards,
C.

THIS HAPPENED TO ME, YES!!!!!! AND I HAD A LUMP AFTER I HAD A CLOGGED DUCT (NOT RIGHT TOGETHER THOUGH) SO I HAVE EXPERIENCED BOTH!

Why didn't your dr. order a sonogram of your breast? My dr. did and it showed the mass as just being more fiberous tissue, maybe a slight cyst-which is normal. My dr. said this type of stuff can pop up anytime to anyone and is often brought on by hormonal changes such as monthly cycle, breastfeeding, pregnancy, menopause, etc. SHE NEVER TOLD ME TO STOP NURSING but was adiment (sp?) that I get the scan!!!!
I would not stop nursing just yet if you don't want to until you know something more. Why did he/she not order sonogram of your breast tissue-it is easy, non-invassive, and on the cheaper side and will be covered by insurance since it is a medical need? If you don't want to stop nursing (cause once you stop, you prob. can't start again) but want answers, I would ASK for one or go to another dr. And most cysts go away on their own with no need to HAVE to stop nursing if you don't want to! Many women experience them often with on-again-off-again periods that come and go with their normal monthly cycles. Actually, as I recall, my dr. first had me wait a mos. after the scan and she checked to see if it had changed any and it had-still there, but smaller. The next time, it was gone.

And by the location you described, IT MOST CERTAINLY CAN BE A CLOGGED DUCT as well-that is where my clogged duct was located!

I would get the scan, but also, to help your pain and help see if it is a clogged duct, do the following: Always start nursing with the sore breast first. When you nurse, push (with a flat palm) in on the area of the "lump" at the "base" of your breast (inside your arm pit)! Continue the pressure there for a while-steady, firm and slightly getting more firm/adding more pressure. Then, with the same amount of pressure (not to much, not to little) gently massage or stroke toward your nipple-that will help drain the ducts in that area. If there is any releif in amount of pain to the lump or the area of the lump after you are done nursing, it could def. be a clogged duct. (Am I making any sense here?)

Anyways, I'm mainly saying-don't jump to conclussions and quite nursing if you don't want to stop nursing without knowing your information yet cover your basis (you can get breast cancer as young as 18-I know-my family friend did at 18)! I do know first hand about both lumps/cycts and clogged ducts, so if you want to personal message me, feel free! Maybe I can talk you through how I dealt with it and how it all worked out for me! I'm no expert (and don't claim to be), but I nursed 2 kids (mine are 1 and almost 3) and had a cyst, so I've been in your "boat"!

BEST OF LUCK!
T.

I would say get a second opinion. Or go see a specialist. Someone who specializes in detecting cancer. I would not ignore this. I say this only because cancer runs closely in my family and anything like that I would not chance it. Better safe than sorry! And if it is cancerous early detection is always best. Not trying to scare you or anything, but I say if your gut says it is something else, well seek a second opinion.

Oh dear, but I wouldn't stop nursing if I were you (how great that you've gone this long). I had this happen A LOT with my second child... I had a lump appear under my armpit and it scared me to death. My OB said it was a plugged milk duct from nursing and that it would go away on its own. It did. My sister reminded me that the same thing happened to her, but hers was the size of a large grape! It went away on it's own also. Mine come and go, sometimes they hurt, sometimes they don't. I've never stopped nursing (baby is 12 mos today!) or changed my nursing schedule. I actually remember hearing that the best thing you can do for a plugged milk duct is nurse and use a warm compress. I also think you should get a second opinion. I wish you all the best and many years of perfect health! :-) Please let us know how it goes...

Best regards, M.

When I breast fed my daughter I got lumps all the way up in my arm pit and I went to the doctor. He said it was nothing to worry about it was from breast feeding and it would go away. Yes they were very sore at times but after stopping breast feeding they did go away. Not right away but they did go away.

One other thing to add to the already great advice is to balance your hormones. I did this through Dr. Steve Homoky, an acupuncturist in Plano who is trained in Body Restoration Technique. It's an energetic balancing, so you don't have to stop nursing if you don't want to. You aren't ingesting anything, so it won't be transferred to your baby. I did this AFTER my bout with breast cancer, and really wish I would have known about it before. My mood swings literally vanished! It was 5 easy treatments, though you would need to find a sitter for your daughter since you have to lie still for 20-30 minutes with needles in you. His number is ###-###-####. He's who I go to for all of my allergy-related needs, too, since he also does the NAET treatments. Good luck!

Oh, and consider lymphatic drainage massage. That helps me when I get those feelings under the arm.

Hi, I just turned 35 and I have had breast pain and lumps and knots for several years and they do ache and somtimes really hurt. I have had 4 mamagrams and breast sonograms and they tell me they cant even see the lumps I am teling them about even though my dr and the mamagram tech felt them herself. they could not see them in the sono's or the mamo's

My dr says he feels like they are fybroids and told me that fibroids can be very painful. But he did want me to go to a breast specialist to be sure and said that the breast specialist could probably know what to do about the pain if it is just fibroid tissues.

He also told me to take Evening of Primrose oil (I think thats what it was)and to lay off caffine.

I admit I have not gotten a chance to go the the breast specialist yet but I will go soon.

I will tell you that if you are breast feeding you will probably not be able to get an accurate mamogram results because of the breast milk. so you should skip all that and go to a specialist and see what she reccomends.(I would go to a woman who actually has breasts and knows what you are talking about, men just don't get it)

good for you for keeping up with it and if you are concerned then get it checked out for sure. but I wouls try to get an appointment with a breast specialist and see what she recommends before you stop breast feeding if you desire to keep breast feeding longer. it may be a clogged duct and it just feels different then the others have. I would try cold green cabbiage leaves on your breasts inside your bra. see if that helps.

HTH
A. J

I don't want to scare you, but I'd listen to your instincts and insist on some more testing from your doctor or another specialist. My close friend had a similar situation where she found a lump in January. Her doctor dismissed it, and said he didn't think it could be cancer. She just went in for her annual and talked to him again. He still didn't think it was cancer, but since they talked further about it, he sent her for a mammogram. She has breast cancer at the age of 36. I am not saying I think you have it, but if you do, you'd sure want to know sooner than later. Good luck.

Hi there
You have gotten a lot of responses and maybe someone else mentioned this as well. When I started nursing I developed a large lump in my armpit. It was hard and painful. It had to do with my milk coming in and the baby not getting it out. I put cold cabbage leaves on my breasts and up into my armpit (not kidding!) and it got rid of the lump and relieved the discomfort. This advice came from my SIL who is an intensive care nurse and from the lactation nurse at the hospital where I delivered. It sounds crazy and you might feel silly doing it, but it is such a simple thing to try. Refrigerate the cabbage or soak the leaves in ice water for a minute or two, pack the leaves all over your breasts and keep in place with your bra. Keep it there until the leaves become warm. Repeat a few times per day and if it is just a problem with backed up milk it should work within a day.

It's been many years since I nursed, but I recall having the same situation. I freaked out and went to my obgyn for a check up and was told that it was a milk duct. They and I kept an eye on it and it went away over time.

I also have had recurring cysts in my breasts over the years as well as on my ovaries and in my uterus. My mom has had problems over the years with fibrocystic disease. She has had some non-malignant cysts removed for examination a couple of times.

Cancer is such a frightening word or thought that we want to take care of things immediately. Self-examination and knowing your breasts is a good habit to get into.

At the women's imaging center where I have gone for my annual mammograms, there is a model of a breast that is used for the purpose of demonstrating self examinations. It's a very useful tool because imbedded in the silicone are simulations of different kinds of lumps and bumps that you may feel over time. There are certain kinds that are less likely to be the result of a real problem.

You've gotten some sound advice from an oncology nurse though, which probably trumps my experiences. If you are too concerned to wait and see, find someone who will do a mammogram and can read it for you. Especially if there is a history of mammary cancer in your family. There isn't in mine.

C. are you drinking a lot of caffeine? I know I had that some problem when I was around 29 and it was related to drinking too much coffee, tea and soda. Since then I buy decaf and have not had any additional problems. It will cause fibro change in your breasts.

Happy 42 yr old mom to an almost 18 year old. Wishing I had more than one year left with her at home.

I have the same thing and it is just a cyst. A lot of women in my family have them. They are not cancer, but they do hurt. They hurt more right before your period and if you drink lots of caffeine. Check with you doctor to see if that could be what it is. I don't remember mine getting worse while breastfeeding because it has been a little bit. I had them way before I had kids, so maybe I was just used to them.

It might be extra breast tissue. That happened to me on both sides when I breastfed my son. Once I stopped breastfeeding, the tissue mass decreased in size but never fully went away. Hopefully, that's all yours is.

Hi,C. B, I breast fed for ten years your symptons sound like clogged ducts to me, and yes your lmpyh nodes will hurt they are doing their job . Put a cold towel on the affected area and keep nursing that will help unclog the ducts .

I have had something similar under my left arm while nursing all three of my kids. I actually have several. They have gone away after I weaned my kids. I also just have some lumpy tissue over there (hereditary.) Honestly, if your doctor isn't worried, then I wouldn't wean your daughter just because of that if you are not really ready to wean her. Forgive me if I am repeating anything in previous posts, I haven't read them. :)
What I have experienced:
Have you thought about the size and kind of bra you are wearing? That could cause some tenderness because you do have milk ducts that spread all the way into your arm pit. If you have an underwire that is putting pressure there, it could cause some pain.
When it hurts, try getting into a shower and running hot water over itfor several minutes. That always helped me.
All that said - I would get a sono or mamogram as soon as you have weaned her just to be safe. I am planning on the same thing to check out my "lumpiness" after I wean my DD. :)

Take care,
L.

Am WAY past nursing age, but can speak to the breast cancer issue. My lumps were found in a routine mammogram and were very small ... no pain ... too small to even feel! Still, they were the real thing ... and nasty! Now, 2 years later after chemo and radiation I am a survivor! Strongly Agree with the advice from the oncology nurse ... DO get it checked out ASAP. And can second her opinion of the center there at Baylor downtown that she recommends ... they handled my case following my scan at another imaging center and handled it thoroughly and well. Ladies your age do have breast cancer ... and, after my experience where no one suggested that I wait and see even though lumps were very small, etc. I certainly would find out what is there NOW regardless of your doctor's saying wait and see! Please contact me directly if I can be of any help to you ... and Blessings from Grandma GiGi

I am currently breastfeeding and I have had the same sort of issue. Occasionally I get more tender close to my arm pit. IT comes and goes. I have detected small lumps, but they come and go and a lot of it is breast tissue and lymph nodes. I also had lumps when i wasn't pregnant or nursing and they would go away. I went to the doctor and found out that in most cases breast cancer lumps are not tender or painful and if they come and go they are not cancerous either. If you find that you still have lumps after you stop nursing it could be fibroids - which are very common in women and they could be caused by caffiene. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Best wishes

I know this is scary and WTG for being proactive!

However, a doctor cannot tell you whether a lump "feels" like cancer or not, with 100% certainity. The safest thing to do is to call an imaging center and arrange for a sonogram/mammogram to be done.

There is absolutely no need to wean for this, so please continue nursing your baby! I've had mammograms and sonograms done on my breasts annually for the past 11 years (I'm 33 years old), and I was breastfeeding for 3-4 or those times.

I highly, highly recommend going to the Baylor Sammons Breast Imaging Center at downtown Baylor. I live in Euless and make the trip--it's totally worth it. Their radiologists specialize in breast imaging and are experienced in reading mammograms of a lactating breast. You will get your results before you leave.

Take either your baby (and a friend/spouse) or just your pump and empty your breasts the absolute best you can before the exam. Expect some expression of milk during the mammogram (I usually warn the tech before we do the test), but find it no more uncomfortable than when I'm not lactating (VERY brief, minimal discomfort).

When you call to schedule, tell them that you're breastfeeding; they'll likely schedule you for an ultrasound automatically.

Call today. I wouldn't even get permission from your doctor (you don't need it). You could choose to "trust" this physician that your breast is fine--which is very, very likely IS--or get the testing done to confirm it and have some peace of mind about it.

I had a very palpable mass in my lt. breast when I was 6 weeks post-partum. I scheduled my appt. and the mass was related to lactation changes. Boy was I worried for a couple of weeks, though! So, I've been there, done that several times! I have never been asked to wean to observe the mass. A lot can be determined by the ultrasound.

Please feel free to send me a message if I can give you any further info!

The center's info:
Baylor Medical Pavilion
3900 Junius St., Suite 200
Dallas, Texas 75246
###-###-####

I wanted to add that there are often lumps and bumps of the breast that fluctuate in size and tenderness with hormones changes (fibrocyctic breast changes), like before a period. That said, I would still recommend getting the testing done to CONFIRM. Why take the risk?

From an oncology nurse whose mom had breast cancer at age 39 (a survivor!).

Also added: I notice many moms are recomming weaning to you. Many imaging centers will not do a mammogram on a woman until she weans, but it can take months to years for your breasts to reabsorb the milk in them. Who wants to wait that long? Go to a center where the radiologists are highly experienced in seeing the images of lacating breasts. Yes, the image of a lactating breast is not as good as that of a non-lactating breast, but it is better than not testing at all. When combined with an ultrasound, the radiologist can rule out several issues. And abrupt weaning will only prompt more issues with clogged ducts and possibly mastitis, by the way.

I hope everything turns out well for you!

I had the same thing happen to me this past year. I was extremely concerned and it turned out I was having back problems and had a rib out of place. My OB GYN did want me to have a mammogram to put my mind at ease; but, she is the one that suggested I see a chiropracter. I did and that solved my pain and soreness. With holding your daughter, those muscles may be sore and need to be stretched. Regarding the lump, keep an eye on it and trust your instincts over the doctor's.

I have a similar situation every month about a 1-2 weeks before my period. I can't detect a specific size lump, but rather a larger knot. I had a mammogram at 35, my grandmother had breast cancer. The doctors cannot find anything. It really worried me, as it is not both breasts, just one that has this pain. I did start using some progesterone creme from the health food store, and that has helped dramatically. I use the creme on day 12-27 and the pain comes back for 1-2 days after I stop the creme. I never had these problems until after my son was 3-4 years old and I stopped nursing at 14 months. Maybe you should ask your doctor if this could be hormonal.
Jen D.-Frisco

I would ask for a scan and, if anything looks amiss, a needle biopsy. If it's a clogged duct, it will have fluid in it. If it's a cyst, it will have fluid in it. If it doesn't have fluid in it, you have to make decisions from there.

S.