A small study presented at a cancer conference in Italy confirms the findings that there is no danger in breastfeeding after having had breast cancer, according to France-Soir.
For four years, Dr Azim of the Jules Bordet Institute in Brussels, followed 20 young mothers who gave birth after breast cancer. Half of them breastfed their baby and the other ten did not, one by choice and nine by medical advice. There was one relapse of breast cancer in each group.
Dr Azim noted that many doctors still do not recommend breastfeeding to women who have had breast cancer, even though there is no evidence to support their mindset.
“It is a pity that women are denied the opportunity to experience normal motherhood and newborns are denied the endless benefits of lactation due to fears not based on any evidence,” Azim explains. “Denying breast cancer survivors the opportunity to become pregnant or breastfeed remains unjustified in the absence of supporting evidence.”
According to the research, breast cancer survivors need more encouragement and motivation to work through their fears. Doctors, breastfeeding experts and care providers should be informing women that they can and should try to breastfeed even if they have had breast cancer in the past.
Not only can this be an important step toward the mother’s personal growth and healing, but whatever the quantity of breastmilk the infant receives will be a benefit to their health.