I have a 7 month old who I am breastfeeding. We both really love it and I nursed my older daughter until she was almost 3. However, I was recently diagnosed with colorectal cancer for which I will need chemo, radiation, and surgery. I have a few questions.
First, my radiation is to the pelvis and my doctor said it will put me in menopause but that I should still be able to breastfeed and that it would be safe since the radiation will be to my pelvis. Do you agree with that?
Second, for chemo I will need a port. I will still be lactating when that is put in as I want to keep breastfeeding as long as I can. Would placement of the chemo port impact the milk or breastfeeding at all?
Third, Once chemo starts I need to stop breastfeeding. I am trying to decide if I should pump or dump for the entire duration or just stop all together. I would like to pump and dump and then restart, but am wondering how successful and safe that is likely to be. I am expecting about 12 weeks of chemo, which I think would be doable to pump and dump during. The tricky bit is the wash out period before the milk is safe again. I looked up the drugs and most are cleared within a few days, but one, oxaliplatin stays for a very long time - 3 months according to lact med and the infant risk app says to discontinue breastfeeding unless you can test the milk for platinum. I did find a lab who will test milk for platinum (they said they: "test for the parent compound platin at one part per trillion detection limit" and to wait at least 3 weeks before even trying to test.) i am wondering if you think returning to breastfeeding would be safe/feasible after say, 2 consecutive tests where platinum is not detected? Or should I just quit all together?
Thank you!
First, my radiation is to the pelvis and my doctor said it will put me in menopause but that I should still be able to breastfeed and that it would be safe since the radiation will be to my pelvis. Do you agree with that?
Second, for chemo I will need a port. I will still be lactating when that is put in as I want to keep breastfeeding as long as I can. Would placement of the chemo port impact the milk or breastfeeding at all?
Third, Once chemo starts I need to stop breastfeeding. I am trying to decide if I should pump or dump for the entire duration or just stop all together. I would like to pump and dump and then restart, but am wondering how successful and safe that is likely to be. I am expecting about 12 weeks of chemo, which I think would be doable to pump and dump during. The tricky bit is the wash out period before the milk is safe again. I looked up the drugs and most are cleared within a few days, but one, oxaliplatin stays for a very long time - 3 months according to lact med and the infant risk app says to discontinue breastfeeding unless you can test the milk for platinum. I did find a lab who will test milk for platinum (they said they: "test for the parent compound platin at one part per trillion detection limit" and to wait at least 3 weeks before even trying to test.) i am wondering if you think returning to breastfeeding would be safe/feasible after say, 2 consecutive tests where platinum is not detected? Or should I just quit all together?
Thank you!
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