Breastfeeding through Thyroid Cancer

Dear Michelle,

I am sure this has been a difficult year for you, but I know you must be elated about the baby. I admire your courage and wish you well!

Six to eight months of breastfeeding is a wonderful gift to your baby.  If you consider that most women don't even make it a few months, you will understand that it is far beyond the average. However, just because you will have to be separated from your baby doesn't mean you will necessarily have to stop breastfeeding. A baby who has been breastfeeding that long may go right back to it after the 10 days. I have known women who left their babies to go on a trip specifically as a way to wean (not something I endorse!), but the babies wanted Mama when she returned!

You can certainly pump and dump the milk to keep up the supply if you'd like. It would definitely be worth a try. Even if your baby didn't go back to the nursing, you could continue pumping milk. There are excellent pumps available today that would allow you to do this. Also, if you start pumping early on, you may find that you can actually store up a lot of milk. I have known women who weaned their babies, yet still had 1 or more months worth of stored milk in the freezer. If you'd like further information about pumps or anything else, just let me know. 

Cher Sealy RN, BSN, IBCLC, LLLL

Story from Sophie McInnes an experienced breastfeeding mom that went through Thyroid Cancer Treatment.

I am far from being an IBCLC, however from my own experience I can tell you that Cher Sealy's answer is not accurate. Separation between baby and mother is fine, yes, but remember what the mother is being given during this treatment!

The radioactive treatment given to an individual with thyroid cancer uses and ablative dose of I-131, usually 3-5MBq, with a halflife of approx. 90 days (to the extent that I was told to carry a special card around for 3 months in case I set off bomb alerts at airports etc). Not only would nursing a baby following RAI poison the child and his/her thyroid, but research has also shown that a lactating breast is one of the only parts of the body that will uptake and store iodine (the primary target being, of course, any thyroid remnants following surgery). This could in turn increase your risk of breast cancer, should you choose to pump and dump.

I fought against this advice for MONTHS, visiting several LCs and BFCs, double checking books and sites such as Hale, and it all came back the same. In the US most doctors are so concerned regarding the iodine uptake issue that they recommend that a mother discontinue nursing 2-3 months prior to RAI.  Personally I only did so two weeks prior, then took cabergoline. It was not an easy decision, but I would rather not worsen my chances of seeing my daughter grow up  any further.

The medics also insist that relactation is an "unrealistic" option following the necessary waiting period, and in some ways I can see why (though I certainly had a go at a certain Dr Ain, who delivers this news on his thyca egroup with no sympathy whatsoever). My RAI was in March 08 and I still don't have an all-clear. Even though my breasts would theoretically be safe now, I may have to undergo RAI once, twice etc. more - it can take a while to find out! And as one would expect given the percentage of women who follow this advice, no one - that I can see - has ever relactated, tested their milk for residual radiation, and had the results published for all to see. Obviously I would like to relactate myself, but who knows when this would be a safe, practical option?

I can understand that you might not want to take my word for this, but I really do encourage you to research this issue and alter the Q&A. When you've been knocked down by a cancer diagnosis, the last thing you need is false hope regarding your breastfeeding future. Trust me on that one. I breastfed my way through two operations, but RAI left me dead in the water as far as breastfeeding was concerned.

Yours sincerely,
Sophie McInnes



 

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