1. Can I breastfeed during or after treatment?
Your treatment team and midwife will give you advice about whether breastfeeding is possible for you. This will usually depend on what treatment you’re offered.
If you’re breastfeeding when you’re diagnosed with breast cancer, your treatment team may recommend you stop breastfeeding. This will depend on what treatment you will be having.
If you have questions about breastfeeding, talk to your treatment team and other breastfeeding experts such as your midwife for support and advice.
2. Breastfeeding after surgery
Depending on the type of surgery you’re having, breastfeeding may still be possible.
If your breast cancer only affected 1 breast, breastfeeding can often be more successful from the other, unaffected breast. You may still be able to feed from the affected breast – your midwifery team or health visitor can support you with this.
You may also benefit from expressing breast milk to help regulate milk production.
If breastfeeding is important to you, talk to your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding counsellor for support.
3. Chemotherapy and breastfeeding
If you’re having chemotherapy, you’ll be advised not to breastfeed during treatment and for some time afterwards. This is because chemotherapy drugs can pass on to your baby through your breast milk. They can also affect the quality of your breast milk and how much you produce.
If you’re near the end of your chemotherapy, you may want to express milk. You will not be able to use this milk to feed your baby. However, expressing milk should help you produce milk to breastfeed your baby after you finish chemotherapy.
4. Radiotherapy and breastfeeding
Side effects of radiotherapy
Find out more about the side effects of radiotherapy.
During radiotherapy, you may still produce breast milk from the treated breast. However, a breast that has had radiotherapy may not produce milk as effectively as the non-treated breast in the future and the amount is often reduced.
Breastfeeding from a breast that has been exposed to radiotherapy can also cause an infection (mastitis), which can be difficult to treat.
Breastfeeding from the other, non-treated breast may be possible if you’re not having any drug treatments, such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy or targeted therapies.
5. Targeted therapy and breastfeeding
If you’re having targeted therapy, breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment or for at least 7 months after the last dose. This is because targeted therapy drugs can pass on to your baby through breast milk.
6. Hormone (endocrine) therapy and breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is not recommended while you’re taking hormone therapy as the drugs may pass through the bloodstream into the breast milk.
7. If you don't breastfeed
Some women cannot or choose not to breastfeed regardless of whether they have cancer.
If you would like your baby to have breast milk but cannot produce it, some hospitals may provide donated breast milk for your baby. The UK Association for Milk Banking (UKAMB) supports milk banking in the UK. There is strict guidance to ensure donor breast milk is safe.
If you have any questions about feeding your baby, talk to your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding counsellor.
8. Breastfeeding support
The following organisations can provide you with support and information about breastfeeding.
The National Breastfeeding Helpline
0300 100 0212
A free helpline offering support from trained volunteers, who are also mums who have breastfed.
La Leche League GB
An organisation providing friendly breastfeeding support from pregnancy onwards.
The Breastfeeding Network
A charity that provides independent breastfeeding support and information.
NHS website
You can find breastfeeding help and support on the NHS website.
