I reached that magical age last summer where mammograms are supposed to start becoming an annual event but I was still nursing. Honestly, I don’t think I could imagine many things more painful than compressing a nursing mother’s breast between two pieces of glass. I don’t know why I fixated on it - but whenever I was late for a feeding and feeling like I was hauling around two bursting bags of gravel - I would think to myself ” I’d really hate to have a mammogram right now.”

But having heard the “Once you turn forty you need to get an annual mammogram repeated in my head for so many years - I called the clinic with an inquiry about my timeline. The nurse said I needed to wait a full six months after weaning to go in for the ‘gram. She said the results wouldn’t be accurate on a breastfeeding mother as the tissue is more dense and well, milky. As soon as I weaned I called and made my appointment far in advance.

I admit, I was nervous being a first timer and not really knowing what to expect. I had heard horror stories over the years that were etched into my brain.

“It’s like putting your boob under a garage door”
” It hurts sooooo much”
“They squish it as flat as a pancake”
Whaaat? That’s just not possible. Maybe a short stack but not a pancake!

Another friend said her discomfort was just from feeling awkward and exposed.

Maybe technology has changed since I heard those stories -but I am happy to report that my experience was painless - even pleasant.

And as far as feeling awkward and exposed? Not a chance. I didn’t sense that at all - after labor and childbirth all modesty goes out the window.

My mammo took place in a clinical yet almost spa-like setting. Soothing music, tea and coffee and little mints in the waiting room.
There was even a cozy quilted robe to slip into instead of a drafty hospital gown.

I was probably annoying the technician with my constant inquiries during the procedure. But I had nagging questions and she patiently answered all of them. Like what IF a nursing mother found a lump? She said that it’s tough to find a lump - cause, you’re pretty lumpy anyway when you’re nursing. But it certainly has happened. If there was a concern they would first do an ultrasound - as breastfeeding mothers are very difficult to get an accurate read on. They’d have to see how to proceed from there. And yes - they have done mammos on nursing mothers - they just need to make sure to have nursed or expressed themselves before doing it, and yes they have had to clean up milk on the glass before.

I walked out of the appointment pleasantly surprised by the experience and how my expectations of pain went by the wayside.

I knew I wanted to blog about it to encourage any of you ladies who are putting it off for whatever reason - to go make your appointment.
I realize it’s a different experience for everyone, even if there is a little discomfort it would be very brief and worth it.

A few days later I got an envelope from my insurance group.

(Hooray! I thought it was a reimbursement check I’d been waiting for.)

I opened it up and it was a letter asking me to please come back for a second mammogram.

Oh.

(to be continued.)

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 5th, 2009 at 11:26 am and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.