“Grey’s Anatomy” on Breastfeeding and Cancer
On the latest episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” entitled “Oh, the Guilt,” Dr. Miranda Bailey helps a young mother work through her anger at a breast cancer diagnosis. Bailey confides that when she comes home from a long day at work and her baby is fussing, she picks a fight with her husband for not settling the baby. She goes on to say:
If I’m really tired . . . I blame the baby. I mean, if you hadn’t been breastfeeding, you never would have thought the lump was a clogged milk duct. You would have gone to the doctor as soon as you felt it, and the cancer wouldn’t have gotten this far, and you wouldn’t be here making this decision. Am I close?
The anguished mother replies:
What kind of mother blames her own baby for her cancer?
The story line echoes what I wrote about breast lumps in “Breast Self-Exams in Lactating Women” and the importance of seeing a doctor.
In this case, the young mother is having second thoughts about a mastectomy. That made me wonder what if any cancer treatment options there are for women who wish to preserve their ability to breastfeed. I’ll report back tomorrow (ETA: see the post Breastfeeding after Cancer Treatment).
Tags: breastfeeding, breasts, cancer, greys-anatomy, health of the mother, mastectomy, nursingRelated Stories
POSTED IN: cancer, health of the mother
7 opinions for “Grey’s Anatomy” on Breastfeeding and Cancer
robert
Oct 29, 2006 at 12:42 pm
Mine did. And told me repeatedly.
angela
Oct 29, 2006 at 2:26 pm
Robert, as a mother I cannot even imagine going through that experience and I think it would be only natural to feel a whole range of emotions. To share that emotion with the child, however, is another thing entirely….
anniem
Oct 30, 2006 at 7:45 am
So far two Grey’s Anatomy episodes this season have shown negative images of motherhood–this one, in which breastfeeding caused the mom to not notice a cancerous lump, and the one in which the mom’s desire for a natural birth put her life and her baby’s life in danger. I understand that Grey’s is being true to their hospital culture and that, sadly, that culture assumes motherhood to be a medical issue, but with two episodes portraying motherhood as dangerous and medically urgent so close together, this feels like a direct attack. So often their plots uplift prevention and healthy lifestyles. I’m so sad that a show I used to really enjoy has taken this path.
angela
Oct 30, 2006 at 12:23 pm
I know what you mean. I was happy to see Bailey use a sling, and talk about breastfeeding her baby, but it’s definitely a mixed bag with Grey’s Anatomy.
Breastfeeding 1-2-3 » Breastfeeding after Breast Cancer Treatment?
Mar 26, 2007 at 8:00 am
[…] Yesterday I raised the question of breast cancer treatment options for women who wish to preserve their ability to breastfeed. Continuing my series for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, today I take a look at chemotherapy, radiation, lumpectomy and mastectomy. I mention these only as a springboard for discussion with a woman’s oncologist. Naturally the feasibility and risk associated with each option depends on the particular diagnosis. As a starting point, here’s some basic information on chemotherapy, radiation, lumpectomy and mastectomy from a lactation perspective. […]
Melissa
May 29, 2007 at 8:59 pm
I found myself in an ironic position - I discovered a lump BECAUSE I was breastfeeding. I regularly massage my breasts, hold my breasts as I’m nursing my son, and a few weeks ago I felt a small lump in my right breast. At first, I thought it was a clogged duct, but it didn’t massage out, and it felt completely different.
I suppose had I been a new mother, and unfamiliar with my nursing breasts, I might have left it alone. Thankfully I did not - while doctors think it is a fibroadenoma (benign), I am having it removed and biopsied this week.
I was grateful that GA did have the episode, and while it made me uncomfortable, it did make me go into action when I myself found the lump.
Angela
May 30, 2007 at 4:58 am
Thanks for sharing your story Melissa. I hope you get good news from the biopsy. Best wishes to you!
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