Breast exam

Hummingbirdbaby3

Do you do then yourself? I tried last night but felt things that scared me and I don't want to freak myself out. Then I know you're supposed to pinch the nipple to see if there's abnormal discharge. I was shocked to see a small milky substance. It was a tiny amount and it looked like milk. Weird?! I haven't bf in 10 months. But I just stopped the pill last month so I'm wondering if I'm just wacky with hormones right now.

LBStewart

I don't do them myself.  At this point, I wouldn't worry too much about the milky substance.  I have read that you can still have milk in your system for a year after you stop nursing.

kjmommy1214

I normally do it one a month. I have never felt anything that freaked me out. I still get done milky discharge as well. I haven't breastfed in over 6 months.

Hummingbirdbaby3

JKVogt said:

I normally do it one a month. I have never felt anything that freaked me out. I still get done milky discharge as well. I haven't breastfed in over 6 months.

How do you know what to ignore? I feel lumpy in both and don't know what's what

jg1011

You will know if something feels abnormal when you do it a few months in a row. One piece of advice that was given to me was to do it 2 weeks before your cycle each month or at least the same time each month. My dr told me that as you get closer to your cycle you get "lumpier."

Ask your dr about anything you aren't sure about for piece of mind!

kjmommy1214

I was told that boobs aren't perfectly smooth. I always feel around right after my yearly to get an idea of normal. I did have some fibrous tissue that built up and went away a few years ago. It was still "soft-ish" (not rock hard). The doctor said that it is nothing out of the ordinary. But to me, if it is anything that you don't like the feel of, I would get it checked. Better to check and know that nothing is wrong than it become major issue.

I don't know if my rambling was any help. :-/

persephonerose

I don't do them every month. But the one lump I have that is not like normal breast tissue is obviously "abnormal". If that makes sense.  I have had it since I was a teenager. It is very hard and doesn't really move when pressed on. 

When I started doing my own I went to my doctor and had her show me how and had her do the exam so I could have a baseline of what is normal for me to expect when I do it on my own. 

mrscutforth

Next time you go to your dr ask to give you a proper run through of a self breast exam, that way you know what feels normal and what doesn't. Have the doc show you. 

Like PPs have said, you will know if something is different. 

SurpriseAt39

Eh-hem.
I 'used to' do them. We were taught how in high school, and I did them at that time, and for many years afterwards.
I never felt anything to cause me any worry and eventually I started to do them less frequently.
Then, by the time DD was here, I had quit altogether.
I tried to remember to do them after she weaned from BFing, but never got back into it.
And now that I'm pregnant with baby 3, I find they are lumpy and uneven, but I'm passing that off as...I was still BFing DS when I got pregnant again, he has since weaned, but I'm 7 weeks from due date, so they (boobies) are prepping once again to supply milk for a LO.
Maybe when this kiddo has weaned I will start to remember to do them again. But for now, unless there is a severe pain, discolouration or obvious lump, I'm not gonna worry about checking.

(Also, usually after a BFing session, I will press around a little to check for clogged ducts, of if I still feel full)

lyndsihutson

i dont do them regularly but my dr said it will be lumpy sometimes, and that you are looking for the raisan in the oatmeal. that helps me.