A breast self-exam while breastfeeding may not be high on your priority list between feedings, pumping sessions, and trying to squeeze in a shower. But taking a few minutes each month to check your breasts can help you become familiar with what’s normal for your body and identify changes that may need medical attention. While breastfeeding can lower your risk of breast cancer, regular breast awareness remains an important part of postpartum self-care.
Why It Matters (Even if You’re Breastfeeding)
Your boobs are working overtime right now. They’ve become vending machines, comfort objects, and occasionally, teething toys. But function doesn’t always mean everything’s fine under the hood.
The American Cancer Society recommends that women become familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel so they can spot changes early—even while breastfeeding. While lumps can often be milk-related (hello, clogged duct), it’s still smart to keep tabs on what’s going on. Especially because many breastfeeding-related changes can camouflage or delay noticing something that actually needs a checkup.
And here’s the kicker: Breastfeeding can slightly lower your risk of breast cancer, but it doesn’t cancel it out completely. So yes, this is one more thing to do—but it’s also one more way to take care of the person keeping everyone else alive.
Okay, So What Am I Looking For?
Grab your mirror, your curiosity, and whatever window of time you’ve got between feeds. Here’s the 60-second rundown:
Look:
- Stand in front of a mirror, arms at your sides. Then raise them up.
- Look for changes in shape, size, or symmetry.
- Scan for dimpling, puckering, or skin that looks like an orange peel.
- Notice any inversion of the nipple (especially if that’s new for you).
Feel:
- Use the pads of your fingers to feel each breast in a circular motion—like you’re making mini crop circles.
- Cover the whole breast, from collarbone to below the bra line, armpit included.
- Gently press: light pressure for surface, medium for mid-tissue, firm for deeper tissue.
- You’re feeling for new lumps, thickened areas, or anything unusual that sticks around beyond the next feeding.
Pro tip: Do your self-exam after a feed or pumping session, when your breasts are softer and less engorged. It’ll give you a clearer sense of what’s what.
What’s Normal (and What’s Not)
- Normal: tenderness, fullness, small lumps that shift and feel like marbles (often milk-filled ducts)
- Worth a check-in with your provider: a lump that doesn’t go away after feeding or pumping, nipple discharge (especially bloody or clear), or any skin/nipple changes
If you’re unsure, don’t play the guessing game—call your OB, midwife, or lactation consultant. It’s not overreacting. It’s proactive. And you already know how to advocate like a mother.
You Deserve This Kind of Care
Self-exams aren’t about fear—they’re about empowerment. You know your body better than anyone. You’ve already mastered swaddling, tracking poops in an app, and somehow remembering your Netflix password. You can definitely handle a monthly boob check.
And if you’re the kind of person who needs a reminder (aren’t we all?), try setting an alert in your phone for the first of the month. Or tie it to something you’re already doing, like changing your toothbrush or restocking the diaper bag.
TL;DR: Check Yo’ Boobs
- It’s quick.
- It’s free.
- It’s literally life-saving.
And it’s one small way to put yourself back on your own radar.
