Breast cancer surgery patients can find it hard to sleep comfortably after surgery. As with any surgery, there’s nothing more important to recovery than having a good night’s sleep. It promotes healing by providing your cells and muscles with nutrients and oxygen. Unfortunately, sleeping can be tricky after breast surgery. Side and stomach sleeping add extra medical concerns. That’s why surgeons recommend that breast cancer surgery patients sleep on their backs.
The reasons back sleeping is best after breast surgery
- It reduces the risk of painful stretching and pulling that can damage breasts.
- Sleeping on your back won’t damage implants or surgical wounds.
- Sleeping with your back elevated by support pillows greatly reduces swelling and bruising.
- Back sleeping improves circulation and prevents fluid buildup.
Compression pillows
The secret to getting a better night’s sleep for breast surgery patients lies in the use of compression pillows. They provide comfort and support while sleeping on your back. To make sure her patients sleep well, Dr. Yarrow McConnell, our surgical oncologist at Proliance Puyallup Surgeons came up with a solution. She partnered with the Tacoma Modern Quilt Guild to design and make compression pillows specifically tailored for post-mastectomy patients.
These pillows help every single breast cancer patient get a good night’s sleep. The pillows are so critical to help patients during their recovery, that Dr. McConnell and the Tacoma Modern Quilt Guild are sharing their step-by-step instructions to encourage others to make pillows. If you have a friend, family member or just want to help someone else in need, find the Tacoma Modern Quilt Guide’s for Instructions for Making Compression Pillows for Post-Mastectomy Patients here.
Dr. Yarrow McConnell is the staff Surgical Oncologist at Proliance Puyallup Surgeons. In addition to treating breast cancers, she also treats benign breast disease and skin cancer. Helping design these compression pillows for her patients is just one more way Dr. McConnell helps patients recover during a difficult time in their lives.
