How to do a breast exam on your girlfriend

You’re touching them anyway, you might as well try to save her life while you’re at it.

You will need:

  • permission to play doctor
  • a thin pillow
  • thoroughness

Step one: Ask your girlfriend if you can perform a breast exam otherwise she’ll wonder why your foreplay has gotten so wooden and mechanical.

Step two: In a well-lit area, have your topless girlfriend lie on her back in a comfortable spot like a bed or sofa, and have her put one arm behind her head. Prop her shoulder up a bit with a thin pillow. The ideal time to do a breast exam is right after your girlfriend’s period has ended. The breasts will no longer be tender and swollen, they can be examined more accurate.

Step three: Using your three middle fingers, apply pressure to the breast on the same side as the arm your girlfriend behind her head. Be gentle but press hard enough to feel lumps or knots. Use the pads of your fingers not the tips.

Step four: Choose a pattern and direction which to move around the breast, either in a circle around the nipple or in an up and down movement as if drawing invisible lines. Whatever pattern you choose, keep it the same from month to month to help familiarize yourself with how her breasts feel.

Step five: In addition to feeling for lumps, look for changes in skin texture or tone like dimpling, discolouration or discharge from the nipples.

Step six: Have her raise her other arm while you examine her other breast. As before, check for lumps and changes in skin texture.

Step seven: After you’ve completed the examination, have her stand up and start again from the beginning. Breasts feel differently when a woman is standing. If you find the lump or thickening, or if your girlfriend has symptoms that include: ongoing breast pain or nipple tenderness; a change in the size or shape of a breast; a nipple that turns inward; scaly, red or swollen skin of the breast or nipple; or nipple discharge, she should see a doctor immediately. These symptoms may not indicate cancer but a doctor should rule it out.

Step eight: Examine her breasts after every period since doctors advise self-examination once a month.

Did you know www.cancer.gov is a great source of valuable information about breast cancer prevention, screening and treatment?