A Gentle Check-In with Yourself: Breast Awareness as Self-Care

Self-care is often pictured as a warm bath, a favourite cup of tea or a quiet cuddle with someone we love. Those little moments matter—but self-care can also mean pausing long enough to notice our bodies and listen when something feels different.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Toffee and I would like to share one gentle reminder: getting to know the normal look and feel of your breasts can be a meaningful part of caring for yourself.

It is about awareness, not a perfect examination

You may have heard this called a “breast self-check” or “breast self-examination.” Current Australian health guidance focuses on breast awareness: being familiar with what is normal for you and paying attention to any new or unusual change.

There is no need to follow an elaborate ritual or worry that you are doing it incorrectly. You might notice your breasts while showering, dressing or looking in the mirror. The aim is not to diagnose yourself. It is simply to know your own normal well enough to recognise when something has changed.

The Australian Government recommends checking your breasts regularly and remaining breast-aware even if you have a mammogram every two years, because breast cancer can develop between screening appointments.

Changes worth speaking to your doctor about

When you take a moment to check in with yourself, look and feel for changes such as:

• A new lump or area of lumpiness, particularly in one breast
• A change in the size, shape or colour of a breast
• A nipple that has newly turned inward
• Nipple redness or unusual discharge
• Dimpling, swelling or bulging of the skin
• A new rash or persistent irritation
• Breast or nipple pain that does not go away

Most breast changes are not caused by cancer. Still, a new or unusual change deserves medical attention. Please arrange an appointment with your GP as soon as possible rather than waiting to see whether it disappears or waiting for your next routine breast screen.

Noticing a change does not mean you have cancer. It means you have noticed something your doctor should assess—and that is a caring, sensible response.

Self-checking does not replace breast screening

Knowing your breasts and having screening mammograms play different roles.

BreastScreen Australia offers eligible women over 40 a free mammogram every two years and actively invites women aged 50 to 74 to screen. In NSW, people in their 40s are eligible and are encouraged to discuss their personal risk and the suitability of screening with their doctor. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are recommended to screen from age 40.

A routine BreastScreen mammogram is intended for people who do not have breast symptoms. If you have found a lump or noticed another change, contact your doctor instead of making a routine screening appointment; your doctor can arrange the appropriate diagnostic assessment.

Your personal screening needs may also differ if you have a strong family history, a previous breast condition, breast implants or other risk factors. A GP can help you understand what is right for you.

Make it a kind moment, not a fearful one

For some people, checking their breasts can bring anxiety. If that sounds familiar, try approaching it as a gentle check-in rather than a test you can pass or fail.

Choose a calm moment. Take a breath. Notice what is normal for your body without judging its shape, size, scars or changes over time. You do not need to search endlessly or press so hard that it hurts. Breast awareness grows through familiarity.

And if you are unsure about something, you do not have to work it out alone. Asking your GP is not overreacting, and you are never wasting their time by raising a genuine health concern.

A little reminder from Toffee & I

The people we love help fill our lives with tiny, precious memories. Looking after ourselves gives us more opportunities to keep creating them.

So, alongside the cosy treats and joyful moments that make up self-care, let us also make room for the quiet things that protect our wellbeing: knowing our bodies, attending recommended screening and speaking up when something changes.

This October, Toffee & I is hosting Toffee’s Birthday Bloom in support of Breast Cancer Trials. If you would like to help research bloom into better treatments and better outcomes, you can donate through our official fundraising page:

Support Toffee & I’s Pink Bloom Party

Every donation, every conversation and every gentle reminder can help our garden of hope grow. 🌸🐾

Helpful Australian resources

• Australian Government: Be breast aware
• BreastScreen Australia Program
• BreastScreen NSW eligibility
• To contact your nearest BreastScreen Australia service, call 13 20 50.