Can I Breastfeed After a Breast Augmentation?
Breast augmentation is one of the most common cosmetic surgeries in the world. The procedure, which adds volume to the breasts, is performed on approximately 1.3 million women each year.
It’s important to note that breastfeeding after breast augmentation is different than breastfeeding without breast augmentation. The main difference? Your baby will need to be fed more frequently when you’re breastfeeding after surgery because your milk supply will be lower than it would be if you weren’t pregnant or had never undergone an operation.
Can I Breastfeed After a Breast Augmentation?
You can definitely breastfeed after a breast augmentation—and it probably won’t affect your milk supply as long as you don’t have other complications or issues related to breastfeeding. For example: if you have inverted nipples or are having trouble latching your baby onto them, then this might impact how much milk he or she gets from each feeding session. That being said, there are some things that could make it harder for you to produce enough milk for your baby after having undergone this type of procedure:
If you’re taking medications that reduce your milk supply (for example: antidepressants)
can i breastfeed after a breast augmentation
Breastfeeding with breast implants
It is possible for you to breastfeed with implants – but it does depend on the size and placement of the implants and the type of surgery you’ve had. If the incisions are under the fold of the breast or through your armpit, you should not have any problems breastfeeding. But if the incision is around the areola, you may have problems as there’s a chance the milk ducts have been cut.
There’s no real way of knowing until you try breastfeeding. You might be able to produce some of the milk your baby needs and then supplement with first infant formula milk. It’s a good idea to let your GP or health visitor know if you have breast implants, so they can keep an eye on your baby’s weight and make sure they’re getting enough milk.
can you still breastfeed with implants under the muscle
If you’re one of the more than 313,000 American women who have breast augmentation every year, you might wonder whether or not you’ll be able to breastfeed with implants.
While some research has found that women with breast implants are more likely to have problems breastfeeding than those who haven’t had the surgery, the odds are in your favor — though you might face some additional challenges.
Can you breastfeed with breast implants?
The most important factor determining breastfeeding success is how and why your surgery was done. Consider:
- Where were the incisions made? If they go across your areolae or nipples, then it’s likely that some of your milk ducts and nerves may have been cut. In that case, breastfeeding might not work. But it’s possible that your incisions were made underneath your breasts or near your armpits. In that case, your surgeon probably opted to save major nerves, so you should be able to produce milk.
- Do you still have feeling in your nipples? That’s a good sign that your nerves are working as they should — though if your surgery was recent (within the last year or two), full nipple sensation may have not yet returned (but you still may be able to breastfeed just fine).
- Where are your implants? If they’re located under your chest muscle, it’s better for breastfeeding. Implants located right under the glandular tissue of your breasts (and on top of the chest muscle) sometimes can interfere with milk production.
- Why did you need breast augmentation? If you simply had small breasts and wanted implants for cosmetic reasons, you’re a good candidate for breastfeeding. But some women get implants because their breast tissue never developed, or because their breasts are spaced far apart, are tuberous in shape or are asymmetrical. If any of the above describe your pre-implant breasts, it’s possible you don’t have enough of the glandular tissue you’d need to make milk. (But don’t give up yet!)