Breast Reduction After Breastfeeding

When it comes to Breast Reduction After Breastfeeding, there are a lot of things to consider, from the dangers of breast reduction after breastfeeding to the questions that you need to ask your doctor before the surgery. This guide reviews everything from reducing the risk of complications, and how long after breastfeeding can i get a breast augmentation, to the importance of discussing all aspects with your surgeon before making any decisions.

In this guide, we review the aspects of Breast Reduction After Breastfeeding, increase milk supply after breast reduction, how long after breastfeeding can i get a breast augmentation, and can you breastfeed after a breast lift and implants.

Breast Reduction After Breastfeeding

It’s funny how breasts can often look better on the other side of the fence. Some of us wish we had larger breasts. Some of us wish they were closer together. And some of us with breasts that are larger and closer together would like for them to be smaller. It’s hard to understand why people want the breasts they want without living in their bras for a moment. When it comes to larger breasts, there are some very important reasons why many women would like to reduce their size.

Why Get Breast Reduction Surgery?

Large breasts can be a large nuisance, even when they’re beautiful. Women who struggle with larger breasts also struggle with many physical and psychological issues, including the following:

For these reasons and more, half a million breast reduction surgeries, also called breast mammoplasties, are performed globally each year. Women who undergo these procedures are usually thrilled with the results and wish that they had had the surgery sooner. Since breast reduction surgery lifts the breasts, it provides immediate relief from the pressure that was weighing on their neck, back, shoulders—and mind.

Does Breast Reduction Surgery Affect Breastfeeding?

If you’re considering this surgery you’ll be happy to know that many women can have this type of plastic surgery after birth and breastfeed successfully after the procedure. The amount of milk produced during breastfeeding depends on the amount of milk-producing tissue, which is relatively consistent among women, regardless of the size of their breasts. Larger breasts do not produce more milk since the size difference is created by the amount of fat as well as other non-milk producing elements in the breast. So reducing your breast size by itself does not reduce milk production. However, it’s important to speak with your surgeon to clearly identify your overall goals. Breast reduction surgery can impact milk production when it affects the connections between the nerves and milk-producing tissues. How much those connections are cut can affect milk production later. When you talk with your surgeon, you’ll want to discuss your optimal breast size and your plans to breastfeed. Then your doctor can help you maximize your breastfeeding capabilities by deciding the right course of action regarding the amount of tissues removed, which incisions are required, and how the nipple is moved.

Know Your Options

If you’re concerned about breastfeeding in the future, your surgeon might recommend a smaller reduction to increase your chances of success. These smaller procedures often only include liposuction, eliminating the need for an incision. Or they’ll just require one discrete cut around the nipple and toward the breast crease. Typically, your surgeon will also decrease the size of the areola and move it higher on the chest. This can usually be achieved while keeping the milk ducts, nerves, and important connections (nipple-areola complex) intact and therefore ensure a higher rate of successful breastfeeding.

100% Breastfeeding Success!

Don’t let fears about breastfeeding stop you from getting the surgery you want and need! In 2017, a study incorporating 51 research papers on breastfeeding and breast reduction found that when the nipple-areola complex was kept attached, there was a 100 percent breastfeeding success rate. You literally cannot beat that! Fortunately, if the complex was only partially intact, breastfeeding was still possible 75 percent of the time. When it was fully detached, four percent of women were still able to breastfeed. So the success of breastfeeding comes down to keeping that area partially or fully attached during the surgery. 

Dr. Beverly Fischer and her team at the Advanced Center for Plastic Surgery understand the importance of keeping your breastfeeding capabilities intact. We have been performing successful breast reduction surgeries for over 25 years and will help you get the breasts and the breastfeeding you desire. 

Breast reduction surgery can change your life. It can eliminate the backaches, neck aches, shoulder aches, headaches, frustrations, itchiness, nerve pain, tingling, and more that come with large breasts. Fortunately with a little planning, you can have breast reduction surgery that allows you to breastfeed with ease. Talk with us today about your goals, and we’ll help you achieve the win-win of a happy mom and happy baby. And the breasts won’t look better on the other side of the fence anymore, because you’ll be thrilled with yours.

increase milk supply after breast reduction

The plastic surgeon took off a total of 3 1/2 pounds off my chest and created more manageable C+ breasts. I chose a reduction for mostly vanity reasons, but I hoped to lessen the developing “widow’s hump” and shoulder strain.

During the planning stages, the surgeon told me I would have a 50 percent chance of being able to breastfeed. It was a toss-away comment without substantial science behind it. But it probably wouldn’t have mattered what the stats were; I was a teenager who was mildly repulsed by the idea of breastfeeding.

My self-centered teen self would have been shocked at how that decision came to haunt me when I struggled with breastfeeding my first child.

Fast forward 11 years after my surgery and I was holding my crying newborn. My milk had come in, but not much of it was coming out. I had told every doctor, nurse, and lactation consultant that I had a prior breast reduction, but nobody had specific ideas on how to help. They tried different holds, nipple shields, and mumbled something about fenugreek.

Breastfeeding was a failure. I had chosen to have plastic surgery, and now my son and I were both living with the consequences.

Breast reductions are not uncommon. Almost 500,000 women have breast reductions every year. Breastfeeding after reduction even has its own acronym — BFAR. And there are enough women who try it to spawn a BFAR support website and Facebook group.

But there is also a lot of misinformation and ignorance of the challenges that BFAR women face. There are very few studies on how breast surgery affects breastfeeding.

There are different types of reduction surgery. Women who want to breastfeed should ask their surgeon if the nipple will be removed completely or just moved. The more of the nipple and milk ducts that were left attached, the more likely that breastfeeding will work. Amazingly, severed milk ducts can reattach, but it can affect how much milk is produced.

Breastfeeding works on a feedback loop between nerves, hormones, and ducts. Any damage to this loop can affect how much milk is produced and delivered to the baby.

But the good news is that the nerves can relearn their job, and ducts can start to work after a baby is born. As soon as your baby is born, emptying your breasts and letting them refill is very important to encourage the recanalization of the nerves.

When I was pregnant with my second child, I was much more proactive. I interviewed lactation consultants while pregnant until I found someone who had experience with breastfeeding after a reduction. She came over every day for the first week. When it was clear that my son was not gaining enough weight on day seven, she cracked open the can of formula and showed me how to finger feed him.

Like most BFARs, I had low milk supply. The feedback system between the milk production and the milk delivery system was slow and unpredictable. With my second child, I pumped for the first month, took blessed thistle and fenugreek, and did breast compressions while I was nursing.

I also took domperidone, a prescription drug that increases milk supply. Domperidone is not FDA approved or available in the United States but has been available in Canada (where I live) for 20 years. But even with all this, I still did not make enough milk to feed my baby breast milk exclusively.

To make sure my baby was getting enough milk, I always tube fed at the breast.

Tube feeding is easier than it sounds, especially with an easy baby, which luckily, described my second child. First, you latch the baby onto your breast, and then you slip a tiny tube that is sitting in some formula into their mouth (either in a bottle or in a lactation system). As the baby sucks, they get both formula and breast milk.

It’s impossible to know how much breast milk my son received, but we guesstimate that his intake was about 40 percent breast milk. Once my son started solids at 6 months, I was able to drop the tube and nurse him on demand.

Successful breastfeeding can mean different things — for some, it is breastfeeding on demand, for others, it may be supplementing breast milk with formula. BFARs, especially, have to be open to different definitions of success. I have never felt more successful than when I was breastfeeding my son while supplementing with formula at the breast.

One of the amazing things about the human body is that the milk supply increases with each pregnancy. When I had my daughter 3 years later, I did not need to supplement her with formula at all, although I took domperidone daily.

Looking back on the experience, I still see my success with my second child as the true victory. I couldn’t have done it without a supportive partner, a knowledgeable lactation consultant, and a pediatrician who trusted me and was willing to be flexible.

If you are considering breastfeeding after breast surgery:

You may have to define what success looks like in a different way than you want, and that can be painful. Acknowledge what your limits are. Being a new mom is difficult enough without also trying to overcome physical limitations to nursing. Breastfeeding can be a wonderful thing, but it’s also possible to have the skin-to-skin contact and lots of nourishing feeding interactions while bottle feeding.

Now that my kids are older, I know that the dichotomies between breastfeeding and formula, and good mother versus bad mother are false. There are no health variations between my three kids and their different feeding methods. No one remembers or cares if your adolescent was formula fed. Successfully breastfeeding my kids has given me satisfaction, but it is just one more thing in the beautiful mix of being a mother.

how long after breastfeeding can i get a breast augmentation

Though pregnancy and breastfeeding are amazing chapters that are filled with joy and happiness, they can also cause many significant changes to a woman’s body. It’s not uncommon for mothers who are no longer breastfeeding to feel that their bodies no longer look as voluptuous and youthful as they did pre-pregnancy.

It’s completely normal to want your body to look as lively and beautiful as you feel inside. While exercise and healthy lifestyle choices can help you create a healthy postpartum body, you may still notice sagging or deflated breasts. In 2020 alone, more than 193,000 women received breast augmentation surgery and more than 87,000 women received breast lift surgery, so you are not alone.

How breastfeeding changes your breasts

Pregnancy and breastfeeding can permanently change how your breasts look and feel. It is common to experience sagging, drooping or a “deflated” appearance. Some women describe their breasts as “pancake-shaped.”

This happens because lactation creates a different, denser tissue in the breasts. Once you are no longer breastfeeding, your natural breast tissues may permanently shift. This, combined with the fact that milk flow can stretch your breast skin and tissue, means that most women can expect a “stretched-out” look to their breasts.

What kind of breast rejuvenation should you get?

Breast lifts and breast augmentation are popular cosmetic procedures for women who are no longer pregnant or nursing. Both surgeries can dramatically improve the look of postpartum breasts that may look “flat” or “empty.”

During a breast lift, the surgeon will make a small incision through which he or she will lift, contour and reshape your natural breast tissue. This gives the breasts a firmer, more youthful contour. The surgeon will also remove any excess skin and reposition the nipple and areola as needed.

Breast augmentation involves inserting an implant behind the breast tissue to give better volume, cleavage and fullness.

Consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon can help you decide which procedure will benefit you the most. Some women opt for a combination of both surgeries in order to achieve their desired shape. Your surgeon will be able to assess your breasts and make recommendations tailored to your goals and anatomy.

When can you get breast rejuvenation surgery?

It is always best to get breast rejuvenation surgery after you are finished breastfeeding. In addition, it is recommended to wait until you do not plan to become pregnant anymore before you undergo breast rejuvenation. However, in certain cases, women who want breast enhancement but may also have future children can still undergo surgery in a safe manner. If you’re unsure about whether or not it’s the right time to get breast rejuvenation, consult with a qualified and experienced board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss your concerns. He or she will be able to give you the best possible timeline.

For most women, it is best to wait up to six months after lactation has stopped before getting any kind of cosmetic surgery done on the breasts. This gives your body time to adjust and allows your breast tissue to “settle” into its final shape.

Breast rejuvenation can help you feel your best

Becoming a mother doesn’t mean you have to give up your sexy, confident pre-baby self. Breast rejuvenation is an excellent way to regain your confidence and boost your overall self-esteem.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

can you breastfeed after a breast lift and implants

Would you like to get a breast lift but are worried the procedure will change your natural ability to breastfeed? In general, you can breastfeed after a breast lift, although the ability might differ depending on the type of breast lift you choose.

A Breast Lift Usually Has No Impact on Breastfeeding

Most breast lift surgery patients are able to breastfeed without any issues. Plastic surgeons generally find that patients who can breastfeed before breast lift surgery will likely be able to breastfeed after surgery. This is because breast lift surgery does not usually affect milk supply or the breastfeeding function of the breasts.

The Potential Risks of a Breast Lift on Breastfeeding

Any surgery comes with risks. And breast lift surgery is no exception. For example, after your breast lift surgery, you may notice some effects in the long-term. This may include changes to the sensation of the nipple and the breast. Some hopeful or expectant mothers who have had breast lift surgery worry that the procedure will affect their ability to breastfeed.

The chances of an impact on breastfeeding after breast lift surgery can depend on the technique used. A breast lift with reduction or implants can have a bigger impact on breastfeeding than a breast lift by itself. For example, large implants may interfere with the natural function of the breast. And a reduction, unlike a lift alone, involves removing tissue from the breast, which can affect breast function. We will elaborate on these issues in the following sections.

Breastfeeding After a Breast Lift with Implants

A breast lift with augmentation can either be done using artificial implants (silicone, saline, or gummy bear) or fat transfer (transferring fat from elsewhere in your body to your breasts). With implants, there is generally a low risk of breast augmentation affecting your breastfeeding. Silicone in modern-day breast implants, for example, is unlikely to interfere with the milk. Even if implants (either saline or silicone) rupture, neither material will contaminate the milk.

But the likelihood of breast implants affecting breastfeeding depends on both the type of incision and surgery. For example, if a plastic surgeon makes an incision in the breast crease and an implant is placed under the pectoral muscle, then nothing should change. After all, in this instance, the implant will be away from the breast tissue. All the ducts will be intact and connected to the nipple, just as before.

Other types of breast lift with augmentation may involve an incision around the areola, especially if the patient wants less scarring. In this case, the breast lift surgery may change both sensations in the nipple and the milk supply. This kind of procedure may also sever certain ducts in the breast. Also, in some types of breast lift surgery, the implant is placed over the pectoral muscle. In some instances, this can interfere with the breast’s ducts.

The reason you had a breast lift with implants may also be relevant. If you had breast augmentation just to add a minor boost, you are unlikely to encounter any difficulties when breastfeeding. If you began with very flat breasts, your ability to breastfeed may have already been more affected than the average woman. This is because these types of breasts may develop a low supply of milk.

Breastfeeding After a Breast Lift with Fat Transfer

You may also want to know if you can breastfeed after a breast lift with fat transfer. With this form of breast augmentation, a plastic surgeon removes fat from a part of your body—usually the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, or waist—and transfers it to your breasts.

If you opt for this type of breast lift surgery, it is unlikely that your ability to breastfeed will be affected. A plastic surgeon will inject the fat into all areas of the breast, including under the skin, above the pectoral muscle, and in some cases behind it. The fat cells will integrate into your breast tissue. Whether the fat transfer interferes with breast ducts depends on how meticulous the surgery is. For this reason, it’s important to choose a highly experienced, Board-certified plastic surgeon who can expertly inject fat into the breast tissue.

It should also be emphasized that breast augmentation with fat transfer is a relatively new procedure. This means research is still being done on how it affects women’s ability to breastfeed. Having said that, most patients who choose breast augmentation with fat transfer do not encounter any issues.

Some Tips for Breastfeeding After Breast Lift Surgery

If you want to ensure you can breastfeed after a breast lift procedure, there are some tips you should follow. For example, if you’re concerned you already have a lack of glandular tissue, try taking natural supplements—under your doctor’s instructions—that can boost milk production. Insufficient glandular tissue (IGT, or breast hypoplasia) is an uncommon condition that results in low milk production in the breasts. Women who suffer from IGT do not develop the normal amount of breast tissue during adolescence.

With any type of breast lift, there is a potential risk that breastfeeding may be impacted. In the rare cases where this does happen, you may find your milk production is a bit lower than it otherwise would be. If this happens, breastfeeding while supplementing with formula will ensure that your baby gets all the nutrients he or she needs. It’s always best to discuss breastfeeding after breast lift surgery in person with a plastic surgeon. A one-on-one consultation can help clear up any concerns you have and direct you towards a breast lift surgery that is ideal for you.