/? 250610" Can Women With Implants Breastfeed

In considering breast augmentation surgery, many women wonder about the consequences on pregnancy and breastfeeding. They want to know if having implants is safe for breastfeeding and whether they will hamper the process at all.

How It Works

Breast augmentation surgery can be performed in several different specific ways, but one of the most common methods is for the plastic surgeon to make an incision in the crease between the breast and the abdomen. The implants are then gently inserted into the desired position.

If they are silicone implants, they will go in at their complete size, requiring slightly larger incisions, while saline-filled devices can be inserted while deflated and can be filled with the fluid after they are well-positioned within the pocket. The incisions are then closed up and the anesthesia is allowed to wear off.

If you are planning to get pregnant and breastfeed after getting implants, you should definitely talk with your cosmetic surgeon about your desires as the exact placement of the incisions and implants can have an effect on your ability to breastfeed.

For example, a peri-areolar incision, or one that is made around the areola can cause a disconnection between the milk ducts and the nipples. Incisions made under the bust or through the under arm are much less likely to create milk duct disruptions.

Additionally, some women have found that procedures that placed their implants under the pectoral muscles can also affect the natural flow of breast milk by displacing the ducts. This is not the case 100 percent of the time, but you should know that it is more likely to happen with sub-pectoral placement than with those placed over the muscles. /? 250610" Can Women With Implants Breastfeed

A Study on Breast Implants and Safety

Back in 1998, a group of researchers conducted a study to check out a theory posed by a 1994 Danish study that believed there to be a link between esophageal disease and connective tissue disorders in children and mothers with silicone devices who breastfed. The new study looked at thousands of Danish mothers, some who had undergone silicone implant surgery prior to breastfeeding and some who had had breast reduction surgery performed.

Basically, the study found no risk of these disorders and diseases as a result of breastfeeding from mothers with silicone implants. The researchers decided that breastfeeding with silicone implants, and with implants in general is not a cause of esophageal or connective tissue disorders. In fact, more recent studies have revealed that silicone molecules are too large to pass into to the milk ducts, making it impossible for the material to contaminate the milk supply or affect the baby.

If you are considering breast augmentation surgery, you can rest assured that breastfeeding after your surgery will be safe. There is always the risk, however, that you may not be able to breastfeed after the surgery, even if all the proper precautions are taken. You must carefully weigh this possibility with your desire for a fuller chest before making the decision that is right for you. /? 250610" Can Women With Implants Breastfeed