If you’re one of the tens of thousands 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 areolas 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 saved 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!)
If you don’t know the answer to any of these questions, contact your breast surgeon for details.
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In the event that your breast implants contain silicone, there’s no known risk to your baby if you breastfeed. In fact, cow’s milk and formula actually contain more of the element silicon than breast milk from moms with implants.
Tips for breastfeeding with breast implants
Armed with this info, you should next set up a meeting with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (I.B.C.L.C.), who can help you prepare to breastfeed successfully once your baby arrives. She may suggest ways to support and increase your milk production from the very beginning and manage any pain you might experience (since it’s normal to have scar tissue inside your breasts from your surgery that can sometimes make breastfeeding uncomfortable).
It’s important to breastfeed a lot in the first few weeks, so your body gets the "Make milk, please!" message. To boost milk production, your consultant might advise you to use a breast pump (especially the electric kind) in addition to feeding your baby from your breast.
It is possible to successfully breastfeed even if you can't provide a full milk supply by supplementing in ways that are supportive of breastfeeding, such as using an at-breast supplementing device or bottles.
If you do use formula for all or some of your baby’s meals, remember that she’ll get all the nutrition she needs from that (and with a few smart moves you can still share all the snuggle time you both need, too!).
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