Find all kinds of information about Breast Implantation to make your decision easier.

Breast Implants and Breastfeeding

Many women ask if they can breastfeed after breast augmentation surgery. The answer is a resounding yes. For the vast majority of women who have breast augmentation, breastfeeding is no more difficult with implants than without. In fact, some women who have breastfed before and after they had implants put in say that breastfeeding with implants is easier!

However, it is a good idea to think ahead to the possibility of breastfeeding if you are a woman who has not started a family or may have another child. In previous years, women who received implants were usually older, married, and had already finished having children. Now, younger women, single women, and women who have not finished or even begun childbearing are having breast augmentation surgery.

Can Silicone Gel Be Passed Into Breast Milk?

In the early 1990s, reports of problems with silicone in breast implants became public. There were reports of implants that leaked silicone gel or oil into the body and women who became ill and claimed that their autoimmune and connective tissue disorders were related to their implants. At that time, the fear arose that breastfeeding with silicone implants could endanger the child. Studies have shown this not to be the case. Now, we know that silicone molecules are too large to pass into the milk ducts and breast gland tissue and be passed on to the baby. For more information on breastfeeding after breast augmentation and other types of breast surgery, check out LaLeche League International , an organization that promotes breastfeeding.

There are some concerns you should keep in mind if you are considering having breast implants and if you may want to breastfeed in the future. First, understand that there are no guarantees that you will be able to breastfeed. This does not mean that you should not have a breast augmentation if you ever want to breastfeed. It just means that you should be aware of any possible risks. Women who have never had any kind of breast surgery may have difficulty breastfeeding or be unable to breastfeed.

Several factors in breast augmentation may play a role. Incision placement makes a difference, as can the placement of the implants. A periareolar incision may interrupt or disturb the milk ducts that lead milk from the breast lobe to the nipples. Placement of the implants below the pectoral muscle will usually disturb breast tissue and the milk ducts least. However, there are many women who have had their implant placed over the muscle and had incisions around the nipple and are still very successful with breastfeeding.

It is very important to discuss your plans of breastfeeding your baby when you consult with your plastic surgeon. Your surgeon will be able to work with you to get the best possible results, even if you are not planning on having children anytime in the near future.

Remember that breastfeeding is considered to be the optimum food for babies, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Read their policy statement on the importance of breastfeeding.