Breast Feeding With Breast Implants

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Breast Feeding With Breast Implants
Is It Possible?

If you're thinking of breast feeding with breast implants then you probably have a few questions.

"Can I breast feed with breast implants?" is the main question that I hear most mothers asking. Will the silicone leak? Will I produce enough milk?

After doing some research I have found a few answers, although the best idea is to talk things over with your midwife, preferably before the birth of your baby.

It might be a good idea to also get in touch with the surgeon that carried out your breast augmentation, and ask him/her about any worrying aspects of breastfeeding with breast implants.

The types of surgery

Whether you will be OK breast feeding with breast implants can partly depend on the type of surgery you had.

There are four different methods used, and these will have used either silicone or saline filled implants. Saline is rather like salt water, and all breast augmentation surgery these days is carried out using saline implants as it is much safer than silicone.

The methods of surgery are as follows:

Two methods make the cut around or on the dark outer part of the nipple (the areola) The problem with this type of surgery is that it may cut the nerves and some of the milk ducts.
The other two types of surgery make the cut either under the breast or somewhere in the armpit. This way surgery can be carried out with minimal or maybe no damage to the nerves and milk ducts, and the implants can be placed under the muscle.

Breast feeding with breast implants - The low down

If your surgery was done with the first two methods, the cut around or on the areola, then you are more likely to have problems breastfeeding your baby. Studies haven't given a definite reason as to why this happens. But experts believe that the milk producing ducts become damaged and therefore cannot produce milk.

Another explanation for problems with all types of surgery is that the implant presses onto the breast tissue, causing damage, this can also hinder milk supply.

This does not mean though that you shouldn't try. Ask for your midwife - health visitors help to monitor your baby's weight extra carefully over the first few weeks. If your baby is gaining weight normally then there isn't a problem. If you baby's weight gain isn't normal then be prepared to switch to formula feeding.

Breast implants and breast feeding - What if you have a leak!

Research has shown that if the silicone implant was to leak, the silicone molecules are too large to pass into the milk ducts, so obviously cannot be passed on during feeding to your baby. If in an unusual occurrence that silicone did get into your milk, doctors are not sure what affect this would have on your baby.

Silicone is now not used in breast implants, saline has replaced it. If the saline did make it into your milk, it isn't a dangerous substance, and will not harm either you or your baby.

So if you decide to breastfeed with implants, talk things over with your health care professionals and they can give you all of the latest and up to date news.

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