Can You Breastfeed With Implants?
Women with implants are probably wondering if they can successfully breastfeed.
It's time to separate fact from fiction and explore the incredible journey of nurturing your baby, no matter what's hiding beneath the surface.
Let's unveil the secrets behind silicone and sustenance!
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Is it safe to breastfeed with breast implants?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics, silicon implants don’t pose a safety issue for breastfeeding babies. In fact, they've discovered that cow's milk and baby formula have more silicon than your breast milk.
Can you breastfeed with implants?
The short answer is YES, you can! The long answer is it may affect your milk supply a bit… let’s explore…
How will having breast implants affect breastfeeding?
Most women with implants can safely and successfully breastfeed.
Breast implants can throw a wrench into breastfeeding only if surgical mishaps caused nerve or milk duct damage or if the implant pressure masquerades as engorgement, fooling the body into thinking it should cut down milk production. Larger breast implants may be associated with more feelings of engorgement, which may impact milk supply a bit.
Where is the best location to place implants so it doesn’t affect milk supply?
Implants can sit between breast tissue and the chest wall or beneath it. If they're snug against breast tissue, they can potentially squeeze milk ducts, making milk production and flow a bit trickier. But when they're beneath the chest wall, they tend to play nice, staying out of the milk-making gland's way.
PRO-TIP:
For those wanting to be as careful as possible, surgeons can avoid moving tissues involved in milk production. You should always discuss your future breastfeeding plans with your surgeon beforehand, so they know which precautions to take during the procedure.
Will breastfeeding ruin my implants?
Good news! Your baby cannot harm your implants in any way while nursing, and the pressure from your enlarged breasts will not cause your implants to rupture or deform.
Will breastfeeding ruin the look of my implants?
Fear not, your breast implants won't be trading in their perky status for a saggy look due to breastfeeding.
According to a study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, it's the pregnancy itself, not the breastfeeding, that tends to bring on the "saggy saga." So, no blaming breastfeeding for this one – it's just the natural course of post-pregnancy changes!
Pregnancy makes your breast tissue inflate, and your skin stretches to accommodate it. After childbirth, your breasts may shrink, but your skin might not snap back. But rest assured, your breast implants are just bystanders in this hormonal party.
Although these alterations don't impact the implants directly, they can influence the visual outcome of your breast enhancement.
What are your options after breastfeeding?
If your breasts have seen better days post-breastfeeding, a breast lift can give them a lift and tidy up the surplus skin. It's like a little renovation project to center your breast tissue around those implants.
PRO-TIP:
Waiting until the stork has made its visits before diving into breast augmentation, reduction, or lift surgeries might save you from future remodeling, as pregnancy can be a game-changer for your breast tissue.
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