Charlotte, Lake Norman, Davidson, Cornelius, Mooresville, Huntersville breast augmentation

For younger women who are considering having breast augmentation, one of their concerns may be about whether the surgery will impact future breastfeeding. A woman in her 20s or 30s who chooses to get breast implants may be planning to have children in the future, or at least considering the possibility. She may be concerned that breast implants will interfere with her ability to breastfeed her child.

What does the science say about breastfeeding after a breast augmentation? Should we have concerns about this issue?

Women can safely breastfeed with implants

The American Association of Pediatrics has released a statement in which it says that it “does not feel that the evidence currently justifies classifying silicone implants as a contraindication to breastfeeding.” This is a scientific way of saying that there’s no reason to believe that implants in the mother’s breasts pose any significant risk to a breastfeeding baby. If you’re a younger woman and are considering breast augmentation, this may be reassuring.

Augmentation choices can have a significant impact

Although it’s considered safe to breastfeed with implants, the choices that a woman makes while planning her procedure can impact the likelihood of future successful breastfeeding.

The most important choice is the choice of incision location. The periareolar incision (around the nipple) cuts some of the milk ducts. As a result, this incision can sometimes interfere with breastfeeding. A woman who might plan to have children in the future should consider another incision location (such as the inframammary or transaxillary incision) in order to preserve her ability to breastfeed.

Some women may worry about having a subglandular (above the chest muscle) placement of the implants if they might want to breastfeed later. There is no evidence that this implant placement poses any greater risk to breastfeeding than submuscular (below the chest muscle) placement. At the same time, submuscular placement tends to be preferred for most women, because it adds an extra layer of tissue that helps to cover the implant and create a more natural result. 

Charlotte, Lake Norman, Davidson, Cornelius, Mooresville, Huntersville breast augmentation

If you’re a younger woman who’s considering a breast augmentation, and you think that you might want to breastfeed your future children, then you’ll want to talk with your plastic surgeon about this. He or she can help guide you to the right options, to maximize the chances of future successful breastfeeding.

If you’re in the greater Charlotte area, and you’re considering breast augmentation, we invite you to come for a consultation with Dr. Erik Miles. As a highly regarded plastic surgeon, he even sees patients from outside the Charlotte area, who deem traveling to our office as an investment in the best possible results. To schedule your appointment, simply contact our office.