As a woman who has had children, what are your breast implant options? Will breast implants have any requirements that will need to be worked into your lifestyle? These are common concerns for moms seeking breast rejuvenation. You deserve the skill and compassion of a plastic surgeon who understands a mom’s concerns. At Grossman | Capraro Plastic Surgery, we have many patients that are moms that are looking to rejuvenate their breasts, post-baby. We will help you consider all aspects of breast surgery so that you can make informed choices.
Are Breast Implants the Right Option?
Breast augmentation isn’t the only surgery well-suited for mothers, although many request it. Other surgeries include:
The choice depends on the changes that you want to make and the current physical characteristics of your breasts. Breastfeeding and the weight fluctuations associated with pregnancy may make your breasts seem smaller, but they can also have a deflating effect. A breast lift is the only way to correct sagging, deflated skin, while augmentation increases size. Your plastic surgeon can help you determine which procedure is right for you. A combination of lifting and volume increase is often a possibility.
Breast reduction is another, less requested form of breast augmentation, that a woman may opt for after the baby. This operation simply makes the breasts smaller and lighter.
Breastfeeding After Breast Implants
Breastfeeding is perhaps the most-cited concern for mothers considering breast implants. They often wonder if they will be able to breastfeed after getting the implants. The answer is that the vast majority of the time, breast implants do not impede your ability to do so. Here are the main things to consider:
- Incisions. The breast implants must be placed through incisions, which can be made around the nipple (peri-areolar), under the breast crease (inframammary), or in the armpit (transaxillary). If you want to be able to breastfeed, you may want to ask the surgeon about avoiding the incision around the nipples. Although rare, it is possible an incision in this location could affect nerves that tell your brain to release milk when breastfeeding. It’s uncommon, but a small possibility exists.
- Pre-existing ability to breastfeed. Some women are unable to breastfeed before they get breast implants. If you’ve successfully breastfed previous children, then that’s probably not the case. But you may want to discuss breastfeeding with your general practitioner to familiarize yourself with the challenges and successes that can arise.
- Talking to your plastic surgeon. Let us know if you are planning to have more children, and if breastfeeding is a priority for you. With this information, our plastic surgeons will plan incisions and breast implant placement with that in mind.
If you have recently had a child, you should delay implants for about 9 months to a year after weaning your baby. At that point, your breast shape will stabilize and augmentation can be appropriately planned.
Arrange a One-on-One Consultation
To find out if you are a good breast augmentation candidate, please arrange a consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons in Denver. You can schedule an appointment by calling our Patient Care Coordinators, at 303-557-4972, or by filling out and submitting the form on this page.
