Have you been considering a breast procedure? Perhaps you have been thinking about a breast lift or breast augmentation. If so, you no doubt have a lot of questions, some of which may be about how such a procedure will affect – and be affected by – motherhood.
Breastfeeding after a breast procedure
One of your questions may be how a breast procedure might affect your ability to breastfeed. Of course, you should always ask your doctor when you have questions, but generally, a breast procedure will not affect future milk production for your baby.
Breast procedures can help women who feel their breasts are sagging, asymmetric, or have lost their volume. A breast procedure can change your entire figure, by giving you a body that is contoured and proportionally pleasing. You have a few options to choose from, depending on what you hope to achieve with a breast procedure. In a breast lift (or “mastopexy”), the breasts are lifted and made more firm and given an aesthetically pleasing shape. In this procedure, the tissue that enables milk production is left intact. In breast augmentation, implants are used to enhance the shape and size of the breasts. In this procedure, implants are placed in such a way that they don’t interfere with the mammary glands or the milk ducts.
According to the La Leche League, an organization that educates women about the benefits of breastfeeding, your milk supply will be most productive if you wait at least 5 years until after your breast procedure to breastfeed.
After motherhood
Pregnancy and breastfeeding can make some dramatic changes to a woman’s body, and that includes changes to breasts that have undergone a cosmetic procedure. So, you might want to wait until after you are done having children and breastfeeding until you have breast-altering work done.
Pregnancy, motherhood, and breastfeeding are all wonderful experiences. If you have been thinking about having a breast procedure but you have questions about how it will affect motherhood (or any other questions), contact Jeffrey C. Dawes, MD, FRCSC Plastic and Dermatologic Surgery in Calgary. Call (403) 571-3141 today!
