Breastfeeding after Breast Surgery
Posted in Health by Guest
How does Breast Surgery affect Breastfeeding?
I recently received an email from a patient who said, “I gave birth to a wonderful baby girl, but I had, at first, been worried that I would have problems breastfeeding, as I’d undergone breast lift surgery. However, I didn’t need to worry as I have had no issues with breastfeeding and it’s going great. You did a wonderful job with my surgery and nothing was damaged.”
Any type of breast surgery will have an effect on the breasts. It seems obvious, but some people forget this. A woman in her early twenties who wants a breast reduction will not be thinking about breastfeeding in ten years time, but instead will be thinking about the size and position of her breasts.
This is why I talk about it. All women who want to have a surgical procedure on their breasts must consider the consequences that the surgery may have on their breasts, and how it will affect their capacity to breastfeed. Fortunately, the majority of women are capable of producing milk after breast surgery, although, as research has shown, the amount of milk produced may be less. However, many of my patients have been able to breastfeed without any problems after their breast surgery.
Those who are not considering having children for years and those who have problems with their breasts, such as sagging, back ache, or one breast that is a different shape and size to the other, need to be aware that there are techniques that can ensure you can breastfeed in the future. Those who are planning to have kids soon should wait with having their surgery. This will ensure that you are able to breastfeed and will provide you with many other advantages as well.
Anecdote: “One of my friends, who was in her late thirties and recently married, told me she wanted breast surgery. I, being honest, told her that she should wait until she was older and should have kids sooner, rather than later. I said that your breasts change in shape and size during pregnancy and with breastfeeding. I told her to wait with the procedure until after she’s had her children.” She didn’t listen, and went to another surgeon for the procedure, and had the surgery. Since her initial surgery, she has had two more surgeries. Perhaps if she had waited with the surgery, she would have had a better outcome, and only had to have the one surgery.
I’m not suggesting that you should, or should not, have breast surgery, nor am I telling you when to have the surgery. I’m just advising you, so that you can come to the right decision for yourself.
Jenn writes articles about health and beauty. To read more of her articles go to Plastic Surgery of Palm Beach.
