Many women who desire breast augmentation often wonder whether breast implants will affect their ability to nurse future children.
So, can you breastfeed with breast implants? The short answer is yes but it is important to understand how the type of breast augmentation surgery selected as well as the placement of the implant may impact breastfeeding. With this understanding, you will be able to make informed decisions about the timing of your breast implant surgery and the surgical technique to meet both your aesthetic and future goals regarding breastfeeding children.
Related: Tummy Tuck After Pregnancy: Before-and-After Considerations for Moms
Where Breast Implants Are Placed Relative to the Breast
Subglandular Placement Above the Chest Muscle
Subglandular placement positions the implant above your pectoral muscle but below your breast tissue. The implant sits directly behind the mammary gland, which produces milk. This placement requires more manipulation of the tissue layer between the muscle and your breast tissue. However, surgical techniques can still preserve milk ducts and nerves.
The subglandular placement option may affect breastfeeding depending on surgical precision. If your plastic surgeon carefully separates tissue planes or layers without cutting through glandular structures, milk production remains intact. The close proximity to milk-producing tissue means more careful technique is necessary to preserve function.
If breast feeding is important to you, then you should strongly consider the dual plane technique for your breast augmentation.
Dual Plane Technique for Breast Implant Placement
Dual plane placement uses a combination of submuscular and subglandular positioning. The upper portion of the implant sits beneath the pectoral muscle while the lower portion sits above it. This technique provides the benefits of muscle coverage in the upper breast while allowing natural shaping in the lower breast.
The muscle remains between the implant and your breast tissue, keeping the glandular tissue undisturbed. This separation with the dual plane technique preserves the structures responsible for milk production and delivery.
Incision Locations and Breastfeeding Ability
Inframammary Incisions Along the Breast Fold
The inframammary incision is placed along your natural breast crease where your breast meets your chest wall.
This location provides excellent access to create the implant pocket while cutting through some breast tissue. Your plastic surgeon creates the pocket from below, leaving milk ducts and nerves mostly untouched. This approach preserves breastfeeding function.
Women who choose the crease incision for their surgery will have normal breastfeeding function. The incision heals into a thin line hidden in the natural fold. The technique allows precise pocket creation while maintaining the integrity of your breast tissue above.
Transaxillary Incisions Through the Armpit
The transaxillary incision places the incision or cut in your armpit area rather than on your breast. Your plastic surgeon creates a tunnel from the armpit to the breast and positions the implant through this pathway. This approach avoids cutting any breast tissue, which means no direct contact with milk ducts or glands.
This incision location completely preserves your breast’s internal structures. There is minimal disturbance of your breast tissue. Women who desire certainty about maintaining breastfeeding function often select this technique.
Periareolar Incisions Around the Nipple
The periareolar incision follows the edge of your areola where darker skin meets lighter breast skin. This location provides direct access to breast tissue but requires cutting through the gland to reach the implant pocket. The incision crosses milk ducts that converge toward the nipple, which can affect milk flow and nipple sensation.
Research indicates that the periareolar incision carries a higher risk of breastfeeding difficulties compared to other approaches. If breastfeeding is a priority, discuss alternative incision locations with your plastic surgeon during your consultation.
Can You Breastfeed with Breast Implants?: How to Plan Breast Augmentation with Future Breastfeeding Goals
Discussing Your Family Plans During Consultation
Your consultation with a plastic surgeon should include a discussion of your future pregnancy and breastfeeding intentions. Share whether you plan to have children, how many, and your approximate timeline. This information helps your plastic surgeon recommend techniques that preserve breastfeeding function while achieving your aesthetic goals.
Be clear if breastfeeding is important to you. Your plastic surgeon can emphasize techniques that maximize breast tissue preservation. If you have completed your family, your plastic surgeon may recommend different approaches that optimize aesthetic results without the same focus on functional breastfeeding preservation.
Selecting Surgical Techniques That Support Future Breastfeeding
Several technique combinations protect breastfeeding ability. Submuscular dual plane implant placement with an inframammary/crease incision offers preservation of milk ducts and nerves. This combination minimally disturbs breast tissue while keeping the implant separated from milk-producing structures.
Transaxillary incisions with submuscular dual plane placement also protects breastfeeding function well. This approach avoids any incisions on the breast itself. There is no cutting through breast tissue.
Timing Your Surgery Around Family Planning, Pregnancy and Nursing
Many women choose breast augmentation before having children. If you select this timing, inform your plastic surgeon about your future family plans. Your plastic surgeon can use techniques that accommodate future breast changes during pregnancy while preserving function. Some women find that implants placed before pregnancy actually improve their breast shape after nursing concludes.
Your plastic surgeon may recommend waiting until you complete your family before pursuing breast implant surgery. This timing allows your breasts to return to their non-pregnant size and shape. You can then choose implants based on your final breast composition rather than temporary pregnancy changes.
Waiting at least six months after you stop breastfeeding allows your breast tissue to stabilize. Your milk ducts and glands return to their non-lactating state. This waiting period provides a clear picture of your natural breast size and allows your plastic surgeon to recommend appropriate implant selections.
Schedule Your Consultation with Dr. Adrian Lo
Understanding how breast implant procedure affects breastfeeding requires personalized evaluation of your anatomy and goals. Dr. Adrian Lo, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, discusses your family planning intentions during consultation and recommends surgical approaches that preserve function while delivering beautiful results. His expertise in advanced breast implant techniques helps patients achieve their aesthetic goals without sacrificing future breastfeeding ability.
Dr. Adrian Lo provides personalized Philadelphia plastic surgery care to patients throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.Schedule a consultation to discuss your breast augmentation options and learn how surgical planning can protect your future breastfeeding goals!