Breastfeeding with breast implants: Nursing made Difficult

When you breastfeed, you may not be aware that some women breastfeed with breast implants in place, and the result can be very painful. Since breast implants involve surgery around the area of the aureole and the breast, their ability to breastfeed might be impaired. Many women take to breastfeeding despite this condition, though some women give their babies formula-based foods to avoid feeding the babies with breast implants. There is no substitute for mother's milk, though.

Breast Implants : The Method Used to Make the Implants

Those women with breast implants have opted for breast augmentation. This is surgery to make your breasts larger with implants. The most common kind of breast implants used are silicone gel-filled or saline-filled implants. Four different methods are used to give you breast implants. Two of the methods make an incision (cut) on or around the areola, the dark part of your breast around your nipple. Some of the milk ducts and the major nerves may be cut with this type of incision. The other two methods make incisions under the breast or in the armpit. This type of incision put the implants behind the milk ducts without damaging milk ducts and nerves.

There are many women who have had breast implant surgery and who are successful at breastfeeding. For the woman with breast implant, she should, along with her caregiver, closely monitor how much milk she is producing. Is her baby getting enough milk or not for at least 4 to 6 weeks. It is possible that the method used to put in the breast implants has affected your breastfeeding success.

The Difficulties Caused by Implants

The reasons why you cannot produce adequate milk might vary. Your breasts may produce full milk supply but it might not be able to pass through the damaged ducts to reach your nipple. Also, your milk production may be affected if the nerves on the nipple and areola have been damaged. A signal is sent to your brain to release two important hormones as your baby suckles at the breast. These two hormones (prolactin and oxytocin) cause your body to make and release breastmilk. This signal may be decreased or absent if you have damaged nerves.

There is also the worry about silicone breast implants leaking into the breastmilk. These days though, most breast implants are filled with saline (salt) water. Silicone implants are only available through controlled clinical studies and are rarely used any more. It is possible (but difficult) to measure the amount of silicone in your breastmilk, which doctors are not sure can affect your baby.

You may have breast fullness or engorgement caused by possible milk duct or nerve damage, you should ask your caregiver about this.

Supplementing Breastfeeding when you have Breast Implants

You should then have your baby's weight checked often, probably every week for the first 4 to 6 weeks. Sometimes your milk supply may not be sufficient. You may continue to breastfeed but your baby might need a supplement. There are several ways to give your baby this formula or supplement. You may have a family member or friend feed your baby a bottle of formula one or more times a day. Alternatively, you may choose to use a supplemental nursing system, a method through which a tube is hooked to a container of formula. The tube is taped to your nipple after your baby has emptied your breasts. Your baby continues to suckle on your breast to get his supplement formula at the same time.

Breast implants may lead to breastfeeding woes and you may be left holding a baby that cries for milk you cannot produce. Consider carefully. Is cosmetic enhancement of your breasts more important than feeding your baby without a glitch? If not then don't go in for the breast implant. You will be thanking yourself for the right decision.