Myth Prevents Successful Breastfeeding In Breast Augmentation Patients

It is very common for women who have undergone or are considering undergoing a Dallas breast augmentation procedure to have concerns about whether or not the procedure will inhibit their ability to breast feed. However, some women also have concerns about the effects breastfeeding will have on their implants.

You Ask, We Answer

Despite what many women believe, breastfeeding does not have any negative effects on implants. In September, The American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that 86 percent of new moms who have undergone breast augmentations were unsuccessful at breastfeeding because of their concerns about how their implants would be affected. The ASPS also found that sagging is caused by how many times a woman is pregnant, not whether she breastfeeds or not.

One of the possible reasons new moms fail at breastfeeding is because they do not know how to properly breastfeed their child. The ASPS monitored 160 new moms who had undergone breast augmentations over two weeks to examine how they breastfed. Of the 160, 63 new moms were considered to have successfully breastfed their children. Of those 63, 13 percent believed they would experience negative affects on their implants. The study showed striking similarities in implant size, incision location, body mass and age in women who were successful and women who were not successful.

Out of the 97 women who were considered to have been unsuccessful, 86 percent of them believed breastfeeding would ruin their implants. It stands to reason that more women could successfully breastfeed if they knew the advantages of breastfeeding.

The mothers who breastfed their child correctly didn't find any problems with their implant's quality afterwards. Aside from the number of pregnancies a woman experiences, other contributing factors like age and smoking habits can cause some sagging.

So what are the facts?

Breastfeeding can actually benefit you and your baby in several ways, whether you've had breast augmentation or not. According to womenshealth.gov, babies have an easier time digesting breast milk than formula and your breast milk can help fight diseases and lower risks like asthma, obesity and lower respiratory infections. Breastfeeding has also shown it can lower the risk for sudden infant death syndrome, type 1 diabetes and leukemia.

Moms can also benefit from breast feeding. Giving your child breast milk instead of formula has been shown to lower your chances of contracting Type 2 diabetes, postpartum depression and breast and ovarian cancer.

If you're considering getting pregnant and nursing in the future but also considering cosmetic surgery in Dallas, don't worry about a negative link between breastfeeding and an augmentation procedure. If you still have questions, set up an appointment with a Dallas plastic surgeon today to get answers and calm your worries about motherhood and your implants.