Are you worried that getting (or already having) breast implants means you can't-or shouldn't-breastfeed your child?
If you're on the road to parenthood, you've probably heard a lot of mixed information about breastfeeding-especially if you have, or are planning on getting, breast implants. Don't worry: It's not as scary, or as complicated, as you might think.
Getting implants does not have to mean giving up on being able to nurse your baby. But there are some important things to take into account, especially if you haven't had your augmentation surgery yet.
Read on to learn more about the facts about breastfeeding after augmentation!
Breastfeeding-Friendly Implant Options
If you want to increase your chances of being able to breastfeed after getting breast implants, keep this in mind: it's the incision that counts. If your implant incisions were made underneath your breast in the fold (called an inframammary incision) or through your armpit (called a transaxillary incision), you'll probably be in great shape-these methods do not disrupt the breast gland or milk ducts, which means that there should be no effect upon your breastfeeding ability as a result of your surgery.
Potentially Problematic Implant Options
Periareolar and transareolar incisions, however-incisions around the areola or through the nipple-do carry slightly more risk. The risks for these methods, in terms of breastfeeding, are twofold: 1) Because of their placement, these incisions can cut through your milk ducts, which means your milk may not find a direct pathway to the nipple; and 2) The incisions can cause damage to the nerves around your areola that help stimulate your milk production-if this happens, it can affect your ability to produce enough milk to nurse. That said, many women have had periareolar or transareolar breast surgery and subsequently been able to breastfeed with no problems whatsoever. These types of surgery do not automatically rule out the possibility of breastfeeding; they simply increase the risk factor.
When Good Milk Goes Bad
There has been a lot of controversy over the question of how-or whether-the silicone in breast implants (even saline implants have silicone outer shells) affects breast milk itself. Some small-scale studies conducted in the early '90s suggested that the leakage of silicone from implants into breast milk was causing health problems for some nursing infants, and this understandably caused much concern over the safety of breastfeeding after implants. Since then, however, large-scale studies on the subject have not corroborated those findings, and the official medical stance is that there is nothing to support the idea that women with implants should not breastfeed their children.
Plan Ahead
If you know you're planning to have children, talk to your surgeon, and talk to a lactation consultant as well, before you pursue implants. They'll be able to give a thorough, informed idea of the risks and benefits involved. If think you're going to start (or continue) your family soon, you may want to wait to get implants until after you've finished breastfeeding. But if kids are still years off, and you really want your surgery now, let your doctor know that breastfeeding is in your future; that way, you're sure to really get the surgery that's right-not just for you, but also for your (future) baby.
The Bottom Line
Experts estimate that the chance that you won't be able to lactate after breast augmentation is about 5-10%. That means that there's about a 90-95% chance that you'll be okay nursing your child after implants. There is always the potential of complications with breastfeeding that are unrelated to implants that have to be taken into account-it's estimated that about 60% of all women have the ability to breastfeed - these kinds of issues, if you have them, would have existed whether or not you underwent breast surgery.
The bottom line is: If you were capable of breastfeeding prior to having your breasts augmented, you'll probably be able to do it afterward, too!
Female plastic surgeon Dr. Usha Anne Rajagopal specializes in breast augmentation for men and women in Bay Area, San Francisco. 14 yrs exp. Free consults. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_Usha_Rajagopal |
No comments:
Post a Comment