How Pregnancy And Breastfeeding Impact Breast Implants

It’s no secret that women experience physical and hormonal changes during pregnancy. Aside from their expanding bellies, most women also experience enlarged breasts during gestation and postpartum. For women with breast implants, these changes can raise any number of questions: Will I still be able to breastfeed? How will my implants look after pregnancy and nursing? Should I have waited until after having children to get implants?

To understand how pregnancy and breastfeeding affect breast implants, we spoke to a board certified plastic surgeon and a patient for all the details.

The Impact of Pregnancy on Breast Implants

During pregnancy, women experience changes in the size and shape of their breasts — regardless of whether they have undergone a breast augmentation. “Pregnancy will often change the shape of your breast tissue, but the implants will remain the same,” says Melissa Doft, MD, a double board certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon and founder of Doft Plastic Surgery in New York City. “The hormonal changes during pregnancy affect the structure of your breasts but have no effect on the implant.”

Hormone levels (including estrogen and progesterone) coupled with weight fluctuations lead to changes to the breast. “Larger breast changes tend to occur with more significant weight gains and then loss,” Dr. Doft says. To avoid the dramatic variations that can lead to postpartum sagging and deflation, she recommends women take the advice of their OBGYN. “During your pregnancy, your obstetrician will help guide you on the appropriate amount of weight that your body should gain,” she explains. “Try to stay within range of the recommendations to reduce the appearance of stretch marks, loose skin, and deflated breasts.”

With that in mind, you might be wondering if there is an ideal time to get breast implants. Dr. Doft says she generally sees two age groups interested in the augmentation procedure. The first group is composed of women in their twenties, and the second includes women in their late thirties or early forties who have had children. “For the first group, I often will discuss with them their plans for having children,” she explains. “If they are getting married and expecting to have children soon, we may delay the placement of breast implants, as the breasts will change during pregnancy. But if a woman is not planning to have children in the near future, there is no need to wait.”

Another consideration? How much breast tissue the patient has. “Pregnancy is less likely to affect a woman with very little breast tissue,” Dr. Doft says.

The Impact of Breastfeeding on Breast Implants

“Contrary to what many women fear, breast implants do not affect your ability to breastfeed when they are placed under the gland and through an incision beneath the breast or through the axilla (arm pit),” Dr. Doft explains. “The implant is inserted beneath the breast tissue and often under the pectoralis muscle, far away from milk ducts.”

For women who had breast implants placed through the areola (i.e. the area around the nipple), Dr. Doft says there is a possibility scar tissue may prevent the development of milk ducts in the area. Even so, the patient would still likely be able to breastfeed — just from less ducts.

While women with silicone implants might be concerned about the quality of their breast milk, Dr. Doft says research has shown there is little to worry about. In studies comparing formula milk to breast milk from a woman with silicone breast implants, there was more silicon in the formula than the breast milk.

Postpartum Breast Procedures

While pregnancy and breastfeeding should have no impact on the lifespan of breast implants, women may no longer be happy with the appearance of their chest after giving birth. Heredity, age, number of pregnancies, length of time and frequency of breastfeeding, and weight fluctuations are just a few of the factors that may influence how the breasts heal after childbirth. “Some women find their breasts feel deflated, the same, or larger after pregnancy,” Dr. Doft shares. “Most patients find that their breasts are more ptotic or saggy.”

To correct for any changes, women may consider a mastopexy (a.k.a. breast lift) to address sagging or an implant replacement to change the size and shape of the breasts. Both procedures work best when performed after a woman is done having children. “If there is a significant amount of sagging, some patients will elect to have a breast lift to better center their breast tissue on the implant,” she says. “Other patients with minimal ptosis may exchange their implant for a slightly larger implant to better fill out the breast skin envelope.”

Patient Perspective

Irene underwent breast augmentation with implants when she was 20 years old because she was self conscious about her self-described “flat chest.” Since then, Irene has had three children and a breast revision procedure. Here, she shares her experience with being pregnant and breastfeeding with implants.