Answers
"I am concerned about whether or not I will be able to successfully breast feed with implants. Does having implants severely lower your chance of being able to breast feed?"
— Answered by
Dennis C. Hammond, MD
Grand Rapids , MI
Even without surgery, only about 67% of women who wish to breast feed are able to. Recent data has shown that after breast reduction, the numbers do not change, i.e. 67% percent of women who want to breast feed are able to. Since a breast augmentation is a less invasive operation than a breast reduction, it is reasonable to expect that the ability to breast feed should be unaltered. Whether or not the sensation to the nipple is affected may play a role in this issue. If breast feeding is an important issue for anyone wishing to have a breast augmentation, it may be more prudent to stay away from any incision around the areola and use the inframammary (skin fold under the breast) approach instead.
