Breastfeeding and Breast Implants
Are breastfeeding and breast implants compatible? For most mothers, yes.
Rest assured that many moms with both silicone and saline breast implants have successfully nursed their babies.
The Institute of Medicine performed a study to see if breastmilk from mothers with breast implants would contain higher levels of silicone or other substances that would be harmful to babies.
Good news—the breastmilk was found to be safe. The Institute of Medicine concluded their study by saying all mothers with breast implants should be encouraged to breastfeed. Even in the rare instance that implants rupture, there’s still no evidence of silicone passing into your milk. The molecules are simply too large for this to occur. If the implants are saline, the saline solution would be absorbed by the mother’s body and would be quite harmless.
If you’ll be working to balance breastfeeding and breast implants, make sure you meet with a lactation consultant or La Leche League leader to get started on the right track.
Some moms with breast implants find that their milk supply is slightly diminished as a result of the decreased sensitivity of their breasts. Since the feeling of suckling on the nipple sends the message to the brain to send milk, some women have to adjust their nursing habits in order to be sure their baby is getting enough milk. For some moms, this means nursing first on the side with more sensitivity before moving to the other side.
This may depend on how and where the implant was placed. If the implant was placed under the pectoral muscle, it’s likely that no milk ducts were cut and breastfeeding will proceed as it does with any other mother. If the implant was placed into an incision around the nipple, there may be more issues with low milk supply. These can be addressed with frequent nursing, breastfeeding herbs and medications to increase supply, and making sure baby is getting enough milk with weight checks and diaper counts.
Don’t be discouraged—breast implants are no reason to forgo giving your baby the best nutrition possible.
