Can You Breastfeed After Breast Augmentation?

Yes — women with breast augmentations can breastfeed successfully, and they do so at rates comparable to women without implants. However, there are some important nuances to understand.

Women with breast implants:

• Can breastfeed successfully at similar rates to women without implants
• Tend to make less breast milk overall
• Are more likely to supplement with formula

There doesn't appear to be a significant difference between over-the-muscle and under-the-muscle placement when it comes to breastfeeding — as long as the incision is in the breast crease (the inframammary fold).

When the implant is placed through a crease incision, it goes underneath the breast tissue without cutting through it. The lobules and ducts that make breast milk and transport it to the nipple are left intact.

The women who have the most trouble breastfeeding after augmentation are those whose incision was placed around the nipple (the periareolar incision). This approach requires cutting through breast tissue, which damages:

• Lobules — the glands that produce breast milk
• Ducts — the channels that carry milk to the nipple

This is one of several reasons most surgeons now avoid the periareolar incision. It's also associated with:

• Higher rates of capsular contracture
• Increased infection risk
• Greater chance of nerve damage to the nipple

Dr. Killeen breastfed both of her children after breast augmentation — 18 months each, with no trouble and no need to supplement with formula. Her implants were placed through the crease incision, preserving the breast tissue.

If breastfeeding is important to you, the most critical factor is avoiding the nipple incision. A crease incision preserves the breast tissue, ducts, and lobules, giving you the best chance at successful breastfeeding after augmentation. Whether the implant is over or under the muscle doesn't appear to make a meaningful difference.