There’s no doubt that breast augmentation is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures that women opt for in Australia, particularly with it being such an effective way to not only restore a lot of lost self-confidence, but to help manage issues that age inevitably introduces. As with any other cosmetic procedure, however, there are still some things that women are unclear on when it comes to breast augmentation, with breast feeding being one of the most common ones. In this article, we take a look at what you need to know when it comes to breast feeding after undergoing breast augmentation.
Breast augmentation options to consider
If you’re an expecting mother and interested in getting a breast augmentation in Sydney, one of the most common questions that comes up is whether or not it is possible after undergoing the procedure. In short, it is very much possible to breastfeed after undergoing an augmentation procedure, but this can be affected by a variety of complications. These complications are things your surgeon will walk you through during your consultation sessions, but can include issues such as nerve damage or complications resulting in the blocking of milk ducts in the breasts. If you are wanting to breastfeed in the future, you can work out options with your surgeon to ensure you avoid any possible complications that result from certain approaches to the procedure. This is due to there being a few ways that breast augmentation can occur – first, it’s important to know that augmentation can be achieved by either fat transfer or breast implants, with the goals of the patient often dictating the best option to choose. Implants are more frequently chosen due to their more noticeable presence and ability to be manipulated more, but fat transfer is often chosen by people who might want fat transferred from somewhere else on their body or an option that is more natural.
Breast implant placement in relation to breastfeeding
Regardless of which option is chosen by the patient, their surgeon will perform the breast augmentation procedure in a way that best avoids any modification of the milk ducts and breast nerves. It is useful to note that those who opt for a fat transfer will usually have their risk of breastfeeding complications greatly minimised in relation to those who opt for implants. In any case, it is where the incision is made for introducing breast implants that most affects breastfeeding. Depending on how an implant occupies the breast of the patient, they will often have trade-offs overall – for instance, different options allow for different recovery time or more natural shape, although there is not an option that covers every single base. For this reason, a patient wanting to breastfeed most comfortably later on will opt for an option that best enables this, rather than one of the other advantages.
Incision options
The options afforded to patients considering breast augmentation will include things like sub-glandular and sub-pectoral, with the latter being by far the best choice for those looking to breastfeed in the future due to its convenient placement. Periareolar incisions (those made around the nipple) should be avoided entirely due to the increased potential for nerve damage.
