babies after breast lift and implant?

vanrunninggirl
vanrunninggirl Posts: 48
edited September 26 in Motivation and Support
hi ladies,

i have just been to a consultation to have my breasts lifted, some tissue taken out and an implant put in to keep from later sagging, and to keep them high and perky. at my heaviest i was 178 and had quite large breasts from the time i got them. now, at 26 they've gone down several sizes to a C cup and have also gone several inches down my chest!!!!! i'm considering having the surgery done for me - i'm a runner and i find the sag uncomfortable, plus i want to be able to comfortably wear strapless things and just not have to always consider what sort of bra i can wear with what outfit to make sure the girls don't give me away as an 80 year old trying to pretend she's 26.

anyhoo, before i could go to bed, i thought i'd ask what other women's experiences have been. i'd like to have kids (preferably 2) and i'd like to breastfeed for about a year if possible. has anyone had a lift and implant and then had babies they breastfed? if so, what were the effects and would you recommend it now? i just don't think i'll have the funds or conscience to do it once i have kids! i'd like to reap the benefits as soon as possible.

thoughts?

Thanks a million!!!
Krista

Replies

  • LeelaLosing
    LeelaLosing Posts: 237 Member
    It totally makes sense that you want to have it now and enjoy them but i know it's recommended to do the surgery after you have kids if you're planning on breast-feeding. Especially if you're planning on breast-feeding for a full year, for 2 kids, that's going to take a toll. My two best friends have both complained that it ruined their breasts (one has only one baby, my other friend three kids).

    However, think carefully if you don't have funds to do again.....regardless of when you have it done, breast implants are not designed to last forever. Most need to be replaced every 10-14 years, and any reputable plastic surgeon should make you aware of this as well.

    I am currently researching a breast lift with fat transfer (since I don't want implants), but I don't plan on breastfeeding (or if I do, not for very long) if I decide to have kids.
  • brittanyscherich
    brittanyscherich Posts: 355 Member
    I know Kourtney Kardashian breastfed while she had implants. She used to have awesome breasts, but then she had them removed. And now her breasts are tiny and saggy. I dont think she realizes that she cant pull off low cut shirts anymore lol.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    youre unlikely to be able to breastfeed after a full lift, especially if theyre taking out tissue, because a lift cuts around the nipple and theres a good chance that some, or all of the milk ducts will be damaged, so if you plan to have children and breastfeed them, then wait till later to get your lift.

    If it was just a case of implants, then its perfectly possible to breastfeed, although if youve never had a baby, you wont really know how your breasts will respond to pregnancy, and you may find you pay thousands for surgery, and then your new boobies are completely ruined by the pregnancy.
    If youre planning on having children in the next few years then id really really consider postponing your surgery till afterwards
  • vanrunninggirl
    vanrunninggirl Posts: 48
    Thanks ladies for the words of wisdom. My surgeon is actually a family friend and he recommends breastfeeding for a month maximum, i could afford a new set in 10-14 years, I just wouldn't want to have to pay to get them re-done in like 5-6 years after kids. He does do the incision around the nipple, but he said his record is really good for not effecting the milk ducts, and most women who could breastfeed before are able to after surgery also (however, having not had kids i don't know whether i can or not). I work in the medical health industry with babies and I just know the benefits of breast milk are so great, that if I could do it, I wouldn't want to stop after only a month. It sounds like I should hold off, only thing is, I fear that there will be more pressing problem areas after babies, and then I'll never get my girls lifted! I should have just done it 4 years ago, and then I could have had them re-done in another 6-8 from now after babies. Oh well!!! I guess it's push up bras and sore shoulders for me for a few more years.

    Realistically, I would like to have kids fairly soon, so maybe only another 4-5 years to wait because I'm assuming I should wait until the last baby is off the boob completely!
  • vanrunninggirl
    vanrunninggirl Posts: 48
    I know Kourtney Kardashian breastfed while she had implants. She used to have awesome breasts, but then she had them removed. And now her breasts are tiny and saggy. I dont think she realizes that she cant pull off low cut shirts anymore lol.

    haha i hate when people do this, i am a fan of trashy girly tv and i watch real housewives, i don't know if you've ever seen nene leakes from real housewives of atlanta, but LORD someone needs to tell her to WEAR A BRA!!!
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    surprised by the breastfeeding for one month only?? Cant think of any reason he would say that at all if everything goes to plan. How strange!!

    I waited till after id completed my family to get my boobs done. I think its sensible
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
    According to La Leche League, International, breast surgeries that affect the areola (cutting milk ducts) will most likely limit a mother's ability to breastfeed. I think a breast lift by definition cuts the areolas to reposition them higher. Implants, if done correctly (inserted under the muscle) probably won't affect a mother's ability to make milk.
    Personally, if it was me, I'd wait until after the kids and breastfeeding to have the surgery. Breastfeeding is a wonderful experience, and I would hate to have it limited by a choice that could easily be delayed for a few years.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    the placement - under the muscle or over the muscle wouldnt make any difference to the ability to breastfeed afterwards. The only thing that would affect that would be the incision. A through the nipple placement would, and an uplift would
  • fallon144
    fallon144 Posts: 40
    I got the surgery before kids (still don't have any) and specifically asked my surgeon if I would be able to breastfeed and he said yes. Go for it! It's the best decision I ever made!
  • bbush18
    bbush18 Posts: 207 Member
    bump, i've been wondering this too!
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
    I got the surgery before kids (still don't have any) and specifically asked my surgeon if I would be able to breastfeed and he said yes. Go for it! It's the best decision I ever made!

    My sister-in-law breastfed her first child sucessfully for about a year. She then had a breast implants inserted a year after that. She asked her surgeon if it would affect her ability to breastfeed. He said no. She was unable to breastfeed her 2nd child- unable to make milk. She blames the surgery.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    There are lots of opinions on breastfeeding after breast surgery. The fact of the matter is that you will likely have reduced supply if breast tissue has been removed. If you just had the skin lifted, that shouldn't impact supply, but a reduction might, because the ducts may not have been reattached properly. However, it's not a given that you won't be able to breastfeed -- a lot of women successfully breastfeed after a reduction with no issues, and still others breastfeed part-time and supplement with donated milk or formula. Implants almost never impact supply at all. And the duration of nursing actually has little impact on the condition of your breasts. Pregnancy is what does the breasts in, not nursing. I don't like to give anecdotal evidence, because there's always the exception to the rule, but my sister had implants and nursed both of her children (one for 9 months and the other for a year), and she's never had a problem with the way her breasts look. So if you decide to breastfeed and choose to continue with it for a month or a year or two years, that will have little impact on the condition of your breasts.

    I recommend reading some of the articles at Kellymom.com. I did a quick search to bring up a list, but there may be others. Lots of good information at the site, so look it over. Regardless of what you choose, there are options to help you along. If it's important to you, try! All you can do is the best you can do. And see a lactation consultant and/or La Leche League leader (you can find a group at www.llli.org) to get helpful tips and support. Feel free to message me if you have any questions or need help finding a professional in your area.

    http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/breast-surgery.html

    Good luck!
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    Coming back to add that I misread your post, and thought you had already had the surgery. If you haven't yet had the surgery, I personally would wait, due to the research I've done in the past. Many women go on to have no problems with breastfeeding, but there's always that risk. So if breastfeeding is important to you, I would personally wait. But then again, I also haven't experienced the pain and frustration that comes with having large breasts, so my opinion is not an entirely educated one. But you do need to know that even with an experienced surgeon who routinely does these surgeries with no ill effects on breastfeeding abilities, there's always a chance that things will go wrong. Only you can determine if it's an acceptable risk. I think you're doing the right thing by doing the research now so you can make the best decision. :)
  • JAG1224
    JAG1224 Posts: 191 Member
    bump - i was wondering this too. my breast changed a lot after breastfeeding for 6 months.. i would love to get implants now but am afraid i won't be able to breastfeed our next child or maybe i will but then my new breasts will end up looking like my old ones?!!
  • JasmynSmith2
    JasmynSmith2 Posts: 1
    I had my breasts augmented and was able to breast-feed my children—both of them! I considered a breast lift, but, honestly my chest was too small to benefit from the procedure and I still feared sagging. I checked whether I could breast feed with a lift and implants, as it was a huge concern for me. Dr. Studin, my plastic surgeon, assured me that breastfeeding could be done with both, though he did clarify that the implant would need to be placed under the muscle. The procedure was something he’d patented years ago so I was comfortable going through with it. Sure enough, years later I was able to breast-feed my children with normal trouble but nothing I could attribute to my surgery. For more information on the procedure, check out his site: http://webplastics.com/procedure/breasts/breast-implants/
  • Lawsjenni
    Lawsjenni Posts: 1
    I worried about exactly the same thing, I had a child
    Pre-op and breast fed no problems for 1 year. Then
    Inberween children had a breast lift with implants, the
    Second child was a lot harder to breast feed, she lost
    A lot of weight and I had to give her a bottle, I was
    Devastated and carried on very determined to breast
    Feed along side the bottle feeding. It was a struggle.
    Even thou I really wanted it to work out and was gutted
    I still see it as success that I managed to do it for 6 months
    And have not once regretted the decision to have it done.
    I was so unhappy before the operation that it is still worth it
    For me. You really need to think not about if you can/cannot
    Breast feed after (because that can't be answered) but assume
    That you won't be able to and if that would still be worth doing.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories