Pregnancy & Breast Implants

• How will pregnancy affect my breast implants?
• Can I breastfeed after breast augmentation surgery?
• Should I wait to get breast implants until after I complete my family?

Women of childbearing age naturally have questions like these when considering breast implants or breast surgery. As women, we experience many changes in our breasts throughout our lives. The onset of puberty, gaining or losing a significant amount of weight, pregnancy and breastfeeding can all change the look and feel of our breasts.

It is difficult to predict exactly how your breasts will look after pregnancy, but a number of factors, including genetics, your age, your skin quality, whether or not you smoke, and how much your breasts changed during pregnancy all play a role. About three to six months after your body stops lactating, you’ll know what the final effect was on you.

Three things might happen after your pregnancy: your breasts might get smaller (very common), get bigger (common, especially with weight gain that persists after pregnancy), or stay the same (sometimes). No one can predict exactly what will happen to your breasts after pregnancy, but consider your female family members. What happened to your Mom or sister? Use these clues to help predict what might happen to you in your journey through the childbearing years.

During pregnancy, your breasts will behave in exactly the same way whether you have implants or not. They will enlarge during and after pregnancy due to hormonal changes, body changes and lactation. These changes can be ongoing for many months postpartum. Once your body stabilizes, if your breasts changed size significantly during your pregnancy and/or breastfeeding and based on heredity, you may develop stretch marks and/or looser skin. A little loose skin may not be an issue, but if you are left with a lot you may consider some skin reduction (a breast lift or mastopexy).

Plastic surgeons generally agree that implants do not cause complications or exacerbate the effects of pregnancy on your breasts. Stretchmarks are genetically linked, so implants will not increase your chances of getting them. Furthermore, breast implants should not impair your ability to breast-feed. When a woman is interested in having children, breast augmentation surgery should always be done keeping the proper functioning of milk ducts and nipples in mind.

The way your implants were surgically inserted can makes a difference. Implants placed beneath the muscle in your chest (subpectoral implants) should continue to be supported by the surrounding muscle, so the changes in superficial breast tissue will not affect them. Implants placed above the muscle in the breasts (subglandular implants) are supported only by the breast tissue itself. They are more likely to look different after pregnancy. Read more about your breast enlargement options, including breast implant placement options.

What happens after pregnancy? In more technical terms, some women have a loss of upper pole fullness, or a “ski jump” shape to the breast when the upper portion has lost volume. Other women have ptosis, or drooping or sagging breasts. Most women also have changes to the nipple areolar complex, including darker color, wider areola and enlargement of the nipple.

All women will experience some enlargement during pregnancy and after. At Port City Plastic Surgery, we take your concerns about having children into account when recommending the implant type, style, size and placement that will be ideal for you. We also specialize in breast lift surgery, which can restore your breasts to a more youthful shape. We are expert in helping you maintain the look and feel that you desire, and in helping you maintain body-confidence both before and after having children.

See our Before and After Breast Augmentation Gallery, or come in and try out our Mentor Volume Sizing System to help envision your results.

Schedule a consultation with Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Brian G. Widenhouse to learn more about your options. He specializes in breast augmentation and can provide recommendations to fit your goals and lifestyle.