Women experience all kinds of hormonal and physical changes during pregnancy. Besides the enlarged belly, most women also find that their breasts increase in size during and after pregnancy. These changes can bring all kinds of concerns to the surface for women who’ve had breast augmentation through implants.
Will I be able to breastfeed with breast implants? How do breast implants look after pregnancy? Should I have waited until after having babies to get breast implants? All these are genuine concerns, and almost every woman goes through this period of uncertainty. Keep reading to understand how pregnancy and breastfeeding will affect your breast implants.
Do Breast Implants Affect Your Ability to Breastfeed?
The common belief is that breast implants will affect your breastfeeding ability. The truth is that breast implants shouldn’t impact breastfeeding if they are placed under the breast tissue through an incision beneath the breast or the armpit.
On the contrary, scar tissue might prevent the development of milk ducts in that area for women who’ve had their breast implants placed through the areola. Even so, you may still be able to breastfeed but with fewer milk ducts.
How Do Breast Implants Look After Pregnancy?
So, how does pregnancy affect breast implants? Breast tissue grows and changes during pregnancy with rising oestrogen and progesterone levels. The breast implants themselves are not affected by these changes. Breast implants are designed to be resistant to deflating, leakages and ruptures, although some factors may contribute to the same. The pressure the growing tissue causes during pregnancy is unlikely to cause the implants to change shape or rapture.
However, since the breast tissue is undergoing changes, plus the natural weight gain women experience during pregnancy, the breast tissue may sometimes weaken. This is because the rise in hormonal levels causes the breast to expand and contract gradually. This can cause the breasts to sag or change shape for some people, even with implants which might end up changing the overall look of your breasts.
How Long Should You Wait After Breast Argumentation to Get Pregnant?
Any invasive cosmetic surgery will put your body in stress mode as you recover, and certain changes too soon might affect your recovery and even the results of the procedure. Generally, it is always advisable to wait until you are fully healed after breast enlargement surgery before conceiving. Breast argumentation recovery usually takes about 6 to 8 weeks, while it takes 9 months from conception to delivery. In that case, it is unlikely that surgery will interfere with your pregnancy unless you have the procedure during pregnancy.
However, the best advice is to wait 3 to 6 months after surgery to get pregnant. That gives your breasts a better chance of withstanding pregnancy-related changes. If you happen to get pregnant soon after surgery, ensure your plastic surgeon and doctor know so they can monitor you going forward to minimise risks of complications.
When To Consider Post-Pregnancy Breast Procedures?
If you’re wondering how breast implants look after pregnancy, often, the recommendation is that you wait until you have the surgery after pregnancy. But this isn’t achievable for all.
As mentioned earlier, pregnancy and breastfeeding shouldn’t have an impact on the lifespan of breast implants. However, many women are usually no longer happy with the appearance of their breasts after giving birth. Age, the number of pregnancies, breastfeeding frequency, length of time and weight fluctuations may influence how your breasts look and feel after childbirth. Some women report that their breasts feel inflated or larger after giving birth. Some women find that their breasts are a more saggy.
To correct these changes, many women consider getting a breast lift to address the issue of sagging. Some opt for breast re-augmentation to alter the shape and size of the breasts. Both procedures may be suitable but it’s often recommended that you wait until you are finished having children.
According to a report by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, breast augmentation is one of the top surgical procedures in the UK. If you are considering a breast augmentation with implants, call us to schedule your consultation. During the consultation, Dr. Riaz Agha will discuss any questions and concerns you may have regarding breast implants, pregnancy and breastfeeding, especially if you are considering having children or are pregnant.
