Should Women with Breast Implants Breastfeed Their Babies?

Breastfeeding has always been a sensitive issue, and women who have breast implants are often the target of unfair criticisms especially from their partners and family members. Sometime last year, Mel Gibson was caught on tape angrily admonishing his girlfriend, Oksana Gregorieva, for breastfeeding their daughter Lucia. Mel was angry because Oksana has breast implants, and he thought that breastfeeding with implants could harm the baby. Should women with breast implants breastfeed their babies?

In 2006, the FDA conducted a study on nursing women who have breast implants, and the results showed that even if the silicone or saline implant leaks, there is no immediate danger of the solution making its way into the milk ducts and breast tissues. According to the study, silicone molecules are too large to get into the milk ducts so women who have breast implants can breastfeed their babies safely. However, women with implants may find it a bit uncomfortable to nurse their babies as their nipple areas can be quite sensitive and breast engorgement can be quite painful. The implant and the nerve damage sustained during surgery may also interfere with the natural flow of breast milk, so some women who have had breast augmentation may need to bottle-feed their babies from time to time.

Breastfeeding is a very personal issue. Women who want to breastfeed after getting breast enhancement surgery should talk about their concerns with their plastic surgeons. Asking the right questions about breast implants and breast enhancement is an important step to make an informed decision.