Can Breast Reduction Affect Breastfeeding?

Embarking on the journey of breast reduction plastic surgery is a transformative experience, elevating your body contours and confidence. Breast reduction is a procedure used to transform large breasts to a more complementary shape and size for your body. For those who plan to have children, an important question often arises: how might a breast reduction now impact breastfeeding later? 

How Does Breast Reduction Surgery Affect Breastfeeding?

For most women, the option to breastfeed remains an attainable choice following breast reduction surgery. Although you can still breastfeed as anticipated, breast reduction surgery can increase nipple sensitivity and decrease milk production. Women who have had their breast reduction procedure more than five years before their pregnancy may likely have a higher milk supply.

One of the critical factors in whether a breast reduction will affect your breastfeeding is whether or not the milk duct system is kept intact while removing the excess breast tissue. Keeping this intact during surgery can preserve a woman’s milk production. Women who opt to have incisions made in their lower breast creases are less likely to have changes in their breastfeeding. If an areola incision is preferred, any nerves cut around the areola during your procedure may increase the likelihood of lower milk production. However, the nerves can regrow, and sensations can be regained. In scenarios where the nipple is removed and reattached, some sensation may return, but the likelihood of breastfeeding is low.

Best Time for Breast Reduction Surgery

If you wish to have a breast reduction before you have had children, knowing the best time is crucial. It can take at least two years for your nerves to regenerate in the surgical area. Severed milk ducts can go through a process called recanalization, where they reconnect or find other routes to develop. When a woman lactates, the ducts are triggered to create alternate routes for the breast milk. Although the likelihood of milk ducts finding new routes is exceptionally high, it is crucial that you understand the risks of the procedure and that each body can respond differently. One or both breasts can be affected during surgery. If you are worried about the effect that breast reduction may have on your breastfeeding, you might consider waiting to have the procedure until after you have finished having children

How to Increase Milk Supply After a Breast Reduction

After giving birth, the first two weeks are the most important for lactation. The more you feed your newborn child, the more milk the breasts produce. If you have trouble getting the baby to latch, you can use a breast pump to help keep your milk supply up while your child is bottle feeding. Lactation experts can help women who have had breast reductions with breastfeeding techniques. Techniques such as breastfeeding the baby, pumping, breast compression, relaxation methods, herbal medicines, and prescriptions can increase milk production. The key factor is emptying the breast to increase how much breast milk is produced in the future milk supply. 

Schedule a Consultation

If you are interested in a breast reduction procedure, it is best to schedule a consultation with a professional to determine whether the procedure is correct for your needs. Fill out the online contact form to schedule a consultation with breast reduction specalist Dr. Cruise at Cruise Plastic Surgery.