Breastfeeding And Breast Implants

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• Breast milk provides the best nutrition for your baby. Breast milk has substances in it that are healthy for your baby. Breastfeeding helps protect him from infection. It also may decrease your baby's risk for allergies and other medical conditions, such as asthma and diabetes. Breastfeeding can decrease your risk for diseases, such as breast and ovarian cancer and diabetes.
  
  
• Breast implants are small bags filled with saline (salt) water or silicone gel. They are used to make your breasts look larger and fuller. An implant is also called a breast prosthesis and is put inside one or both breasts using surgery. The surgery done to place the implants is called breast augmentation.

AFTER YOU LEAVE:

Take your medicine as directed:

Call your primary healthcare provider if you think your medicine is not working as expected. Tell him if you are allergic to any medicine. Keep a current list of the medicines, vitamins, and herbs you take. Include the amounts, and when, how, and why you take them. Take the list or the pill bottles to follow-up visits. Carry your medicine list with you in case of an emergency. Throw away old medicine lists.

Ask for more information about where and when to take your child for follow-up visits:

For continuing care, treatments, or home services for your child, ask for information.

Breastfeeding with breast implants:

You may be able to breastfeed with breast implants. The breast implants may push on nearby breast tissue and pinch it. This may decrease the amount of breast milk made or stored in your breasts. Implants can also pinch milk ducts, block the flow of breast milk, and make your breasts swell. You may feel more pain when your breasts are full of milk. Pain may increase while breastfeeding and may cause you to want to stop breastfeeding. You also may stop breastfeeding if you are worried that your breast milk may harm your baby.

Breastfeeding problems after breast implant surgery:

• Nerves, milk ducts, and milk glands can be damaged during implant surgery. Injured nerves can decrease the feeling in your nipple area. This may reduce your let-down response (when your breasts fill with milk). Damaged milk ducts can decrease the amount of milk made by your breast. Your breast tissue may be damaged or scarred after surgery. This can be caused by a breast infection, bleeding after surgery, or a hematoma. A hematoma is a buildup of blood in an area of your breast.
  
  
• Scarred areas inside the breast can pinch on an area of your breast tissue and cause it to die. This can affect the normal shape of your breasts and make them look very different from each other. You may need other operations if you have problems with your breasts or breast implants after surgery. Having another surgery puts you at risk for more damage to your breasts.

Breastfeeding and the type of breast implant surgery:

• The way your breast implant surgery was done may affect your ability to breastfeed. It depends on the type of incision (cut) made in your breast to place the implant. An incision made around or across your areola (dark circle around the nipple) can damage the nerves. This may cause a decrease or loss of feeling in your areola and nipple, which may make breastfeeding harder. Incisions may be done under the breast, in the armpit, or in the belly button. This may help prevent damage to milk ducts, glands, or nerves.
  
  
• Where your implants are placed also may affect your ability to breastfeed. Breast implants may be placed in between your breast tissue and chest muscle. They also can be placed under the chest muscle to prevent damage to milk ducts and nerves. Implants placed under the chest muscle will not cause silicone to go into your breast milk. Incisions may be made through fatty tissue, found under your breast tissue, to put the implants in place. This method may decrease the damage to breast tissue.

How to tell if my baby is getting enough breast milk:

Your baby is getting enough breast milk if he has many wet or soiled diapers each day. Your baby should have 6 to 8 wet diapers each day. Also, your baby is getting enough milk if he is gaining weight and breastfeeds eight or more times a day. Ask your caregiver for more information on how to tell if your baby is getting enough breast milk.

How to increase my milk supply:

Use a breast pump after each feeding to help stimulate your breasts to make more milk. The breast pump also helps you empty each of your breasts completely. Breast massage also may help stimulate your breasts and increase your milk supply. Feed your baby 8 to 12 times each day or every three hours to increase your milk supply. Ask your caregiver for more information on how to increase your milk supply.

Risks to my baby:

You may worry that chemicals in your breast implants will mix with breast milk. Some breast implants are filled with saline water. Caregivers see no harmful effect if saline water mixes with breast milk. Some breast implants contain a chemical called silicone. Some caregivers say it is okay to breastfeed if you have silicone implants. Other caregivers say you should avoid breastfeeding if you have silicone implants. Ask your caregiver for more information on breastfeeding with silicone implants.

Where can I find support and more information?

Breastfeeding can be hard. Learn as much as you can about breastfeeding. Your caregiver also may have you see a caregiver, called a lactation consultant, to help you with breastfeeding. You also can contact the following:

• American Academy of Pediatrics
  141 Northwest Point Boulevard
  Elk Grove Village , IL 60007-1098
  Phone: 1- 847 - 434-4000
  Web Address: http://www.aap.org
  

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• Your milk has not come in within five days of giving birth.
  
  
• Your baby is four or more days old and has less than six wet diapers each day.
  
  
• Your baby is four or more days old and has fewer than three stools each day.
  
  
• Your baby is breastfeeding less than eight times each day.
  
  
• You feel you are not making enough breast milk for your baby.
  
  
• You feel a lump or a hard area in your breast.
  
  
• You have nipple pain while feeding or between feedings.

SEEK CARE IMMEDIATELY IF:

• Your baby shows signs of dehydration, such as sunken eyes, dry skin, fast breathing, or few or no wet diapers. He also may be tired, irritable, or unwell, or he may not be responding to you. He may have a very fast heartbeat.
  
  

Copyright © 2012. Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.