Will I Be Able to Breast Feed Properly After Reduction?

I am 33, and am considering surgery to correct bad posture and back pain at 5 ft, 130 lb, at 36C. I plan on having children however. Because of my age, am I increasing complication and risk for breastfeeding a baby properly? What other complications should I know about this?

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8 Doctor Answers | Asked by improve78 in San Diego, CA

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Breast Reduction and Breast Feeding?

Thank you for the question. Generally, I have patients who are considering having children in the near future to avoid having any type of breast surgery prior to the pregnancy. Most breast reduction procedures involved leaving a certain amount of tissue intact to supply blood flow to the nipple/areola; this tissue is called the pedicle. These “pedicles” can bring blood flow from above (superior) or from below (inferior). It is the... more

Breast feeding after breast reduction

It is difficult to predict how succesful you will be to breast feed after breast reduction. Certainly some of the breast tissue will be excised and this will interfere with some mild production.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Breast Feeding After Breast Reduction

It usually is possible to breast feed following breast reduction surgery assuming that a technique is used which maintains some attachment of the nipple. It may not be a good idea, however, since there is virtually always some areas of the breast which lose their connections to the nipple but will still manufacture breast milk which then has no means of egress. As far as your age is concerned, there is a greater risk of having complications with pregnancy than breast reduction... more

Breast feeding after breast reduction

There is no way to predict whether you will be able to breast feed successfully whether you do or don't have breast reduction surgery. I tell my patients that if breast feeding is important to them to wait until after they have had their children for the surgery. Also pregnancy and nursing can affect the size and shape of the breasts and you may be able to correct that with one surgery if you wait. Good luck to you.

Breast Reduction San Diego, CA

Successful lactation depends on many factors. Most reduction mammaplasty techniques do NOT interrupt the continuity between milk producing and transporting ducts and the nipple. Your hormone levels (prolactin) and glandular sensitivity to prolactin are important for breast feeding, and are unaffected by breast reduction. While there is no logical reason that breast reduction surgery would prevent you from supporting your newborn with your own breast milk, if this is... more

Breast reduction and breast feeding

The ability to breast feed after reduction is not predictable. It has not been studied to my knowledge. Also 30% of woman don't do it for either anatomic reasons, personal preference or an inability of the baby to adequately feed. The surgical technique used and the amount of breast tissue removed will also impact breast feeding. If this is important to you, I would strongly consider waiting until after childbirth to proceed with breast reduction. I hope... more

"Scarless" reduction

Look into this option. I stopped doing traditional breast reduction years ago because of just the questions you are asking. this is liposuction only. there are reasons why this might not be ideal for you but it should be considered.

No guarantees on breast feeding aftre reduction

Since you don't know your current ability to breast feed, nobody can give you any guarantee that you will be able to after a reduction. If the ability to breast feed is absolutely critical to you, wait until after kids for the reduction. Anatomically, this would be better too.