Breast Reduction Surgery After Pregnancy?

Marisol785,
During pregnancy the breast tissues undergo significant change due to hormonal effects. You are correct to wait some time to undergo breast reduction after childbirth.
Another factor which would also contribute is if you are breast feeding. Basically, you want to wait for your breasts to return to their steady state, unaffected by the hormonal influences of the pregnancy.
Another factor is your mobility with your new baby. If you undergo surgery too soon, you may be hindered while you are recovering. Waiting 6 to 12 months would be appropriate.

Your best results will come from waiting until you are back close to your pre-pregnancy weight. The answer also depends in part on whether you're breastfeeding. Generally, I would recommend waiting 3 months after you stop breastfeeding before scheduling the procedure. You may find that the size and shape of your breasts change significantly after breastfeeding. If you don't breastfeed, waiting 3 to 6 months after having the baby is advisable. If you plan on having another child soon, I recommend waiting until you're finished having children before getting breast surgery.  

You should wait about 6 months after pregnancy, or after you've stopped breastfeeding, before you consider surgery.

Most surgeons recommend waiting 6 months following childbirth for a breast reduction. This time period is somewhat flexible. Some patients may not breast feed and their milk will dry up fast, and the breasts will return to their normal size relatively quickly. As long as there is milk present or the breasts are larger then normal, you would wait for a breast reduction.

It’s not unusual for women to address changes in their bodies following pregnancy. In many cases this is part of the mommy makeover procedure which addresses areas of fat accumulation in the hips and thighs, redundant abdominal tissue and changes that occur in the breasts.

When contemplating breast surgery, of any type following pregnancy, several issues require consideration. It’s important that the breasts have reached a stable size and contour and that lactation has stopped for at least three to six months. It’s also important that the patient has returned to their baseline weight. Once these requirements have been met, it’s reasonable to proceed with breast reduction surgery.

If you’re considering breast reduction following pregnancy, consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon that has experience in this area would be appropriate.

I would agree with the majority of my colleagues in saying that you should wait a minimum of 6 months following cessation of nursing AND lactation prior to considering reduction mammaplasty.

After pregnancy, the breasts will go through some metabolic and anatomic changes. If you choose to breast feed, it will obviously take longer. Breast reduction should be postponed until breast feeding (if you choose to do it) is complete and the breasts are stable in size.

It takes about 10 months for pregnancy to change your body...and it takes about 10 months for your body to recover afterwards. So wait; there's no rush. You also need to factor in your breast-feeding schedule. It is common to continue to produce breast milk up until six months after you stop breast-feeding. I recommend that my patients wait six months after completing breast-feeding before they have any elective breast surgery.

The breast tissue is sensitive to hormonal fluctuations during and after pregnancy.  This additional volume may affect decision making during breast reduction. As such, it is advisable to wait 6 months after pregnancy and lactation.

Thanks for your question -
You've received some great information below. The one thing I'd like to bring up is that in addition to needing to lose the baby weight, stop breast feeding and wait for skin to tighten you also need to consider the social changes in your life.
Many times people considering surgery forget that surgery creates a big change temporarily in your life. For breast reduction this can mean that you may not be able to pick up your little one for a month or so and may need additional help around the house.
Be sure to find a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss ALL of the implications of moving forward with surgery.
I hope this helps.

Breast reduction after childbirth should not be done until at least 3 months following completion of breast feeding, due to the loss of breast volume and body weight , and to ensure that breast milk production has completed. A stable weight for at least 3 months is ideal with no plans to loose further weight. Any weight loss following breast reduction surgery may alter the shape of the breast.
A recent study of breast shape with implants following pregnancy has shown that implants do not adversely affect breast shape. Factors such as weight gain, smoking, age of pregnancy, number of pregnancies, and breast size were more important in determining breast shape following pregnancy.
I recommend that you control weight gain during pregnancy and support your breasts in a comfortable, well-fitting bra as much as possible. We have seen that diet and exercise and good healthy habits will maintain your body shape through child birth.