Do I Have to Wait for my Milk Supply to Dry Up for Breast Reduction?

Thank you for your question.
You should wait until your milk has dried up and you absolutely need to let your surgeon know. Best wishes!

It is too early to get your surgery done. I generally advise patients wait for a least 6 months after they've stopped breastfeeding before pursuing breast surgery. Please let your surgeon know your situation.

I would recommend that you wait at least 4 months subsequent to cessation of lactation prior to considering breast reduction.

Hi there-

Generally speaking, it is not in your best interests to withhold relevant information from any health care provider, as (and this is definitely true in this instance) it may lead to complications you could have avoided had you been forthcoming...

I would recommend you wait at least 3 months to allow your breasts to re-establish a healthy equilibrium after the glandular elements have receded. 

Proceeding before this has occurred risks ongoing deflation of the breasts in the postoperative period, with a less than favorable result that necessitates another surgical procedure.

Thanks for your question -

In our San Francisco area office we commonly perform breast reductions.  We always ask our patients to wait until they're done breast feeding.  There are several reasons for this -


Breast milk can cause infections and wound healing problems.

Your breasts are engorged (think bigger than normal) with breast milk and the actual size and shape of your breasts will change when you stop lactating.  It is important to perform the surgery when your breasts have reached a stable size without breast milk.

Anesthesia and pain medications can get into the breast milk affecting your baby.

After surgery you'll need some time to recover and typically breast feeding moms may have some trouble finding the time to devote to you.


Two days is likely not enough time to prevent issues from point #1 and point #2.  And you should see your surgeon as a partner in your safety and well being.  Not telling your doctor things is a recipe for disaster.  I hope this helps.  Finish breast feeding and then see a board certified plastic surgeon.