Question About Breastfeeding and Breast Augmentation

I personally don't have any knowledge on this subject, however a friend of mine had a breast reduction and had to have her nipples moved and also made to be smaller. She has successfully breastfed for over 9 months. She was having difficulty on one side because of an inverted nipple so she quit using that side. But her son is a BIG boy and is very healthy. She does use formula but she has only been using formula for about 4 months. Hope this helps...

I don't know about breast feeding after surgery, either. But, everyone is different with signs of lactation. Mine even differed between pregnancies. With my first, my breast got bigger, but not huge (I have a LONG way to go to get to huge!), but I had no leakage or any signs of milk until after the baby was born. But, with my second, my breasts got bigger faster and I was leaking (very) small amounts of milk early in the pregnancy, I want to say like in my 4th or 5th month. Your OB should be able to give you more info about breast feeding, or you can contact a lactation consultant.

Congrats on the baby!!

The answer to your question depends largely on wether or not your areolas were completely redone then reattached. If so you can respond to the hormones and make milk and even have some engorgement due to the placenta separation and increased prolactin levels. However, much like a mom who chooses to bottle feed it will go away within a few days because the nerve endings in the aereola have been disconnected and there is no way to tell the brain to let down prolactin and oxytocin to make and let down milk. If the aereolas are intact even partially then you may be able to stimulate those nerves that go to the brain and produce milk.

Feel free to email me offline for studies that you can read on this topic.

K. @ The Nesting Place

My understanding is that with nipple removal/work ... not likely, but i have an email in to a PS friend to get his advice/opinion.

I don't know about breastfeeding after breast surgery -- your OB might be able to answer that, or a lactation consultant. As far as when you show signs of milk production, it's different for everyone. I have a friend that had some leakage here and there around her 7th month that happened throughout her last trimester. Personally, I didn't have a sign of milk until my babies were born, and even then it took 5 days after for the milk to actually come in.