Breast Implants Before vs. After Pregnancy

A woman who is interested in breast implants and in motherhood should weigh the plusses and minuses of both options.

One school of thought is to do the surgery when you want it. If you want a breast augmentation now, then do it now! You might not have your children for another 5-10 years. Why should you go without the implants for that relatively long period of time?

Moreover, breast implants are safe for children. They do not contaminate the breast milk.

And implants may actually improve breast appearance after pregnancies and lactation. Often, women lose fullness in the upper halves of their breasts after children and breast feeding. In recent mothers, I frequently place implants to increase upper pole volume, and sometimes I add breast lifts to position the nipple properly. If a patient has already had a breast augmentation, then I usually need to perform the lifts (called mastopexies) only.

Implants are not, however, without some risks. Large implants can stretch nerves, especially the nerves that provide sensation to the nipples and areolas. If those nerves are excessively stretched, then the nipples and areolas can become numb. If the nipples and areolas are numb, the breasts might not produce enough milk. Nipple-areolar numbness is uncommon but not rare; about 5-10% of patients do notice some degree of numbness.