Yes, you can breastfeed with breast implants. Most women with implants are able to nurse successfully, though the rates are somewhat lower than for women without implants. In a large study of nearly 15,000 births, 70.7% of first-time mothers with breast augmentation breastfed during the first three months, compared to 85.1% of those without augmentation. Your chances depend largely on the type of incision used during surgery, where the implant was placed, and how much of your milk duct system and nerve supply remained intact.
Why Implants Can Affect Milk Supply
Breastfeeding relies on a network of milk ducts that carry milk to the nipple and nerves that trigger your body’s let-down reflex. Breast augmentation surgery can disrupt both. The amount of milk you produce depends on how many ducts stayed connected and how well the nerves that control lactation still function. Some women notice no difference at all, while others find their supply is noticeably lower on one or both sides.
Pressure from the implant itself may also play a role. When an implant sits directly against the breast tissue, it can compress the glands that produce milk. This mechanical pressure is one reason placement location matters so much.
How Incision Location Matters
The incision your surgeon used is the single biggest factor in how breastfeeding will go. Incisions made around the areola (the dark area surrounding the nipple) are the most likely to interfere with nursing because they cut through the densest concentration of milk ducts and sensory nerves. Surgery that completely detaches and repositions the nipple carries the highest risk of reduced milk production.
Incisions made in the fold beneath the breast (inframammary) or through the armpit (transaxillary) are farther from the duct system and nerve pathways. These approaches leave the internal architecture of the breast more intact, giving you a better chance of producing a full milk supply. If you’re planning augmentation and want to breastfeed later, this is worth discussing with your surgeon beforehand.
Submuscular vs. Subglandular Placement
Where the implant sits inside the breast also influences milk production. A large follow-up study tracking more than 3,500 women found clear differences based on placement. Women with implants placed behind the chest muscle (submuscular) breastfed at higher rates than those with implants placed in front of the muscle, directly behind the breast tissue (subglandular).
For silicone implants specifically, 81.3% of women with partial submuscular placement breastfed, compared to 74.8% with subglandular placement. The gap in insufficient milk production was even more telling: 25.1% of women with subglandular placement reported not making enough milk, versus 17.9% with complete submuscular placement. The likely explanation is that subglandular implants press directly against the milk-producing glands, while submuscular implants have a layer of muscle between the implant and the breast tissue, acting as a buffer.
Silicone Safety for Your Baby
One of the most common worries is whether silicone from implants leaches into breast milk and harms the baby. The research on this is reassuring. Women with silicone implants have the same levels of silicon in their breast milk and blood as women without implants. For perspective, cow’s milk contains 10 times more silicon than human breast milk, and infant formula contains even more than that. Even in the case of a ruptured silicone implant, experts note that deferring surgical repair is generally considered safe during breastfeeding given these comparisons.
Higher Risk of Mastitis
One complication to be aware of: breast implants are associated with a modestly higher risk of mastitis, the painful breast infection that can develop during nursing. A retrospective study of over 28,000 breastfeeding women found that 8.3% of mothers with implants developed mastitis in the first six months postpartum, compared to 6.6% of mothers without implants. The difference is relatively small, but it’s worth knowing the signs: a red, warm, swollen area on the breast, flu-like symptoms, and pain during feeding. Prompt treatment keeps mastitis from progressing, and having implants is not a reason to stop breastfeeding.
What to Watch for in Your Baby
Because implants can reduce supply without obvious warning signs, paying close attention to your baby’s intake in the early weeks is especially important. The key indicators that your baby is getting enough milk are steady weight gain after the first few days, six or more wet diapers per day by about day five, and your baby seeming satisfied after feeds rather than constantly fussy or hungry. If your baby is slow to regain birth weight or consistently falls behind on growth curves, that may signal a supply issue rather than a latch problem.
Working with a lactation consultant early, ideally within the first week, gives you a baseline. They can do a weighted feed (weighing the baby before and after nursing) to measure exactly how much milk transfers during a session. This takes the guesswork out and helps you decide whether supplementation is needed.
Breastfeeding Won’t Ruin Your Implants
Many women worry that nursing will cause their implants to sag or change shape. Research suggests otherwise. A study of 93 women found that breastfeeding was not an independent risk factor for breast drooping. The factors that actually predicted sagging were age, higher body mass index, number of pregnancies, larger pre-pregnancy bra size, and smoking. Pregnancy itself changes breast shape regardless of whether you nurse, but the act of breastfeeding does not make it worse.
Implant infection from breastfeeding is also very uncommon. While untreated mastitis could theoretically affect an implant, this is rare in practice and is not considered a reason to avoid nursing.
Maximizing Your Chances
If you have implants and want to breastfeed, a few practical steps can help. Start nursing as soon as possible after birth, ideally within the first hour, to take advantage of your body’s hormonal surge. Feed frequently in the early days, at least 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, because supply in the first weeks is driven by demand. If one breast produces more than the other (common when surgical disruption affected one side more), you can nurse more often on the lower-producing side to stimulate it while relying on the stronger side for most of your baby’s intake.
Some women with implants successfully breastfeed exclusively. Others find they need to supplement with formula for part of their baby’s nutrition. Both outcomes are normal, and partial breastfeeding still provides significant benefits. The key is monitoring your baby’s growth and adjusting your approach based on what’s actually happening rather than assuming the worst.