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Breast feeding is a 50-50 chance after having a breast implantation. Lactation is almost always possible after undergoing an implant but sometimes it so happens that the lactation system gets affected due to the surgery. Surgeries done on the nipple and areola invariably affect lactation. Even though researchers’ state that breast feeding after 5 years of implantation does not affect lactation due to the body repairing its own mammary glands by a process called recanalization, it still has certain disadvantages to it.
Breast implants can also damage the tissues as it pushes against them and reduces milk production. Here are the few risks that occur when breast implants precede breastfeeding.
Risks Of Breast Implants Preceding Breastfeeding
Galactorrhea
It is one of the most common disorders associated with breast feeding after the surgery of breast implants. It witnesses spontaneous flow of milk irrespective of childbirth or nursing.
Source: http://www.aurorahealthcare.org/yourhealth/healthgate/getcontent.asp?URLhealthgate=11843.html
It is caused due to imbalance in hormones or excessive stimuli around nipples caused by the movement of the foreign implant. It may even be caused by hyperprolactemia due to blockage of dopamine receptors responsible for prolactin control release.
Mastitis
Breast Implantation often leads to a condition called mastitis or inflammation of breast tissues. It is accompanied by severe pain during breastfeeding, redness in the pattern of wedges, fever that often exceeds 101F, and even flu like symptoms.
This occurs due to the milk duct getting blocked and excess milk not being removed properly. It even results because of a severed lmilk duct caused during surgery.
Low Milk Supply
This is a common phenomenon seen during breast feeding after the surgery of breast implantation. The implant inserted into the breasts act as a physical barrier against the on-flowing milk supply and reduces milk quantity. This is a great risk especially for the infant since inadequate supply of milk inside the baby can cause a lot of life threatening damages.
It may lead the baby to malnutrition, weak immune system, weak bones and other severe disorders. Furthermore it even affects the hormone system since production of prolactin would not match the production of milk.
Galactocele
Galactocele is a cystic tumor which develops in the mammary gland and is filled with milk or milk like substances. Though it is temporary and often resolves when lactation is over, it causes a lot of pain. And there is no way to eradicate it externally.
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This is because it is more or less impossible to remove the protein layer that forms a block on the opening of milk duct as well as prevent the continuous milk from building up inside.
Breast Engorgement
Breast engorgement is basically a painful overfilling of milk in the milk sac. It generally occurs at the time of your first breastfeeding when there is an imbalance between breast milk and baby demand. This also occurs when the mothers stop feeding their infants due to a potential danger that their chemical made breast implants could cause to your infant. The overfilling of milk in your sac finding no means of outlet is what leads to this pain.
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