First, let’s get one thing clear, there should be no judgement if a woman has had a breast augmentation. Over the years, I have worked with really amazing lactation consultants and some not so great. I can tell you that ones that go above and beyond to help moms get their babes to breastfeed no matter what the issue may be, whether it is breast with implants, flat nipples, or even just plain exhaustion are truly passionate about breastfeeding. I have also encountered lactation consultants who judge right off the bat and tell women they will probably have to supplement. Now, this may be true but we need more information.
I am going to share my personal experience. I had my breasts augmentation at 17. Yes, I know very young. I was a few months shy of 18 and instead of saving for a car, I bought myself a pair of new accessories that I thought was vital to me being attractive. I wish I had more self -esteem back then and realized there was more to me, but that’s what went down. I don’t regret getting them, but I wish I would have waited and loved myself more. I guess growing up in Vegas and seeing all the beautiful women here it is easy to get caught up in superficial appearances. I also thought my girlfriends in high school were insanely gorgeous and I was constantly comparing myself to them. My plastic surgeon did try to dissuade me, by asking me if I thought this surgery would change my life. Of course, I said no but truly in my head I thought it was a game changer. He also tried to me tell that he always went for girls with pretty faces, not girls with breasts. In his own weird twisted way, I think he was trying to tell me I didn’t need it and that I had a pretty face. My heart sank when I heard this, because my first thought was great can you fix my face too? At 17 years old, I was not thinking about breastfeeding and basically did everything wrong surgical wise to breastfeed later. I don’t remember my surgeon asking me about breastfeeding later, he may have, I just don’t recall. I know, in my mind I thought having a red wrinkly baby attached to my nipple was gross. Yes, at that time I thought formula feeding was just as good as breastmilk. Again, nothing wrong with formula feeding, but we if compare the two breast milk is superior. I hope one day we have a formula that is equivalent to it. My implant was placed over the muscle and the incision was through the nipple. Two strikes against breastfeeding in the future, of course I did not know that at the time. That surgery was done in 2003, and if we fast forward to 2010, I had to get another breast augmentation. It was not planned or expected. My first set of implants were saline. After a few years of my first surgery, I noticed a ripple on the side of my breast. I had read online it could be damage or due weight loss. I had lost about 20 pounds and equated that to be reason for the ripple. It bothered me, but no one could see it, so I carried on with life. One day, I was getting ready for work and felt really bloated, I got out of shower looked into the mirror and was shocked. My boob was deflated. It was as if someone had taken a pin and popped the air out of it. I finally found out that my implants ripple was not from weight loss, but it was actually damaged. I was bloated, because the saline leaked into my body, which is harmless but still not a great feeling to know what was once in my breast was now in my gut and would eventually end up in the toilet. Not a great feeling that my investment was literally going down the drain. To top it off, I was working as a cocktail waitress in college and my outfit made it hard to hide. So, I literally I had to hike up what was left of my breast into a padded bra and stuff it. Fun times. The second surgery, I asked more questions, but still was pretty clueless about what kind of surgery I should have. My doctor wanted to go under the muscle, but that was more expensive so I opted for gummy implants over the muscle and through the nipple again. Strike 3.
When I got pregnant with my daughter, I was now a registered nurse and knew a little more about breastfeeding. I just wasn’t sure I would be able to, given all my history. The lactation nurse that I worked with at the time was so encouraging and told me that the nerves and ducts could heal and reconnect especially after a few years after the surgery. I was hopeful. I got even more excited when I saw colostrum leaking out of my breasts in my third trimester. Unfortunately, our birth didn’t go as planned. I ended being a C-section and my daughter went to NICU for respiratory distress. We started off on the wrong foot. Even though I was nurse I still had no clue how to breastfeed and with my baby in NICU it made it even harder. I started pumping and only got a few drops out. I was devastated. I felt like such a failure. I didn’t know that stress and having a C-section could delay your milk production. I also had to wait for my daughter to get off of oxygen to start breastfeeding. Since I didn’t know if I would be able to breastfeed, I allowed them to feed her formula. She was taken off oxygen while I was still in the hospital, so I would set my alarm to go feed her in the NICU. I was so nervous to breastfeed I would try to get her to latch, and she would for a few minutes and then pop off. I ended up giving her the bottle after frustration and being nervous she wasn’t getting anything. After, a week of being in the NICU, I was able to take her home. At home, I was pumping regularly while she was away and finally started getting about ½ ounce to an ounce during a pumping session. I hated pumping. By the time, I got my baby home from the NICU, they had been feeding her about an ounce and half every feeding. I’d get her to latch and she would look at me like I was crazy. She had to work for her food and my nipples don’t pour out like a nipple from a bottle. She could guzzle down an ounce and half in about 10 minutes. My poor breasts didn’t stand a chance. I pumped for about a month and dried up. A few things I would have done differently is I would have pumped more frequently and not had got discouraged about my output, because the pump doesn’t completely drain you like a baby does and its estimated that the pump only empties about 60-70% of your breasts. I also would have asked for lactation help at home. I almost felt embarrassed to and that I should know how to breastfeed an infant since I was nurse working in postpartum.
Before I got pregnant with my son, I was offered an opportunity to take a week long class paid for by my employer to become a certified lactation counselor. I jumped at the chance. I learned so much about breastfeeding and realized all the mistakes I had made the first time around. When I had my son, again I was a C-section, but he was able to stay with me and I started skin-to- skin in the OR. I fed him every two hours, but I still needed to supplement him because he was at risk for jaundice. When we got home, I was able to stop supplementation because my milk had really came in this second time around. While I supplementing, I always breastfed first, and then offered a bottle with a slow flow nipple. I was very fortunate that my second experience was different and that I knew my milk ducts and nerves had healed. Every case is different, but if you really want to breastfeed and had implants put in, ask for help, give it shot, and learn the signs to watch for that your baby is getting milk.
A couple of signs that your baby is getting milk:
- Watch for pees and poos *
– day one – 1 pee & 1 poo
-day two – 2 pees & 2 poos
-day 3- 3pees & 3 poos
-day 4- about 4 pees & 3-4 poos
– day 5 & on- around 6-10 pees & around 4 poos
2. Infants usually lose weight the first few days of life, but after about a week infants start to gain weight. Your pediatrician should be monitoring this, but there are some scales reasonably priced for infants you can purchase if you’re worried.
3. Infants seem satisfied, they breastfeed and fall asleep after the feeding is usually a good indicator, but if infant is getting frustrated and cranky after nursing, this may indicate that your supply is low. It is rare that moms don’t produce any breastmilk, but it can happen. Always seek help if you’ re are worried from a professional. Don’t be ashamed if you have to supplement. Enjoy your baby!
I hope my story gives people hope they can breastfeed and to always seek help if you need it. Some may say that lactation counselors are expensive, but the average cost of formula is over $1,700 a year compared to an average $120 two hour lactation visit. Another thing I would have done is way more research before my daughter came, but I was consumed with researching things I needed for her. A lot people get overwhelmed with the first baby, so just remember that baby and you are learning something new. Once it clicks for both you it becomes so natural.
