Breast enhancement following pregnancy & breastfeeding

How does pregnancy and breastfeeding change the breasts?

It goes without saying that pregnancy and breastfeeding are life affirming chapters filled with happiness and elation, but they can also cause some significant changes to the female body. You might have heard that its common for breasts to become more saggy after breastfeeding and whilst this is true to some extent, the sag can be attributed to the overall breast growth during pregnancy, regardless of whether or not a woman has breast fed her baby/babies. This breast growth during pregnancy stretches out the skin and as breasts return to their pre-pregnancy size, some sagging and stretch marks are to be expected. Lactation creates a different, denser tissue in the breasts and once breastfeeding comes to an end, the natural breast tissues can permanently shift. This combined with the fact that milk flow can stretch the breast tissue and skin, means that the majority of women can expect some stretched appearance to their breasts.

Whilst sagging is common, it isn’t inevitable. There are other factors that increase the chances of postpartum breast sagging:

• Having a higher BMI
• Being older
• Multiple pregnancies
• Smoking
• Having had larger breasts pre pregnancy

Whilst exercise and a healthy diet and lifestyle help to maintain a fit & healthy postpartum body, deflated and sagging breasts can still occur.

What sort of breast rejuvenation is right for me?

Breast augmentation and Breast uplift are popular cosmetic procedures for women who are no longer breastfeeding or pregnant. Each procedure or a combination of both can successfully improve the look and feel of postpartum breasts that have been left looking empty and flat. Becoming a mother doesn’t mean you have to give up your confident pre-baby self and breast rejuvenation offers an excellent solution to regain a positive body image & confidence and to boost your overall self-esteem.

Consulting with a specialist register plastic surgeon can help you to decide which procedure is right for you. Some women opt for a combination of both surgeries in order to achieve their desired shape and result. Hiroshi will be able to assess your breasts and make recommendations tailored to your personal goals and physical anatomy. It’s always best to ensure that you have completely stopped breastfeeding and are at least 6 months postpartum before you consider undergoing any form of cosmetic surgery. For the majority of women, it is recommended to wait up to 6 months after lactation has stopped before undergoing any form of breast surgery, because your body needs adequate time to adjust and for breast tissue to settle into its final shape.

Hiroshi is highly experienced in these procedures and performs all breast surgery under local anaesthetic and sedation at The Westbourne Centre in Birmingham. This is an ideal and preferred option for mothers that don’t want to go under general anaesthetic.