Can You Breastfeed After Breast Reconstruction?

Thinking about breastfeeding after breast reconstruction can stir up a lot of questions. Will it be possible? Will your baby get enough milk? Is it safe? These are all valid concerns, especially if you’re planning for the future or recovering from a mastectomy. 

At The Breast Center in Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Colorado, these conversations are a routine and important part of surgical planning. Board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeons, Dr. Christopher Williams and Dr. Jeremy Williams, offer advanced breast reconstruction options, including microsurgical DIEP Flap procedures and implant-based procedures. 

The answer isn’t always simple, but there’s good news: some women are still able to breastfeed depending on the type of surgery they’ve had and how much breast tissue remains.

How Surgery Impacts Your Ability To Breastfeed

Whether breastfeeding is possible after reconstruction depends on the details of your surgery—specifically, what kind of mastectomy you had and how your reconstruction will be performed. 

In some cases, like nipple-sparing or partial mastectomies, the milk ducts, nerves, and glands involved in milk production may still be intact. If that’s the case, there may be a chance of producing milk, though usually only in small amounts.

When the nipple and most breast tissue are removed, as with full mastectomies, the ability to breastfeed is usually lost. Reconstruction itself, whether with implants or your own tissue, restores the breast’s appearance but not its function.

Our surgeons at The Breast Center will talk through these details during your consultation so you know what to expect. They tailor each surgical plan to your goals, whether that includes the possibility of breastfeeding or simply feeling whole again after cancer or trauma.

Planning With Your Goals in Mind

If breastfeeding is something you hope for in the future, it’s important to bring that up early in your consultation. While it may not always be possible, your care team can walk you through your options and support your choices.

To schedule a consultation and speak with a specialist about your goals, call The Breast Center at 303-706-1100. We’re here for women in Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Denver, and across the country.