Are they bouncing, bikini-filling orbs of sensual wonder, embodiments of womens' self-esteem and mens' attraction? Or are they nurturing sources of live-giving milk, the source of mother-infant bonding over the millennia? Turns out you may have to choose.
Because according to a new study financed by Medela, breast implants may reducce the flow of milk because there's a smaller number of milk ducts than previously thought, and as they're currently installed, implants can disrupt or obstruct these ducts.
Cosmetic surgery 'may harm breastfeeding' [aptly enough, from the observer, via robotwisdom, image: skateboardingsucks.com]
"MAY," being the operative word, here. My wife has implants, done in 1998, and our 19 month son nurses like crazy. There is plenty of milk produced and expressed.
Also, in an informal survey, her ob/gyn says probably 50% of the women in his practice have implants.
No, we don't live in LA, we live in Southwestern Colorado.
[Medela is here at the JPMA conference; I'll ask them to show me their, um, evidence. The study results sound a little tentative, frankly. Still, when a headline like this goes walking down the street, it's hard not to take notice. -ed.]
I wonder if it only occured in a small percentage of women, but now they feel obligated to make that known.
I mean, Pam Anderson, implant queen, nursed both her sons for over a year, and I can't begin to imagine the trauma her milk ducts have gone through over the years!
There's a great website for women who want to breastfeed after reduction surgery. http://www.bfar.org It helped me tremendously. I was able to breastfeed my son for a year without supplementation.
I don't know if there are any similar sites for those with implants but there should be.
For those that have breastfed, do you have saline or silicone implants? Now that someone mentioned Pamela Anderson, does she have silicone implants?