Dear Katherine,

I am currently nursing my very healthy 2 1/2 year old and I have
silicone breast implants.  I had no problems with milk supply and she
was a *fat* breastfed infant.

Considering the number of women who have breast implants (well over 1
million, I believe) and the tiny numbers of breastfed children who have
health problems that researchers believe may be linked to implants (12
in one study and 2 in another), I believe that causality is unlikely.

You suggest women with breast implants have them removed.  These are my
concerns with this idea.
* the surgery to have the implants removed may be prohibitively
expensive.  In my own case, I had "excess" funds at the time I had
implants put in, but no longer am in the same financial situation.
* surgery carries risks and so does anesthesia.  I was not very
concerned about the risks of surgery when I was 22 yo and decided I
wanted implants, but now that I'm 33 yo and mother to a small child, I'm
much more cautious.
* There is concern that breast "augmentation" surgery could damage the
breasts to the extent that breastfeeding would not be possible.  Surgery
to remove the implants might also damage the breasts.

Cindy Harmon-Jones
LLL leader applicant & student midwife