For some it's cosmetic, for others, self-expression. Whatever the reason, women often make changes to their bodies and personal appearances. These changes could be as simple as becoming the blonde they have always wanted to be, or as complicated as enhancing the shape Mother Nature gave them.

According to the Board of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, elective breast procedures are now as common as tooth extractions. Although they are growing more popular, the impact of these procedures on future health, well-being and family are often not understood by the women who are having them.

Cosmetic surgery to the breast includes reductions, augmentations, lifts, symmetries (to make uneven breasts the same size and shape) and inverted nipple corrections. All of these procedures include manipulation of the breast tissue and may have possible implications on the ability to breastfeed. The impact on breastfeeding varies depending on the procedure.

"Women who are not able to breastfeed after a breast procedure are the exception rather than the rule," says Dr. Woody Baxt, a New Jersey plastic and reconstructive surgeon. "Depending upon what procedure is being done, a woman may find that her ability to breastfeed is not affected in any way."

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