Restoring shape and balance to a woman's breast after childbirth presents a unique set of challenges. The rapid increase in breast size during lactation acutely stretch the ligaments of the breast in a way that prevents the breast from ever returning to its pre-pregnancy shape. Additionally, breasts often permanently lose or, less often, gain volume after having children and breast feeding.
Though a breast lift, a breast augmentation, or a breast reduction alone will at times be all that is required to restore proper shape to the breast, restoration often requires a combination of lifting of the breast and adding volume either through a breast implant or the use of one's own fat (see: no implant breast augmentation), or reducing breast volume while performing a lift for shaping purposes.
Deciding what combination of these options is going to provide the best long term outcome for a patient is an important part of the consultation and planning process that takes place in the office.