Sleeping After Breast Augmentation - Memorial Plastic Surgery

How To Sleep After Breast Augmentation

If you humor me, I’m going to brag on myself for just a minute. You see, if there were an award for stomach sleeping, I’m pretty confident I would be a world champion. It’s one of my “no compromises.” Sleeping on my side or back would be like intentionally buying generic toilet paper when Charmin is obviously the superior choice.

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Stomach Sleeping After Breast Augmentation

I know for many of us women, sleeping on our stomachs isn’t something we’re willing to give up. In fact, I remember the day it hit me that I may not ever be able to stomach-sleep again if I got an augmentation, and that fear almost kept me from having the procedure at all (truth). However, I’m excited to report that I still sleep on my stomach every single night.

I’m not going to lie; the first few months will be awkward—like first-boyfriend-in-highschool awkward. Basically, you have to go through a dating phase with your new breast implant. Getting to know them, how they feel, what bothers them, etc. But don’t let that intimidate you. I promise that after breast augmentation surgery, you will be able to sleep on your stomach again!

Finding the Right Sleeping Position: A Helpful Timeline

If you can, avoid sleeping on your stomach.
You aren’t going to want to sleep on your stomach for the first month of the recovery process. I slept on my back for the first few weeks to allow my breasts some good time to heal.
A pillow on your side can help secure your body.
Keeping a pillow against your side when you sleep will help keep you comfortable in the weeks after surgery. If you can, keeping multiple pillows in place while you sleep will help stop your body from naturally turning over to your stomach.
Sleep in a reclined position
Just propping your back against a few pillows will do wonders for both your body and your new breasts. It also gives your new breasts the position it needs to heal accordingly and reduce the risks for unwanted complications. For added comfort, you can prop pillows beneath your knees.
Wear a sports bra to reduce the stress on your incisions
The use of a sports bra will work wonders during the first few weeks of recovery. This keeps your incisions free from stress as your body heals from surgery while reducing swelling and tension. A good sports bra is an absolute must!
Call your doctor right away at the first sign of any pain.
General discomfort is perfectly normal while you recover. But any sign of unwarranted pain coming from your breasts will require the immediate assistance of your plastic surgeon.

Within the second and third months, you could try to get more adventurous by lying on your stomach. Let me tell you, it just feels like having two oranges stuck between you and the bed. It is not comfortable. At all.

After three months post-op, you can go back to comfortably sleeping on your stomach. By this point, your incisions have healed, and your body has more or less adjusted. I don’t even notice them anymore, to be honest. And I forget that this was also an issue I acclimated to.

Just One More Thing…

Whether you’re a side or stomach sleeper, don’t worry. Yes, your implants will feel foreign at first. It will take a lot of adjusting and compromise. But the more you get used to your body and the longer you have your implants, the more comfortable you will feel.

In time, your body will settle, and you are going to relish your new shape and figure. As a matter of fact, you’ll eventually forget that your breast implants weren’t there from day one!