Pregnancy and breastfeeding can bring some big changes in your life — and to your breasts.
The shape and size of your breast change both before and after breastfeeding. Body prepares your breast for breastfeeding, for that breast tissue and milk-producing glands enlarge and become fuller. Once you’ve finished breastfeeding, they shrink back down to their previous size. You may then notice that your breasts are softer and less full.
Your breasts may or may not return to their pre-breastfeeding size or shape. Some women’s breasts stay large, and others shrink. There are many factors that play an important role in this. All women are different and to the extent by which your breast will return to pre-breastfeeding stage is also different.
There are many factors like age, weight gain during pregnancy, genetics, diet and other health issues play an important role in this.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding many questions comes in mind about our body and breast. This is very normal, every woman wants to stay in shape and look good. But, yes pregnancy change your body in many ways and breasts are also one of the main body part on the journey of motherhood in which we feel changes soon after pregnancy.
I am also a mother. During my pregnancy, I also thought about these questions and yes, there are some changes that are permanent after pregnancy like stretch marks.
In this blog I will try to answer the most common question that comes in our mind while breastfeeding.
- Do breastfeeding cause saggy breast?
- Will breastfeeding cause my breast to become uneven?
- How to prevent saggy breast after breastfeeding?
- What are the treatment options?
Table of Contents
Do breastfeeding cause saggy breast?
Breastfeeding is not the only cause of saggy breast. There are other factors too. Sagging is actually the result of pregnancy and other influences. Breasts go through many changes during pregnancy and breastfeeding in order to prepare your body for the production of milk.
When you’re breastfeeding your child, the flow of milk can stretch your breast skin and tissue. That leaves some women with an empty or stretched out look to their breasts when the milk-producing structures shrink to the size they were before you got pregnant. This is a very common problem and most of the women think that breastfeeding will make the breast sag.
There are other factors like age, BMI, healthy diet, level of physical exercise, number of pregnancies, A history of pregnancy and a large breast size before pregnancy, are equal responsible for saggy breast.
Will breastfeeding cause my breasts to become uneven?
Many women have uneven breasts before becoming pregnant as well as after breastfeeding. It’s possible for one breast to return to its pre-pregnancy size while the other stays larger, droops, or flattens more. This is again a very common problem and there is nothing to worry about. It is again a cosmetic problem after breastfeeding and does not need a medical attention.
If one breast gets more stimulation than the other, it will produce more milk and grow larger than the other one. It can happen when a baby prefers one breast over the other or if you start nursing on the same breast most of the time.
If you are worried about this, you can start feeding each time from smaller breast until that side catch up the size and start to produce enough milk. Once your both breast are of same size, try to alternate them each time while feeding.
If your baby only prefers only one side, don’t force him to feed only on smaller size. Slowly increase his feeding sessions on the non-preferred side. Till then, you can also use breast pump to express milk from smaller size and try to stimulate that more often until the desired size.
How to prevent saggy breasts after breastfeeding?
As I have mentioned earlier in this post that breastfeeding is not the only reason for saggy breast, there are many other factors that affects the breast. That is the reason you can’t completely prevent it. But there are some things that you can take care of to delay this process.
Wear a supporting Bra
A supportive bra is a key to maintain breast health. Bra will support the breast when under strain like exercising, breastfeeding, pregnancy, and many other activities. Wearing a good and supporting maternity bra during this time will help the breast to hold right. Wear a supporting bra while sleeping, exercising and running also, this will also help them to stay in shape.
Healthy diet
A healthy diet is a key to stay fit. There is no other ways to stay fit if you are eating unhealthy junk food. Try to add as many as colorful veggies, fruits, wholesome grains, meats, fish, chicken, beef and eggs, tofu and some other dairy products. This will help your body in collagen production and it will keep your skin healthy. Try to avoid frequent weight gain and weight loss. Frequent and quick weight gain and weight loss both affects the body in negative ways.
Drink more water
Our body is 70% water and 30% rest other things. There is no other way to keep it hydrated and fresh except drink lots of water. Drink at least 2 to 3 Litters of water every day to keep it hydrated and moisturized.
Stop smoking
Smoking has very bad effects on both body and mind. Its kills your body from inside. Smoking is also responsible for saggy skin. Smoking is dangerous for both you and your breastfeeding baby. So quit immediately.
Use moisturizer
Don’t let your breast skin to dry, instead use a good moisturizer and keep them moisturize. This will help your breast to firm up little bit. Always consider a moisturizer that is safe during breastfeeding.
Try not to gain too much weight during pregnancy
The more weight you will gain, the more your skin will get stretch and when you try to come in shape after pregnancy that stretchy skin will gives you a saggy look.
Stay active
Try to stay physically active after pregnancy. This will help you to reduce your extra pregnancy weight and will keep your skin firm. You should also try to do light exercise like walking during pregnancy also. Keep moving is always healthy and good in many ways.
What are the treatment options?
Saggy or asymmetric breast are not a reason of concern but some women feel uncomfortable with that. The only treatment option that can help is a cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery or I can say a breast lift can be performed to lift saggy breast. The surgery can only be evaluated by the doctor, who will take all the medical history first and according to his evaluation, he will tell you whether you are a right candidate for the surgery or not.
