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Sagging? Don't blame breastfeeding
Categories: Just For Moms, In The News
When making the decision whether to breastfeed or not, there are plenty of factors to take into consideration. But there's one concern women can cross of their list -- sagging breasts. Many women worry that breastfeeding will forever change the shape of their breasts (and not for the better), but a recent study found no evidence that nursing has any effect.
Pregnancy, on the other hand, well that's what will having you reaching for the nearest Miracle Bra. And there are certain factors that can put you at a greater risk of sagging post-pregnancy. These include:
- a higher body mass index
- age
- higher number of pregnancies
- having a larger cup size
- smoking
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Carrie 10-29-2008 @ 7:18AM
Glad to see this research being published here, although the information has been circulating in pro breastfeeding circles for years.
Another myth is that breastfeeding makes your breasts smaller. That may be true for some women but the effect is temporary and only lasts for a few cycles after weaning. Women often perceive their breasts to be smaller but that's because their breasts got bigger during nursing.
Typically after several cycles, a woman's breasts replace the bulk that was taken up with milk producing glands with fat, as they were before breastfeeding began. So if you've just weaned and feel smaller, just hang in there for several months.
Of course, for some women, their breasts stay larger after breastfeeding (like their feet?!). That has been true of me and my mother. Perhaps it's genetic?
http://www.SexyNursingBra.com
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Marina 10-29-2008 @ 8:08AM
Obviously I was not a part of this study. Breastfeeding did cause my breasts to shrink and sag. I have two children, didn't BF the first one and my breasts were fine after her. I BF my 2nd daughter exclusively and now I am a full cup size smaller than before I got pregnant and what little I do have left has absolutely no lift. I would also like to say that I am a non smoker, age 22, was only a small C cup to begin with, and I am a size 0. What happens to a woman's breasts after nursing are going to be different for every woman. All I can say is thank God for plastic surgery!
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Marina 10-29-2008 @ 8:09AM
Obviously I was not a part of this study. Breastfeeding did cause my breasts to shrink and sag. I have two children, didn't BF the first one and my breasts were fine after her. I BF my 2nd daughter exclusively and now I am a full cup size smaller than before I got pregnant and what little I do have left has absolutely no lift. I would also like to say that I am a non smoker, age 22, was only a small C cup to begin with, and I am a size 0. What happens to a woman's breasts after nursing are going to be different for every woman. All I can say is thank God for plastic surgery!
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JoAnn 10-29-2008 @ 11:31AM
Interestingly enough, I was just in the shower this morning and thought to myself "you know? After nursing my boobs still look really good!".
This was a major concern for me when I decided to breastfeed (I readily admit that yes, vanity played a part in my decision), since my girls and I have always had a great working relationship, so i was pleasantly surprised to find that there was no damage done.
I will tell you, however, that I am still about five pounds over what I was prior to getting pregnant. So I don't know if the excess weight is playing into my currently full and perky ladies!
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