A woman's breasts can easily grow one to two cup sizes over the course of her pregnancy. But after birth, many women lose this added volume in their breasts, and some women's breasts become even smaller than they were before giving birth. Maintaining the added volume gained during pregnancy is more difficult for women who breastfeed, because women who breastfeed are restricted as to the drugs they can take to maintain weight while breastfeeding. Show Choose to breastfeed your baby. Since your breasts will often be full of milk, you'll be able to successfully maintain your bigger breasts as long as you breastfeed. You'll also be providing your baby with solid nourishment. Gain weight slightly while breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is your body's natural way of helping cut weight gained during pregnancy, but if you continue breastfeeding and using your mammary glands, you'll retain a fair amount of weight in your chest--and maybe even gain a little--while your body works to shed pounds on the rest of your body. Consume products high in phytoestrogens, natural hormones that replicate the performance of estrogen produced in your body. Tofu, soy products and flax seed are all high in phytoestrogens that may be able to benefit your breast size. You can also purchase topical creams and lotions that supply phytoestrogens to your body. Massage your breasts to improve blood flow and promote cell growth. The best time to massage your breasts is when applying a topical phytoestrogen cream, which will promote distribution of those hormones throughout your breasts. Discuss with your doctor the possibility of cosmetic surgery. You won't be able to consider this until you are done breastfeeding, but your breasts may be able to maintain their volume until this point. Cosmetic surgery uses implants to increase your breast size permanently. TipsTalk to your doctor to make sure any medications or herbal supplements are safe to use while breastfeeding. The wonderful bond you create with your baby when you breastfeed is like no other. And experts agree that breast milk is ideal for your infant. But even though you want to give
your baby the best start you can, you can't help but be concerned. What will nursing do to your breasts? Think of their size and shape, for example. Throughout your life -- and especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding -- the size and shape of your
breasts can change. Breast size is determined by how much fatty tissue there is. Making milk creates denser tissue in your breasts. After breastfeeding, both the fatty tissue and connective tissue in your breasts may shift. Your breasts may or
may not return to their pre-breastfeeding size or shape. Some women's breasts stay large, and others shrink. But sagging or staying full can be as much a result of genetics, weight gain during pregnancy, and age as a result of breastfeeding. When you're nursing, 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. It's a common cosmetic breast
problem after breastfeeding, but it isn't a medical concern. Women often fear that breastfeeding will make their breasts sag. But other factors can change your breast appearance more than breastfeeding. These include: Each breast is independent. So what happens to one breast during breastfeeding won't necessarily happen to the other. Breast engorgement, or painful overfilling of the breasts with milk is a common condition that may leave one breast slightly misshapen afterward, for instance. Or one breast may produce more milk than the other, contributing to asymmetry of the breasts. Any dimpling or puckering of your breast may be a sign of
a breast lump underneath and should be checked by your doctor. Breast tissue extends up toward your armpit. So, as breast tissue swells with milk and then shrinks again after breastfeeding, the contours of your bust line may change. 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. Some women end up with one breast a full cup size smaller or larger than the other after breastfeeding and simply learn to love the body that nourished their babies -- no matter what its shape. Most breast problems after breastfeeding are cosmetic changes, not real medical concerns. But it's wise to stay up to date on your regular breast screening tests to ensure your breast health. Call your doctor if you have any of these breast problems:
A positive note: Breastfeeding lowers your risk of breast cancer. Women who have never breastfed have a slightly higher risk. What's the Treatment for Misshapen or Asymmetric Breasts?When breast size or shape changes a lot after breastfeeding, some women consider cosmetic surgery. A breast lift, called a mastopexy, can be performed to help sagging and to reposition the nipple and areola (the dark circle around the nipple) higher on the breast. A thorough evaluation by a qualified cosmetic surgeon, including a complete breast health history, is advised before you consider surgery. |