One of the biggest myths that I hear about breastfeeding and a question I am asked about a lot since I am an open and honest breastfeeding mama is :
“Does breastfeeding make your breasts sag?”
My answer: not according to research! I have breastfeed 3children & am now still breastfeeding my 20 month old daughter and my breasts are still fabulous. Yes I am nursing still so they are full & in milk production but I know when Baby E decides she is done nursing the changes in my breasts will not be because of breastfeeding.
According to new research done in May 2010 the saggy-ness of breasts (ptosis) is not caused by breastfeeding itself; a very common misconception about breastfeeding.
According to the study done by The Division of Plastic Surgery at Kentucky University the participation in breastfeeding (for any extent of time), lack of upper body exercises and weight gained in pregnancy are not the factors that link to saggy breasts. This study showed that in 85% of women polled in the study (who had at least one pregnancy) reported changes in breast shape after pregnancy; 35% reported an increase in size and 30% reported a decrease in size.
The study showed that smoking, body mass index, pregnancy, and weight loss ( and gravity/age) were factors that contributed to breast saggy-ness and that whether a woman breastfed or bottle fed their child/children had no affect on size or shape of their breasts.So ladies, please don’t put off breastfeeding just for fear of getting saggy breasts. It has no play in if that will happen to you or not – just another myth that needs to be busted (ha).
I have breastfed 3 children – a total of 26 months &counting and my 34 DDD beauties are not going to go down hill because of it.
{edit: update: Babe E self weaned at 25 months & like I predicted my breasts are still fabulous}
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I strongly disagree! I still think women should breastfeed and I did, all three of them. But it definitley caused my breasts to not only sag but disappear completely. My once full B cups are not even A cups anymore but a pool of skin in the bottom of my bra. I'm having a breast augmentation to fix the problem.
really happy to hear you still have fabulous breasts, but for many many of us, that is not the case
Thanks for your comment Mom vs the boys. This article is reflective of new research that came out a few months ago that showed that it was PREGNANCY and not breastfeeding that contributed to ptosis. I have had a lot of conversations with young moms who said that one of the reasons they dont want to breastfeed is because they dont want their breasts to sag — when the bigger cause of it is the actual pregnancy itself and not whether or not you breastfeed.
I love hearing this Devan! Thanks for sharing! It is pregnancy and so many other factors that contribute to any change!! Although I have heard many friends say their nipples have changed with breastfeeding, Have you heard this at all? I have not had any issues either and we are a year going strong
Couldn't agree more!
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There is another italian study into breast ptosis which you may also be interested in – it reached similar conclusions to Dr Rinker's study. This is a myth which REALLY needs debunking, so well done!
hahahaha, Your title just left me laughing so I had to go check it out~:^D . I nursed three as well and they are FABulous!
You go girl! Believe me, I would take saggy breasts anyday to take part in the amazing bond of breastfeeding. I had problems (flat nipples) but I can't wait to try again when I have another baby (not yet though!).
I agree…I've always tried to tell people that it's pregnancy that changes breasts, not breastfeeding. Breastfeeding may cause some minor changes, but the biggest ones come during those 9 months.
I'm nursing three kids and going on 5 years straight (have never weaned yet, so I don't know what mine look like post-bf'ing) and while mine are sometimes a little LARGER than I'd like (hey, nursing x3 will do it LOL) they're fine the rest of the time! LOL
Wow! I have to say I've heard a lot of reasons for not breastfeeding and most are valid, but this WOW I can't even imagine someone saying they don't want to breastfeed because they think it will make their boobs sag with a straight face. I want to say something about mothers being selfless… but will refrain. Nonetheless, I've breatfed three babies and it wasn't until after the third that I noticed the saggy-ness. I can buy the research though. I blame pregnancy for a lot of changes to my body including my "flap" around my middle, my never-going-away stretch marks, my used-to-be-now-not-really blonde hair and of course the 20 extra pounds I've been carrying around. Why not add saggy boobs to the list
!
Great information to share!
I, for one, had saggy boobs before pregnancy so I can't blame anyone but myself for poor upper body muscle mass. =) But my boobs fed my son and they are still fabulous to me, saggy and all.
Glad to hear it! I can rest a little easier now. Hehe!
L
Okay not this is not a topic I see often (wait ever) love how you just put it out there though. Great post I have to say.
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