Saggy Breasts After Breastfeeding: 11 Tips To Help
It’s super common to experience saggy breasts over time. They sometimes will look a bit droopy or have a deflated appearance.
This happens because ligaments in your breasts (called Cooper’s ligaments), which are responsible for lifting and supporting your breasts, get stretched out for various reasons.
Let’s dive into WHY you get saggy breasts after breastfeeding, how to prevent it, and exactly what to do if you already have them!
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Why Do You Get Saggy Breasts After Breastfeeding?
Now, you might think it's the fault of the innocent act of breastfeeding, but oh no, it's not!
The real culprit here is pregnancy itself.
Yep, those little bun-making adventures are to blame.
And the more pregnancies you have, the more likely your breasts are to sag.
This is because hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy create a tissue that’s more dense in the breasts. Breasts also grow larger during. All this is to prepare for lactation. Then, after baby is born, whether you breastfeed or not, a few days after delivery breast milk fills the breasts which stretches your skin even more.
So it’s not breastfeeding that’s to blame, but the preparation for lactation.
Besides pregnancy, sagging breasts can also develop from:
Genetics
Loss of skin’s elasticity
Smoking
Hormonal fluctuations during menopause
Having large breasts
Age
Gravity
How To Prevent Saggy Breasts
Ah, the battle against saggy breasts! Here's your playbook for keeping those twins perky and proud:
Wear a supportive bra. Don't let your girls down by wearing an unsupportive bra. The wrong fit is like a rollercoaster for your boob skin.
Avoid sun exposure. UV rays break down skin elasticity. So slather on some sunscreen and keep those puppies undercover.
Decrease the # of pregnancies. The more children you have, the more stretched out your breasts will become.
Stay within the guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy. The more weight you gain during pregnancy, and while you're breastfeeding, the larger and more stretched out your breasts may become.
Lose weight gradually. An abrupt shift in size produces loose, excess skin, especially around the breasts. Sudden changes are like a shock to the system.
Have good posture. When you slouch and have poor posture, you're giving gravity more opportunity to pull at your breasts.
Apply a moisturizer to your skin and focus on the chest area. Healthy skin bounces back better than dry skin.
Drink lots of H2O. Making sure you remain hydrated is important for overall health and it’s especially helpful for skin to retain its elasticity.
Sleep on your back.
Wean gradually. If you're on the breastfeeding train, wean gradually. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to helping your breasts regain their pre-baby glory.
Wear a supportive sports bra when exercising. When working out, don't let your girls bounce all over the place. A supportive sports bra is your workout BFF.
How to help if you have saggy breasts after breastfeeding
Wear a well-made bra.
Some bras can disguise breast sag by propping them up. Hunt for those magical cups that work like breast wizards, conjuring up a perky and youthful look. Think of it as a breast makeover in a cup!
We love THIS BRA which is perfect for perking up saggy breasts because it also provides fullness on the sides, unlike all other pushup bras.
Perform upper body exercises.
We're talking about exercises that'll give your chest area a little oomph! Doing chest, back, and shoulder exercises will strengthen and tone your upper body. While your breast glands and ligaments won’t benefit, the muscles below your breasts (called pectorals) will. This can enhance the look of your chest area and give your breasts a slightly more lifted appearance.
Some good exercise options are: push-ups, chest presses, butterfly curls.
Consider breast lift surgery.
In this epic adventure, the extra skin is kicked out, leaving your breasts tighter and higher than ever. It's like the ultimate lift-off for your bosom buddies, bringing back their youthful shape and size.
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Related article: How To Lose Weight While Breastfeeding (Without It Affecting Your Milk Supply)
