Does Breastfeeding Cause Drooping?
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Before I got pregnant, though I wanted a baby very badly, I had a vague fear the effects of breastfeeding would have on my breasts. I was young then, and a bit vain. Of course that didn’t deter me from having my daughter, and breastfeeding her for 14 mos. Still a lot of mothers mourn the loss of their pre-pregnancy body, and many believe that their droopy breast are caused by that honorable task of breastfeeding their baby. There are also other mothers who, sadly, do not breastfeed their babies for fear of droopy breasts (and other reasons).
A recent study aims to debunk that belief however, and has concluded that nursing is “not a likely cause of post-pregnancy drooping of the breasts.”
Instead the study found the factors of droopy breasts to be older age, higher body mass index, greater number of pregnancies, larger pre-pregnancy cup size, and a history of smoking to be the more likely causes. They have acknowledged however, that there is no data disproving nursing as a cause of breast ptosis (the medical term).
I think I would add to that the fact that breasts stretch and grow during pregnancy as well as ever. I know I went from a size of barely B to a C when I got pregnant, and then to a D(!) when I got my milk in. They’re now back to the barely B cup size and not the same as they used to be. I didn’t expect to escape unscathed in that department with the stretching I experienced.
Mothers-to-be, educate yourself about breastfeeding and don’t let any fear of changes in your breasts deter you from breastfeeding. The benefits to your baby outweighs any physical changes you may be afraid of.
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