Vain (sorry) question to women who have breastfed

[thatsgood]

Im just wondering what to expect breast wise post weaning. I have been ebf for 8 weeks. Feeling sad at thinking how my boobs will look at the end of this, though appreciate the amazing thing my body has done for my baby. Will my breasts resemble what they look like once the LO has emptied them of milk after a long feeding session? Or even more empty? They look quite empty and a bit saggy after a big feed. I was a 32a/30b pre pregnancy and a 32c now for reference. It's been so nice actually having boobs for once and I'll feel sad to say goodbye to them! Just wondering what to expect really. Thank you!

I think it's probably got a bit to do with genetics and the size of your breasts. I breastfed my first until he was 6 month and my second until he was 3. My breasts look great but maybe down to how small they are! I started off a 30b when breastfeeding at their largest they got to a 30e. It could also be the way it gradually fizzled out with my eldest. My breasts returned to my post pregnancy size/ shape firmness etc within a couple of months of stopping breastfeeding. I think I'm lucky and have very stretchy skin as I've never got stretch marks that could also be why they've pinged back.

I have a small bust and bf two for three years. My breasts are the same as before.

It's the pregnancy, not bf that can alter breasts.

I was wondering exactly about the same question that the OP posed. I was delighted to be able to do it (my SIL could not manage it), and did it for first 9 months, until I had some work-related travel. Looking back, over the course of a year things returned to somewhat OK, different but I was happy. When I stopped BF then I also made some other changes in diet (added tea, coffee) and started back running and some gym. In summary, it was a change for me, but there are much worse changes to come as we age :)

I breastfed three DC and my (large) breasts look pretty similar to before I got pregnant.

Mine are absolutely atrocious and I can’t relate to any of these other posters reporting theirs returned to their full perky pre breastfeeding days. Mine are like shrivelled empty socks dangling when unsupported by a bra!
of course I can’t tell whether or not it was breastfeeding that did that or whether genetics meant that’s what would always happen.
However they are pretty sad looking things these days and I hate them

This was my experience too, 4 years pp. I'm still BF DC2 and they still look empty and sad

This thread has taught me that ribcages expand during pregnancy and that makes a lot of sense.

It doesn't help that my DP very clearly prefers my (slightly) larger size

DH was the same. He's not touched them while I was bfeeding but after I stopped he asked where they went 😂 they are back to their normal size, he picked me 🤷‍♀️

Mine weren't at their best for about a year but returned bigger, better and perkier than before.

My boobs were a small B cup pre baby, full B cup when breastfeeding, then went back to a small B cup after and didn't droop. I was really gutted I didn't even get to a C cup! Every woman is different.

I suppose I didn't give much though to what mine might look like after breastfeeding as they weren't much to write home about in the first place. But in fairness, even after breastfeeding DS1 for 3 years, then DS2 for 2 and a half years, they returned to their pre breastfeeding nondescript selves😅😅 I think I liked them slightly more afterwards for doing their job so well, then obediently returning to normal when it was all over. I was very disappointed that they didn't even bother to get bigger when I was pregnant though!

I breastfed for 12 years (4 children) and know others who have breastfed full term too. They go very soft after weaning as the fat is reduced in the breast itself when feeding. They then get fuller again, probably about a year after that I found, where more fat is laid down again (I'm a lactation consultant too).

Mine are still bigger, 36 months of breastfeeding

the skin on my boobs ended being wrinkly for a bit, I was horrified but then bounced back and they are great if I may say so myself. Oh, I breastfed for a long time but no lasting damage.

Mine have sagged but it's because my breast size ballooned in pregnancy, I did gain weight but genetically it disproportionately goes there. It could be worse given how many cup sizes I have gone up and down again.

To put it in perspective: the only place on my body I got stretch marks was my boobs. Nothing on my belly.

I've got stage 3 ptosis.
My nipples point to my feet, on cold days I can fling them round my neck as a scarf and my bras are more like scaffolding. 🤣

I don't give a shit. Stuff then in a bra and they look just fine.

Most women don't end up like this I must stress. There's several factors. And even if you did end up with feet warmers (very very unlikely), you can have surgery.

I don't think mine are much different. My boobs got big from about 3 months pregnant and I breastfed until she was 2, so they were out of sorts for about three years. In that time gravity and age may well have had an impact, but I think they are pretty much what they were pre pregnancy. One of them was maybe 1/2 a cup size smaller and I think they're closer to being the same size now if anything. But they're not these saggy spaniel ears you hear people talk about. I'm a size 30DD ish if that helps.

It’s luck of the draw. I fed for 26 months and they are pretty much as they were shape wise but bigger. Possibly a smidge lower but you’d find it hard to tell. Bigger nipples though!

They took a year post BF to return to normal though.

I didn’t get any stretch marks either though, stomach is exactly the same, no wrinkles or changes. Depends on your skin I think.

I bf for 2 years. They were a bit deflated for about 6 months, now it's about 9 months later and they're pretty much back to normal, only slightly less firm. I'm a B cup.

Not good news here - mine are empty, flat and saggy. Look awful out of a bra.

I think it's to do with the size you were in the first place though; and if they get bigger during bf. Mine got huge (up to an H cup) during breastfeeding, from a DD in pregnancy, so it's hardly a surprise they look shrivelled and awful afterwards.
Whereas friends who didn't get much bigger during bf seem to have stayed perky afterwards.

I don't agree that it's the pregnancy that affects things rather than bf necessarily; I think it's more to do with when or if your boobs grew a lot, and how quickly.

2 x 14 months of bf. Never noticed any changes after the initial swelling when milk first came in. But then I don't take much notice of them. I don't think they look different to pre-pregnancy.

I’m 2.5 years in and mine are a mess 😂 but I’m having other health issues which I think are effecting them.

Oddly enough, I’ve stopped caring about how they look. A decent supportive bra and I’m content.

It varies woman to woman

My boobs have always been very full and rounded in the first 8 months of bf then they go down. When I stopped bf my eldest after about 6 months they were pretty good and perk still.
Now bf DS2 (14 months) and they are a little deflated but think they will go back once he stops feeding.
My bra size did remain bigger between DS1 and DS2 used to be 32C was a 32DD.
At the moment I'm a 34 as my rib cage moved out a lot when pregnant with DS2 (up to 38inches despite remaining a size 10!) and hasn't fully gone back yet not sure if it will!

Like golf balls in loong stockings. Had a boob job about 4 years after I had my youngest because they were never getting back to pre pregnancy/breastfeeding state.
I didnt mind the shrinking but the sag on those puppies was something to behold. If I stretched my arms out and swished from side to side i could almost slap the middle of my back with each tit.

Same here but I bf 4 dc last two were twins.