To say breastfeeding does ruin your boobs?

[booblessmonster]

When I was pregnant, everywhere said ‘breastfeeding doesn’t change your boobs, pregnancy does’ now pregnancy did change my boobs everytime however, the child I did breastfeed - once I weaned, my boobs pretty much disappeared like someone had deflated a balloon on a completely different level. I went from an E to barely filling a B cup once milk dried up.

Speaking to other mums, I was certainly not alone.

So AIBU to call bullshit on the popular advice ‘breastfeeding doesn’t ruin your boobs, pregnancy does’

I understand this is probably said so people aren’t put off breastfeeding but there is no need to treat woman like idiots. Informed choices is important. I struggle so much with body image and confidence and it’s been shattered. I wish people were honest with woman from the beginning.

Not true here
My boobs are amazing. E cups and perky after bf 2 kids for 15 months each.

Mine went back to pretty much normal after about a year. Give it time.

Personally no, mine are fine after bf-ing for 18 months (bigger and therefore saggier but I wouldn't say ruined) BUT I totally agree with your overall point. I think lots of issues surrounding pregnancy/birth/motherhood are definitely minimised. This is clearly something that could be flagged up because it sounds as though lots of women do experience it. The problem with making out as though these problems don't happen is that when they do women end up questioning 'am I normal? Did I do something wrong?' and this can lead to unnecessary anxiety or unhappiness. This is why I am strongly opposed to people who say that mothers shouldn't 'scaremonger' about difficult births. We should be open and honest about the whole process! So, on the whole, YANBU.

Mine are ruined and it's been 2.5 years since I stopped. I've gone from a full and bouncy 32e to a very saggy 32c/d.

Mine are the same. I was also told that pregnancy/breastfeeding could change my body, including my breasts, so I was well informed when I made my choice.

A lot is genetics. But bf does wreck the nipples- mine are now always visible through thick bras. Fitted tops are now impossible.

Nope, my boobs are fine after extended breast feeding

Mine have always returned to more or less the same, I'm a G cup and I have breastfed 3 babies. If I get really thin they lose volume tho , I'm a 12 but if I slim down to an 8 they look a bit shit, so I don't..

YANBU. This nonsense that it is pregnancy and not breastfeeding that changes your breasts is just that - of course there will be people whose breasts survive breastfeeding relatively unscathed, but there are also many (me included) who end up with two marbles in socks.

The only evidence I have ever seen for the idea that it is pregnancy that causes the changes are two studies done on very small samples by a plastic surgeon - hardly unbiased!

I breastfed for over 7 years with only a 4 month break (while pregnant) and mine are pathetic now.

Mine didn't change either.
They were small pre pregnancy, 32 b, during breastfeeding were a 32e to g and then when I stopped breastfeeding went back to a b cup. Nipples are still in same place so no drooping.
Now I'm pregnant again they have filled out and I've gone up a few cup sizes but still looks same, just bigger

Mine are basically the same. Always been big though.

Mine were fab after two breastfeeding children! Couldn't believe it really.

Mine are pretty much as good now in my 40s after BF for a total of 5 years as they were in my 20s.

32E, would still pass pencil test if I was inclined to try. It's the rest of my body that lets them down

Not at all. Mine got slightly smaller. And that was a good thing.

My nipples are absolutely enormous after 2yrs of breastfeeding/being pulled and chewed.

I fed DS for 11m. Mine were a C cup before kids (or a bit smaller without the contraceptive pill) and are pretty much the same after (nipples a bit bigger tho). Still reasonably firm, altho I have stretch marks on the underside of one in particular that weren't there before.

4 years of continuous breastfeeding and my previously "pert" boobs are basically non existent now... 😭
Although my friend who also has 2 children, didn't breastfeed either and ended up exactly the same. She's gone onto have breast surgery as her boobs completely vanished, which makes me think maybe it's more pregnancy/hormone related, and some get affected worse than others.

Depends on your definition of ‘ruined’. Mine have always been one of my favourite features despite many years of feeding so if it’s shape that’s an issue, I’d disagree completely.
Add to that the protection from breast cancer (and ovarian cancer) that breastfeeding affords you. Surgery for breast cancer certainly changes the appearance of your breasts, so there is an argument that breastfeeding does exactly the opposite of ruining breasts for many, many women by protecting them from breast cancer surgery.

BF hasn't changed the look or size of my breasts, but definitely the sensation has gone from my nipples :-(

I was a C cup before and I still am. BF first for five months second for a year. No change at all. No stretch marks either, l’m lucky! Cellulite however....

BFing didn't change my boobs but losing lots of weight did.

It took a while after stopping to get back to normal, surprisingly long. But they’re back to how they were before now, allowing for normal aging of course.

Someone suggested above that maybe gradual weaning helps... I think so. 2 family members weaned quite rapidly at 6m and seemed to go pretty flat (flatter than before), me and one other carried on a bit longer and let it wind down to just a morning and evening feed, both of us stayed about same size. But maybe it's perception.

Hmm. I started DD. Through pregnancy went up to a J. Breastfed for 4.5 years and they went down to a C/D. Stopped bf and they went back up to DD within a few months, so back where I started. A few extra stretch marks but that's from how big they got when I was pregnant.