Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Does breastfeeding really cause "droopy breasts"?

100 replies

ObviouslyDroopyAcademic · 05/04/2011 19:24

I've just been informed by a nursing postgraduate whose essay I'm marking that breastfeeding causes "droopy breasts".

Honestly, is this true? Can anyone give me an evidence, referenced answer?

[Name change, obviously, to protect myself for being bollocked for using MN for academic research the identity of the student.]

OP posts:
Iggly · 05/04/2011 19:27

Well it was pregnancy that did my tits in! Grin I remember by the end looking at them in disgust disappointed at how far south they'd headed.

I'd question their references!

AngelDog · 05/04/2011 19:28

No, it's pregnancy and childbirth that cause the problem.

I've no links, but searching the web for breastfeeding myths may turn something up.

Have you looked at the WHO/UNICEF baby friendly sites?

AngelDog · 05/04/2011 19:29

This book might be worth a look.

RancerDoo · 05/04/2011 19:32

A study that said breastfeeding does not cause the sag.

Having said that, I am sure the frequent engorgement followed by emptiness over the first few months of my girls' lives has contributed to my breasts being somewhat less perky.

electra · 05/04/2011 19:34

I think breastfeeding does cause drooping - it's what happened to me. My breasts didn't change at all in my pregnancy but breastfeeding and all the stretching and getting smaller again made them horrible. I had a boob job. My mum has exactly the same figure as me and she didn't breastfeed (not through choice) and her boobs are still fine even now.

talkingnonsense · 05/04/2011 19:36

No - my boobs were fine!

Original poster
ObviouslyDroopyAcademic · 05/04/2011 19:37

Thanks Grin

I'll look up the study and recommend te student reads the book!

OP posts:
Northernlurker · 05/04/2011 19:38

I think it's pregnancy and ageing and weight gain/loss and breastfeeding tbh. Your breasts change as you get older.s

electra · 05/04/2011 19:39

Tbh - I think it depends upon the person. I also noticed that after bf my back was much 'thinner'.

tiktok · 05/04/2011 19:40

ObviouslyDroopy - your student needs to reference the statement that it does cause droopy breasts....

It doesn't of course.

Individuals may think that it does, but the major changes to anatomy happen during pregnancy.

Mumbybumby · 05/04/2011 19:41

No! My boobs are several sizes bigger and haven't gone south!

WorzselMummage · 05/04/2011 19:41

Not IME, mine are still great Grin

mrsravelstein · 05/04/2011 19:42

mine were a bit like spaniels ears for a year after i stopped b/feeding ds1, but then they filled out to pretty much how they'd been before. had a small gap between ds2 and dd, so have been either pregnant or breastfeeding (or both) for 4 years now, so i don't know what they're going to look like after all that....

raedrenn · 05/04/2011 19:43

Bigger but definatley less perky and 'full' after breastfeeding :(

electra · 05/04/2011 19:43

tiktok - that didn't happen to me though. As I said my breasts didn't change in size or shape or how firm they were until after my baby was born and milk came in. Surely it's obvious that stretching by engorgement and back again repeatedly is going to cause a change in how firm they are?

smokinaces · 05/04/2011 19:46

Mine are FFs, have fed 2 children and to me dont seem any different to they did 5 years ago.

However, the shitty breastfeeding bras on the high street could well cause saggy boobs.

PinkToeNails · 05/04/2011 19:46

Mine were fine at the end of the pregnancy, but after a year of BF they are really droopy.

smokinaces · 05/04/2011 19:47

as in my boobs are 34FFs, not Formula Fed Grin

MrsWitcher · 05/04/2011 19:48

I definitely think it makes them appear less full. I had nice plump C cups before my first. They didn't get any smaller but absolutely more droopy and empty especially at the top. It's that cleavage look which I used to be able to get without a bra. 3 pregnancies later and the top of my boobs are much, much flatter as if they've been emptied I suppose!

Oh and I was told by a MW that they are always told to say to pg women that it's pg that causes it rather than BF in order to encourage BF. I was already 4mths into |BF my 3rd at this point.

Original poster
ObviouslyDroopyAcademic · 05/04/2011 19:59

Learning a lot here! Breastfeeding doesn't seem to have changed my boobs at all.

OP posts:
togarama · 05/04/2011 20:07

I remember doing some quick internet searching on this out of curiosity last year.

I found a study already mentioned here which indicated that it was pregnancy rather than breastfeeding which was associated with breast sag.

I also found something about breastfeeding depleting fat reserves, including in the breasts and making them appear empty and veiny-looking until sufficient fat reserves had been built up again. This one was new to me.

I wonder about the difference age makes (in terms of when women have their babies). I was in my early 30s when DD was born so I guess that's the age breasts would be starting to sag anyway. Perhaps BFing teenagers or early 20somethings have a different experience?

Overall, I don't personally feel that BFing has made a huge difference. I've got the breasts of a 30something woman with a DD-E cup. They were never going to be perky...

electra · 05/04/2011 20:28

I had my first at 21 - by 24 they were ruined (another baby later) hence the rather radical surgery option.

reddaisy · 05/04/2011 20:32

My breasts were fine after 15months of breastfeeding DD1. I am pregnant with my second DC and they are huge and I'm hoping that after bfeeding the next one that they are still in good nick. Mine are usually DD when I'm not pregnant so I have been pleasantly surprised.

rollittherecollette · 05/04/2011 20:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BerryLellow · 05/04/2011 20:37

It was pregnancy that changed mine mostly. After DS1, I was left with a 36C, in Oct last year I finished bfing DS2 after 13 months and I'm left with a 36D, that are much the same shape.