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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

What's Going to Happen to my Breasts?

34 replies

Rainbunny · 08/05/2014 19:57

So I'm TTC currently, no children yet and I keep wondering what I should expect to happen to my breasts (minor concern in the scheme of having a child of course).
Basically I'm a petite size but I've always had large breasts - I'm currently a 32E bra size. I'm dreading them getting even bigger (I've never enjoyed having large boobs) and I'm wondering what pregnancy and breastfeeding will do to them in terms of size. By strange coincidence, all my "mother" friends do not have large breasts so I don't really have any point of reference. Can anyone share their "boob" experiences with me? Did they go down after breastfeeding, or by some miracle end up smaller?

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GingerScouse · 08/05/2014 20:10

Dunno about breastfeeding but I started at 34e and am currently 34ff at 26 weeks.

Kels13 · 08/05/2014 20:13

I started at 32h and 17 weeks in am 36k. Yep I said k... Bloomin terrified!

eatyourveg · 08/05/2014 20:14

pre dc I was also an E but went up to a G when my milk came in with ds1 - they never recovered until I stopped feeding ds2 but then when i was feeding ds3 they went up to an H. I felt they would rip off as they were so heavy and even moving my arm made them hurt. Unfortunately they have never recovered to pre dc size

my advice is to get the best possible nursing bra with an industrial strength support system

Original poster

Rainbunny · 08/05/2014 20:29

Oh God!

OP posts:

Toadsrevisited · 08/05/2014 20:33

Bigger than yours to start with: got one size and one cup size bigger in pregnancy, ballooned like Dolly Parton for a week after birth, and back to normal after that, even when breastfeeding. A little bit less selfsupporting, but mostly normal! Did get boob stretch marks though- in hindsight I wish I'd been as proactive as I was with tummy (no marks) when applying bio oil etc in pregnancy.

elbett · 08/05/2014 20:42

I was a 30E pre-baby and now my daughter is 2.5yo and I'm a 30G. I'm a size 8/10 so they do look pretty big, but I'm at the acceptance stage now and just thinking 'fuck it' and making the best of them. They're still pretty 'full' and not too saggy, so don't think all is lost. Though I only bf for a couple of months so I can't really comment on whether that makes much difference or not.

Bathtimesoaker · 08/05/2014 21:10

32dd pre pregnancy, at about 8 weeks in I grew. Currently at 34F and still growing, I'm 18 weeks now. Everyone has noticed how much they've grown and they do look ridiculous but hey ho.

MabelMay · 08/05/2014 21:58

Similar size to you too OP.

They'll get bigger and fuller in pregnancy - you'll go up a couple of cup sizes. Then if you breastfeed they'll remain big and full. And when you stop they'll never be the same again - but it'll all be worth it coz you'll have a beautiful child.

My boobs actually ended up a cup size smaller after the pregnancy and the breastfeeding. So they looked a bit better in clothes - but never quite the same again naked! DH doesn't mind though.

SchnitzelVonKrumm · 08/05/2014 22:02

I was a 32F before I had children and went up to a 32G when pregnant/breastfeeding. Ended up as a 32FF after three children.

Northernexile · 08/05/2014 22:09

Mine got bigger when pg, was 32F to start. 2 years on and they are down to a 32DD, but I weigh a little bit less generally now, so that might have something to do with it. They are saggier unfortunately. Am 3 months pg, and they are getting bigger again now.

BumpNGrind · 08/05/2014 23:52

Not many people here saw their band size go up, was that because you used back extenders crosses fingers and hopes or am I just going to balloon?

Original poster

Rainbunny · 09/05/2014 00:35

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

OP posts:

Missingcaffeine · 09/05/2014 02:09

I'm 21 weeks with first pregnancy and they are definitely bigger but I'm still in my pre pregnancy bras, but really should have gone bra shopping last weekend as I now have had slight overspill for a week.
I've bought a new sports bra and gone up from 32E to 34F in sports bra, but my sports bras were a size tighter than my normal bras (I like them tight) and I couldn't actually get them to do up anymore.
As far as I'm concerned, the boobs have been the least of my issues about being pregnant. The total exhaustion up until week 18 and nausea up until week 14 made life soooo difficult and turned me from someone healthy into a couch and junk food loving slob and I put on weight in first trimester. I'm feeling good again now but I really hadn't been prepared for how tough it would be - though you may be lucky and not have any symptoms and feel quite normal.

InfiniteJest · 09/05/2014 02:40

Everyone is different. I went up a cup size when pregnant, then inflated a little more when my milk came in, then deflated a bit, and now I'm down to one feed a day and I'm back in my old bras. Once I stop completely I'm hoping I'll be a little smaller than when I started out. I've heard it's better to phase out the breastfeeding slowly rather than stopping abruptly, so maybe I won't end up with boobs that lie down flat next to me on the bed, but I'm not too worried about it.

Original poster

Rainbunny · 09/05/2014 03:11

Good tips here! I'll be sure to use bio oil on my boobs during pregnancy and it's interesting that tapering off from BF rather than abruptly stopping might be better too.

OP posts:

Bellyrub1980 · 09/05/2014 03:42

I was a D Pre preg, now a DD at 15w5d

Heatherbell1978 · 09/05/2014 07:01

I started as 34D and at 8 wks was 34F. I'm 26 wks now and still wearing 34F although I've bought some back extenders as some days I feel uncomfortable. I'm really hoping they go back down afterwards as I don't like having big boobs either!

dolicapax · 09/05/2014 07:14

Mine went up 3 cup sizes when pregnant, and then back down to normal after I finished breast feeding, so it's not all doom and gloom.

You have to taper off when you finish breast feeding, it isn't really a choice. Your breasts will still make milk to start with, so if you don't feed or express you will get very swollen and sore, and will risk blocked ducts and infections.

One other thing, avoid under wired bras when feeding, as unless they fit absolutely perfectly the wiring can cause blocked ducts. It's very hard to find a perfect fitting bra when your boobs change size depending on when you last fed.

WottaMess · 09/05/2014 07:21

Wise words Doli. Also worth avoiding underwire in pg bras as the growth is all about your duct etc and it can interfere with development and later milk production hated ugly non wired bras

I was a bra interventionists nightmare prob incorrectly a 36b pre-pg, and only changed by one cup size in the late stages. However hit and stabilised at 34f when bf. now a consistent 34dd several months after stopping feeding.

jessiemummy28 · 09/05/2014 07:26

I was a 32E pre pregnancy. Went up to a 34H while breastfeeding. I've just stopped breastfeeding (DD is 6 months) and I am crossing my fingers that they start to shrink again!

weebairn · 09/05/2014 08:13

Mine were 32E pre-pregnancy. They grew quite quickly initially in pregnancy. I was in a 34F/FF post birth. Then I breastfed for 19 months. By the end of the first year they were 32E again and much the same as ever.

Interestingly I got pregnant again at 14 months and they barely grew at all, possibly because I was still breastfeeding? Currently in a 34E at 20 weeks.

I also hated having big boobs (I am quite petite otherwise, size 8/10 and short) and was so happy when I was back in my pre-preg bras - and that I didn't have to stop breastfeeding to get there (though it wasn't quick).

No stretch marks on tummy or boobs from pregnancy, though I have a few old ones from puberty on my boobs.

weebairn · 09/05/2014 08:16

Bra tips!! You don't have to give up nice bras, but in the early days of breastfeeding you want something comfortable as your boobs change size a lot. So one of those stretchy nursing bras they sell in just S/M/L would probably do fine. After a couple of months I reckon you could go back to underwired, if they fit properly. Anita do a good supportive underwired nursing bra. You can also apparently quite easily adapt your own bras to nursing ones which I plan to do this time round.

I stopped bf in the day at 10 months and went back to normal bras then, there didn't seem any need to be in nursing ones. In a pinch you can always pop a boob out of a normal bra anyway, but you probably wouldn't want to be doing this in the early days with long, frequent feeds.

ohthegoats · 09/05/2014 09:40

Started at 34gg, still a 34gg. 20 weeks.

Nipples the size of digestive biscuits though, which I really don't like.

StampyIsMyBoyfriend · 09/05/2014 09:44

Mine didn't change tbh, 34 dd to start & my nursing bra was a cup size up I think.

Breastfed for 7mths & they returned to normal after that.

StampyIsMyBoyfriend · 09/05/2014 09:47

And yes, above all get fitted for a really good maternity bra. Think of it as an investment. I went up a band size, but your ribs expand slightly to accommodate baby. Keep your weight under control, do not eat for two & keep active.

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