It Isn’t Breastfeeding but Pregnancy That Causes Sagging! Five Ways to Get Back Your Breast Shape After Childbirth

Awoman’s body changes in a myriad of ways during and after childbirth, and many women believe that they experience considerable breast sagging due to breastfeeding.

This belief, though, is a myth. In fact, according to a study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal in 2008, it was found that breastfeeding doesn’t increase the risk of breast sagging.

However, most women experience sagging after pregnancy irrespective of whether they breastfeed or not. This is because breasts grow in size during pregnancy, as the milk-producing glands and breast tissues enlarge to prepare a woman’s body for nursing. And post the nursing phase, when the baby has been weaned off of breastmilk, and the mother starts losing her pregnancy weight, and the glands and breast tissues shrink back to the standard size, one can have droopy or sagging breasts.

However, it isn’t an irreversible condition, and few simple lifestyle changes can help women get back their perky, pre-pregnancy breasts. Here are five lifestyle changes that can help:

Make a supportive Bra Your Best Friend: While half coverage, fancy lacey bras can make one feel fabulous, during pregnancy and the lactation phase, it is essential to choose a bra that’s supportive and offers maximum coverage so as to avoid any pain or injury. Therefore, choosing your bra correctly during this phase can actually help prevent sagging at a later stage.

Take Time to Shed Your Baby Weight: As celebrity culture dictates social norms these days, there is a dangerous trend that pushes women to shed all their post-pregnancy fat immediately after childbirth. However, this rush to ‘get back in shape’ can cause more harm than good. Everyone’s body needs time to adjust to changes in size, and a sudden weight loss can cause extreme sagging, not just in breasts but also in other parts of the body.

Stop Smoking: In general, the use of tobacco can hinder the skin’s ability to repair and regenerate because smoking triggers the breakage of collagen and elastin. Therefore, as you try to shed your pregnancy weight and get back to your previous shape, it looks haggard and sagging if your skin doesn’t keep the elasticity. So, quitting smoking is very important to prevent the sagging of breasts as well as the skin of other body parts.

Exercise Regularly and Maintain Good posture: There are several yoga asanas, as well as other forms of exercises that help to keep your breasts toned and firm. It is important to start exercising (or continue it if you had been doing it already) to get your breasts in good shape and size. Similarly, a good posture can also prevent sagging because when you are hunching or sitting in a bad posture for hours, your breasts are not supported.

Moisturize and Exfoliate: It is important to remove the dead cells by regular exfoliation and to keep your breasts supple and well-hydrated by moisturizing. Breast massages also help in blood circulation. These little self-care acts not only keep your breasts in shape but also keep their skin soft and beautiful.