Sagging Breasts After Pregnancy – Causes, Symptoms & More

According to Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), as the skin surrounding the breast begins to stretch and lose its firmness and Shape, they begin to sag. The degree of sagging ranges from mild-moderate to high depending upon each one’s genetic conditions and history of pregnancy.

What Causes Breast Sagging?

Our breasts contain ligaments known as Cooper’s that help lift and support the breasts. When these ligaments stretch out, it causes the Breast to sag. The following are some of the reasons for breast sagging.

1. Pregnancy

The number of pregnancies is directly proportional to the severity of the breast sagginess. During pregnancy, the ligaments stretch out because they become heavier and full. The more pregnancies, the more severe the breast sagging.

While popular belief is that breastfeeding is responsible for sagging breasts, a bunch of recent research studies prove that this is, in fact, a myth. It is common knowledge that breasts grow in size during pregnancy as a result of hormonal changes and also to be able to provide milk to the baby. The mammary glands and the breast tissue all increase in size through the pregnancy and breastfeeding phase and come back to their normal size once breastfeeding stops.

In the course of getting back to their normal size, breasts become saggy and droopy.

2. Age

As we grow older, sagging becomes a natural phenomenon. Especially after menopause, the hormonal changes can bring a lot of changes to the structure and volume of the Breast.

3. Weight

Healthy women tend to have larger breasts than slim women

4. Exercise Without Support

Exercises that involve the movement of the ligaments in the breasts shall be supported well. The extra strain in the ligaments may stretch them and result in the sagging of breasts.

5. Genetics

Genetics can determine the Size, Shape, and strength of the breast ligaments. Hereditary genes from your family play a vital role in your breast sagging or breast ptosis.

6. Gravity

The natural pull of gravity is another factor for your Breast sagging. While naturally pulling your breast down, it stretches and strains the ligaments in the Breast.

7. Size And Shape of The Breast

The smaller breast, which has a round bottom, holds the structure better than the larger ones with a narrow bottom. Larger breasts can easily succumb to gravity than smaller ones.

8. Smoking

People who smoke can easily see their breasts sagging. Smoking can lead to a drop in the elasticity of the ligaments.

9. Changes in Weight

Frequent fluctuations in weight within a short period may also lead to changes in the skin around the Breast.

How to Prevent Sagging Breasts After Pregnancy?

Did you think all the body changes end with pregnancy? Not at all, there is so much that your body will undergo post-pregnancy. Breast sagging is one such thing. Let us look at what you must do to prevent post-pregnancy breast sagging.

1. Wear a Supportive Bra

Make sure you wear the right kind and size of bra that can support your breast firmly. Especially after pregnancy, if you are breastfeeding, your breasts will be full often and need firm support. It is also essential to support them well if you’re doing exercises involving breast tissues. Ignoring proper support to the breasts may permanently destroy the breast tissues and increase the sagging.

2. Feed on Demand

Your breasts become fuller often if you are breastfeeding. Feeding your baby on demand will release the engorged breast and prevent the painful condition of clogged milk ducts, also known as mastitis. Make sure you do not leave long intervals between two feeding sessions.

3. Stay Hydrated

Being hydrated is very important to prevent sagging breasts. Ensure you drink at least eight glasses of water every day. It is also essential to avoid drinking alcohol, tea, coffee, and soda. These drinks tend to make you dehydrated. You may also use a safe moisturizer to nourish the skin around your tissues.

4. Maintain Proper Weight

It is essential to maintain proper weight. Do not try to lose the pregnancy weight too quickly. Rapid weight loss may result in collagen and elastin loss, which leads to saggy breasts.

5. Eat And Exercise

Eating nutritious food and doing proper exercise can help you prevent saggy breasts. Food not rich in nutrition could affect the skin’s elasticity and lead to saggy breasts.

6. Wean Slowly

The primary misconception is that “Breastfeeding leads to saggy breasts.” But, the reality is that gradual weaning ensures and prevents saggy breasts by slowly allowing the organs to shrink to their original size. This will benefit both you and your little one.

7. Follow Good Posture

Having a supportive breastfeeding pillow helps in maintaining a good posture during breastfeeding. This helps in reducing unnecessary pull while breastfeeding.

8. Cold Showers

Cold showers are proven to improve the shape of the breasts after pregnancy.

Exercises to Prevent Breast Sagging After Pregnancy

Our breasts are made of tissues and fat. There are no muscles to tone them up. Ideally, there are no exercises that can tone up your Breast. But specific exercises can help strengthen the ligaments around the Breast and enhance the look. The following are some exercises with and without using equipment that help enhance the look of your upper body.

• Cobra Pose
• Traveling Plank
• Push Up
• Plank Reach-Under
• Dumbbell Chest Press
• Stability ball dumbbell fly
• Medicine ball superman
• Dumbbell Pullover
• Cable Crossover
• Butterfly machine
• Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
• Barbell Bench Press
• Cable Oblique Twist

Ensure to consult your health specialist before starting any new exercise.

Does Breastfeeding Make Your Breast Sag?

It is surprisingly, No. Breastfeeding does not make your Breast saggy. Instead, the ligaments around the Breast stretch and make it saggy due to its heaviness. Whether you breastfeed or not, your ligaments tend to stretch post-pregnancy.

Sagging breasts after pregnancy is an inevitable part of the journey to motherhood. Many factors may be responsible for sagging breasts but breast feeding is definitely not one of them. Proper exercising within limits and choosing the right bras during each stage of pregnancy and breastfeeding may help you reduce the intensity of breast sagginess. Always talk to your gynecologist on how you can manage this condition in the right way.

FAQ’s

1. Can Sag Breasts Get Firm Again?

A. It may be difficult to make the saggy breasts firm again, but, you can follow specific measures to the strength of your Breast, including diet, exercise, support, and posture.

2. Can Wearing a Bra Prevent Sagging?

A. There are no proven results that wearing a bra prevents sagging. But, people believe wearing a well-supported bra could hold up the ligaments and prevent sagging.

3. When do Breasts Start to Sag?

A. There is no particular age for sagging. Depending upon the various factors, women may experience them at any point.