Breastfeeding is no doubt one of the most wonderful things you can do for your baby. Being able to nourish them with your milk and help them to be healthy and happy is a wonderful gift but there are a few downsides to breastfeeding your baby.
Although breastfeeding is fantastic, it can cause havoc on your breasts. During your pregnancy, you naturally gain weight and your breast size increases, however during breastfeeding the change in your breasts can be even more pronounced.
How your breast change during breastfeeding can depend on a few different factors such as your milk supply and how often you feed.
These factors will naturally result in your breasts changing as the growth causes your breast skin to stretch and contract in line with your milk supply and feeding pattern. This puts a fair amount of stress onto your breasts and for some women, it can be hard for their breasts to return to their perky self once breastfeeding is over.
Most women who breastfeed will notice a difference in their breasts when they stop feeding but is there any way to prevent breast sagging after breastfeeding?
Wear A Good, Supportive Bra
Wearing a supportive bra during and after pregnancy is a must. Your breasts will weigh significantly more during pregnancy as you gain weight and your breasts start to produce milk so it’s only right that they’re supported.
Having a good supportive nursing bra is essential for all expectant and breastfeeding mothers, but it should fit correctly.
The bra should feel comfortable and hold your breasts firmly in place in an upright position. The best way to ensure you’re wearing the right bra should be to get a fitting by an expert.
Wearing a good quality supportive bra will help to prevent breast sagging after breastfeeding.
Have Good Breastfeeding Posture
Most mothers naturally lean over their child whilst breastfeeding, however, this can have a negative effect on your breasts.
The best way to ensure your posture during breastfeeding is right is to invest in a nursing pillow or another form of support to raise the baby up the breast level.
The tip is to avoid slouching or angling the breast down to the baby. By doing this simple posture and positioning whilst breastfeeding will help to prevent breast sagging after breastfeeding.
Massage With Hot And Cold Water
Did you know that hot water improves blood circulation whilst cold water helps with toning and tightening?
Whilst you’re showing in the morning or at night, switch the water between hot and cold, massaging your breasts and always finish your shower with cold water.
Alternatively, you can massage your breasts with a warm flannel and ice cubes but not so much that you numb your breasts.
Keep Your Breasts Moisturized
Keeping your breasts moisturised will help to keep your breast elasticity in check which will, in turn, result in keeping them supple and help you to prevent breast sagging after breastfeeding.
Apply vitamin E oil, shea butter or cocoa butter to breasts at least 2 times a day, morning and night to ensure they are properly moisturised at all times. This will not only improve the breasts elasticity but also tighten the skin and reduces the appearance of stretch marks which can often develop on the breasts.
Eat Right
Did you know that women breastfeeding should eat more fruits and vegetables that normal?
Following a clean diet that is rich in complex carbs, protein and healthy fats can help women who are breastfeeding to provide their body with the necessary nutrients required for healthy skin and the connective tissues, which appears in the breasts.
Mothers who are also breastfeeding can also eat more egg yolk and butter which contains arachidonic acid, which is proven to facilitates the formation of junctions between skin cells. This, in turn, helps to keep the breasts firm.
Drink Plenty of Water
We’ve mentioned keeping your breasts moisturised but you also need to ensure your whole body is hydrated to avoid prevent breast sagging after breastfeeding.
Keeping well hydrated during and after pregnancy as well as through breastfeeding will keep your skin youthful and nourished.
This will stop premature wrinkles and anti-ageing which are associated with dehydrated over a prolonged period of time.
Start Exercising
Getting back to a fitness regime can be really tricky for new mums and not something you really want to think about but exercising can help to ensure your breasts don’t sag too much.
Regular exercise will help to keep your skin firm and reduce the amount of body fat you carry which essentially will help to prevent breast sagging after breastfeeding.
This isn’t just the case for new mums, you should also try to exercise moderately throughout the early and mid-stages of pregnancy. To avoid rapid weight loss, which may have a negative effect, try to lose weight gradually and not all at once and within a short space of time.
Wear a Supportive Band During Exercise
When you do exercise, we advise using a support band such as Boobuddy which will help to keep your breasts in place during exercises such as jogging, running and even yoga.
Naturally, whilst exercising your breast move which puts a strain on the Coopers ligaments, the connective tissue which causes pain and can result in stretching of the breast skin, increasing the likelihood of breast sagging after breastfeeding.
The Boobuddy gives women of all shapes and sizes the support and confidence to work out without pain, discomfort or the worry that they may be damaging their breasts.
For more information and to order your Boobuddy support band, please click here.