Breast Sagging After Pregnancy – Causes and How to Prevent

Pregnancy is a beautiful journey, with the excitement to see and hold your baby in your arms increasing every month. However, pregnancy also causes numerous changes in your body, some of which eventually fade, and others that are permanent. One of the earliest symptoms of pregnancy are the changes in your breasts. The breasts tend to become larger, and the areola and nipples grow bigger, as well, and begin to darken, due to hormonal changes in the body that prepare for milk production and breastfeeding the baby.

However, these changes can cause your breasts to sag. Every woman desires perky and firm breasts, but it’s common for breasts to lose firmness after delivery and during breastfeeding. If you’ve also been googling ‘how to tighten loose breasts after delivery,’ here’s what you should know about saggy boobs after pregnancy and how to prevent it.

What Is Breast Ptosis or Breast Sagging?

One of the common post-pregnancy issues women face is breast sagging/ptosis. Breast sagging can happen due to ageing, pregnancy, childbirth, or extreme weight loss. It can manifest in varying degrees for each woman. The ligaments that support your breasts experience stretching during pregnancy, and this can eventually lead to sagging (1).

Do Breast Sag After Pregnancy?

Yes, breasts can sag after pregnancy, and this is a completely natural and common occurrence for many women (2). During pregnancy, the breasts undergo significant changes in size and shape as they prepare for breastfeeding. The skin, ligaments, and connective tissues stretch to accommodate these changes. After pregnancy and breastfeeding, the breasts may lose volume and firmness, leading to a sagging appearance.

Causes of Breast Sagging After Pregnancy

It’s common for women to notice sagging in their breasts after childbirth and breastfeeding. Here are a few common causes of breast sagging after pregnancy that you should be aware of.

1. Weight Gain and Loss

Significant weight gain during pregnancy followed by postpartum weight loss can stretch the skin and ligaments of the breasts. Once the weight is lost, the skin may not always return to its previous tightness, leading to sagging (3).

2. Breastfeeding

Although breastfeeding itself does not directly cause sagging, the process of milk production and engorgement can stretch the breast tissue. The repeated expansion and contraction can weaken the ligaments, contributing to a droopy appearance (4) (5).

3. Age and Skin Elasticity

With age, the skin naturally loses its elasticity, and this can be exacerbated by pregnancy. Reduced collagen and elastin production make it harder for the skin to bounce back after being stretched.

4. Smoking

Smoking affects collagen production and skin elasticity. Women who smoke may experience faster breakdown of skin tissues, which can contribute to sagging breasts after pregnancy.

Is Breast Sagging Inevitable?

As our body ages, it loses elasticity. Hence, some sagging may be inevitable even if you have never been pregnant. However, during pregnancy, our breast stretches and becomes full and heavy. This may cause the breasts to sag after each subsequent pregnancy. The most common reason for saggy breasts after pregnancy is hormonal changes.

Of course, there are other factors that can increase breast ptosis, such as smoking, ageing, losing too much weight too fast, being overweight, lifestyle choices, lack of exercise, etc.

There are some things you can do before, during and after pregnancy, which will help retain the elasticity of your breasts. Read on for tips and tricks to prevent breast sagging.

How to Prevent Post-Pregnancy Breast Sagging

So how to avoid sagging breasts after pregnancy? Here are a few pointers to keep in mind for avoiding saggy breasts after pregnancy:

1. Your bra must give good support to your breasts as well as the region around the breasts (6).
2. Stay hydrated inside and out. Drink at least eight glasses of water each day. Keep away from sodas and coffee as they can dry out your skin. This makes it more prone to sagging. Be sure to moisturise your skin daily with a hydrating moisturiser.
3. A healthy diet is very important before, during, and post-pregnancy. Ensure that you eat healthy and organic foods whenever possible. Avoid dieting fads even before pregnancy because the on-off dieting is known to steal away your nutrition, which ultimately will lead to reduced elasticity and sagging breasts.
4. After pregnancy, please don’t be in a hurry to lose weight as this will make the sagging worse (7).
5. You can also apply an egg, aloe vera and honey mask, which will hydrate and firm up your breasts.
6. Regular exercise is imperative for firm breasts and to prevent sagging. The exercise for saggy breast can be done anytime, even during your pregnancy, as long as you discuss it with your doctor before starting it.

Exercises to Prevent Breast Sagging

These exercises keep the muscles toned and reduce saggy breasts. For it to be effective, you need to do a minimum of 20 repetitions of the following exercises each day.

1. Arm Stretch

Stretch your arms as high above your head as comfortable, and join your palms. Maintain this posture for 20 seconds, and then lower your arms.

2. Wall Push ups

Stand at arm’s length from a wall and place your arms straight at shoulder height on the wall. Slightly spread your legs apart your legs comfortably apart. Now, do 10 push-ups against the wall (just like floor push ups).

3. Chest Press

You will need dumbbells for this one (or you can even take one-litre water bottles filled with water). Lie on your back on a flat surface, holding one dumbbell or bottle in each hand. Now, stretch your hands straight, hold this position for a count of 10, and bring your arms towards your chest, till they are nearly touching. Hold this position until the count of 10. Repeat this exercise at least 20 times each day.

Does Breastfeeding Make Your Breasts Sag?

Whether or not you breastfeed your baby, pregnancy hormones will have already stretched your breast. In fact, according to the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, research actually showed that breastfeeding is not a risk factor for saggy breasts after pregnancy at all. When you nurse your baby, your breasts will automatically shrink. Else, they remain engorged if you do not breastfeed at all. According to the researchers, the pregnancy itself – due to hormonal changes – is the biggest cause for sagging breasts, and not breastfeeding (4) (5).

FAQs

1. Are women with larger breasts more likely to experience sagging?

Generally, women with larger breasts may experience more noticeable sagging. The weight of larger breasts places greater strain on the ligaments, making it more difficult for them to maintain their original shape after pregnancy.

2. Can losing pregnancy weight too quickly worsen breast sagging?

Rapid weight loss after pregnancy can result in loose skin, including on the breasts. A gradual approach to losing weight gives the skin more time to shrink back, reducing sagging.

3. How long does it take for breasts to return to normal after pregnancy?

The timeline varies for each woman. Some notice changes within a few months after breastfeeding stops, while for others, the breasts may not return to their pre-pregnancy shape without surgical intervention.

It is normal to experience sagging breasts after pregnancy. But the most effective answer to how to avoid sagging breasts after pregnancy is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. The right diet, exercise and skincare, will together, help you keep your breasts firm.

References/Resources:

1. National Library of Medicine – Breast Ptosis

2. PubMed – Breast ptosis: causes and cure

3. El Camino Health – How and Why Your Breasts Might Change

4. American Society of Plastic Surgeons – The Effect of Breastfeeding on Breast Ptosis Following Augmentation Mammaplasty

5. PubMed – The effect of breastfeeding on breast aesthetics

6. The South Dakota Department of Health – Physical Changes and Concerns

7. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center – What is normal weight gain during pregnancy? 

Also Read:

Common Breast Changes After Delivery
How to Deal with Breast Engorgement?
Breast Pain After Stopping Breastfeeding
How to Reshape Your Breasts After Breastfeeding?