Stretch marks, extra weight, pale or darker skin, longer hairs, bigger feet…saggy breasts? Oh no!
As mothers get accustomed to the bodily changes and surprises that comes with pregnancy, saggy breasts could be a greater concern. A concern that could brew questions upon questions. This piece hopes to answer 10 most asked questions bordering on pregnancy and saggy breasts.
❏ Is pregnancy really responsible for saggy boobs?
Experts have claimed that pregnancy is responsible for saggy breasts. However, other factors like genetics, body mass index, and age are also key players in the saggy looks of breasts. Hence, just as the breasts of an adolescent could sag owing to genetic factor, those of an elderly woman could droop owing to age.
❏ How would pregnancy make my breasts sag?
Pregnancy is a phase in which the body systems compromises itself in a bid to comfortably house the growing fetus as well as prepare itself for the delivery and nourishment of the baby. Hormones play a vital role in the achievement of these tasks. The hormonal activities leads to an increase in blood supply to the breasts as milk tissues gradually replace the fatty ones. The increase in size and weight burdens on the ligaments supporting the breasts thereby making them loose much of their firmness.
❏ At what stage would I loose the perkiness?
Most women would experience an increase in their bust size as the hormones begins to surge during the first trimester. In fact, a plumped breast could be one of the changes people notice few weeks after conception. Depending on the amount of stretching the ligaments experiences and the skin’s collagen levels, the breasts may begin to succumb to gravity as early as the first trimester. Also, few days or weeks before delivery, the breasts may become bigger as the milk gradually moves in (some women may experience milk discharge!), this would ultimately create a saggy or droopier effect.
❏ Can I prevent my boobs from sagging while pregnant?
No. You can’t prevent your breasts from sagging because it is a natural process _out of the self control. But you can engage in good sleeping postures and wear well fitting, supporting bras so as not to contribute to the sagginess.
❏ What if my boobs are not sagging?
It is not impossible that your breasts remain perky despite your growing bump. Women who have low pregnancy weight, very small breasts and a good level of skin collagen may experience little or no saggy look. But this is not to rule out the fact that their bodies are getting ready for nursing or that their pregnancy is not progressing well. Such breasts may eventually droop later in pregnancy or experience so little a sag that it is not apparent. Let’s be reminded that genetic and BMI are also important factors that influences the sizes and shapes of breasts.
❏ Is there any good in a droopy boob?
Of course yes! A droopy boob is not a symptom of sickness neither is it a measure of age. If pregnancy is depriving you of the perkiness, don’t forget that it is a positive influence_ fertility.
❏ What if I become pregnant again?
It is true that experts have claimed that the number of pregnancies could determine the saggy appearance of breasts. But it is not wrong to consider the facts that other factors like age or genetic could play a greater role than pregnancy in the droopy shape of breasts. Hence, getting pregnant again may or may not make the droopy shape worse.
❏ Would delivery and nursing increase the droopy look?
Yes, delivery is more likely to increase the droopy look of breasts. And no, nursing does not make breasts droop. Because delivery naturally results in the surge of prolactin; the milk hormone, new mothers would experience a gradual and consistent supply of milk to the breasts especially in the first two weeks of delivery. The breasts becomes bigger thereby stretching the Cooper’s ligaments. This is the reason why mothers who are not nursing still experience sagging.
❏ Would my breasts remain droopy forever?
Whether your breasts would remain droopy after pregnancy is dependent on genetics. Also, your skin elastin plays a vital role in this regard just as the level of weight and pressure experienced by the breasts would determine the breasts’ recovery from sagging.
❏ Any natural remedy to saggy boob?
There are a number of natural remedies to treat saggy boobs. Massages with shea butter or olive oil is said to be effective. Muscle toning exercises could also be helpful just as people swear by the magical impact of egg yolk and cucumber mask.
