How to restore the shape of your breasts after breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is extremely essential to provide all the required nutrients to the baby and support their growth as Mother’s milk contains all the nutrients that a baby needs. Breastfeeding is recommended by the doctors and every mother follows it for the sake of the baby’s health. While following the suggestion, mothers become a little bit apprehensive about their figure as breastfeeding makes the breasts’ skin loose, affecting the overall look and appearance. But it is not permanent as it can be reshaped.

Breast is an organ that primarily contains glands and fat within the skin which acts like a sac. Ligaments of Cooper which run from chest to skin and hold the breast in position much like suspension cables support sac and keep it upright and tight. Breastfeeding leads to hypertrophy of glandular tissue which becomes functionally active to produce milk. This happens due to hormones. Once breastfeeding is stopped, the stimuli are gone and gland involutes. Also, the fat which had accumulated to support the gland decreases.

The ligaments and skin are stretched during this increase in size and become weak. So once the gland Involutes , they are unable to support the breast anymore which leads to sagging and also deflated appearance of breasts.

Post breastfeeding, there is little that can be done by mothers themselves to maintain the shape of breast as the anatomy has already been disturbed and no physiological methods like diet and exercise will help. Massages with oils also don’t help much as they may make the skin a little tighter but don’t act on the ligaments which are the main supporting structures of the breast and hence are not very effective.

Most women who are bothered chose to undergo surgical procedure called Mastopexy, which tightens the breast, lifts it, and changes the position of the nipple. And also, nipple size can be altered through the procedure if desired. The procedure leaves a scar running from nipple to the breast fold. The scar is light and usually becomes imperceptible 6-12 months after the procedure.

Mastopexy or breast lift can also be combined with reduction or augmentation as per the patients’ wishes. The procedure is a daycare procedure not requiring hospital admission. The post operative period is comfortable. It doesn’t require a leave from work. The wounds heal in 7-10 days. It is a very gratifying procedure with high patient satisfaction.

Non surgical methods like threads and ultrasound therapies are being done by some, but they are not effective. It doesn’t produce results which are even comparable to surgical methods. Hence, it causes dissatisfaction.

Mastopexy is the best and the only recommended procedure to help women regain their shape and size. It is easy, comfortable and less time consuming. Hence, women looking for reshaping the breast can go for the procedure.