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How To Maintain Breast Size After Pregnancy: 8 Tips To Reshape It 2024

Lakshmi Vemuri

Updated on - Written by
Medically reviewed by Kimberly Langdon, MD

8 Tips Prevent Sagging Breasts After Pregnancy-1

Pregnancy and breastfeeding can be overwhelming with heightened emotions. This ride can make you swing through a lot of positive and negative emotions. For many women the joy that motherhood brings is enormous. However, let’s admit the fact that women are women like men are men. So, many women are undoubtedly bothered about their breast changes and sagging and how to prevent sagging breasts after pregnancy. Many women find a huge baby bump, sagging boobs, changes in body volume and breast size, and increased fatty tissue throughout the body are a part of it. No one would like the sight of unattractive sagging breasts. And, not a lot of people have an iota of idea about getting them back in shape. And it is one of the reasons for postpartum depression[1]

After postpartum, nursing the baby can change breast volume, cup sizes because they have milk ducts and milk production happening that enable breastfeeding. The nursing mother’s breasts look sagging and it’s completely normal. Firstly, accept the reality of pregnancy. And secondly, you can try these tips to make your breasts look attractive and maintain breast size.

8 Tips Prevent Sagging Breasts After Pregnancy

  1. Take alternative showers
  2. Follow healthy diet
  3. Right bra and right posture
  4. Get a breast massage
  5. Exercise regularly
  6. Breast reshaping surgery
  7. Apply breast creams
  8. Lose weight slowly

Why Do Breasts Sag After Pregnancy?

Breastfeeding a baby not only provides them with milk but also creates a beautiful bond with your offspring. It nourishes them with necessary food sources while offering them all the needed nutrients[2]. However, while doing so, your breasts may go a little out of shape. Each woman is different, and so are their breasts. Some women claim that their chest has become saggy after breastfeeding their baby, while some others claim that their boobs went flat doing the same. So, why do womens’ chests go off-shape after pregnancy and breastfeeding? Well, when your baby sucks the milk out of your nipples, the breast tissues and milk ducts get worked up and loose causing the outer skin to sag, as the skin is naturally elastic. However, there could be several factors causing this issue. Here are a few:

  • Improper Body Mass Index
  • Age
  • The count of your pregnancies
  • Large pre-pregnancy breasts
  • Smoking
  • Genetics
  • Low estrogen levels
  • Sudden weight loss

Will Breastfeeding Cause My Breasts To Go Out Of Shape?

There are no straight answers to this question. But, mostly, yes, breastfeeding may disrupt your breasts’ size. You see, each of your breasts is independent. So, what happens to one of your breasts may not necessarily happen to your other breast. Painful overfilling of milk or breast engorgement[3] is one of the common conditions that may leave either one or both of your breasts out of shape. In some instances, one breast may produce more milk than the other breast, which leads to asymmetric breasts. 

What Causes Uneven Breasts While Breastfeeding?

You may not know this, but the breast tissues extend to as far as your armpits. When your breast is filled up with milk and then shrinks back to the normal size, the contours of the breast line may alter. It is very natural and you don’t have anything to worry about. After the pregnancy and breastfeeding phase, one of your boobs may restore to its original form while the other may stay in an altered state. And, this asymmetry in breasts happens with a lot of women. 

8 Tips For Maintaining Good-Looking Breasts Post-Pregnancy

Who wouldn’t love to be fit and good-looking?! For a woman, keeping her breasts attractive is one of the most important things when it comes to her looks. Pregnancy may bring some unwanted changes to your body parts, especially your breasts, but don’t you worry, as the below tips will help you get your boobs back in shape:

Take Alternative Showers

You must be wondering how this could be a solution. Well, here’s the thing. Taking alternative showers helps get your breasts back to a firm state. By the way, an alternative shower is when you change the water temperature from hot to cold continuously. This practice will infuse your breasts with life and improve their appearance. This technique is very effective especially when you are breastfeeding your baby. For best results try this two to three times a week.

The process of changing temperatures during showers improves blood circulation, which is crucial for maintaining good-looking breasts. However, this method is for temporary results only. 

Diet For Good Looking Breasts

Throughout the journey of pregnancy and breastfeeding, you would be consuming a healthy diet. Make sure to eat a diet that helps you combat your skin’s elasticity, enhances your muscle tone, and improves your skin supple. If you are wondering how to keep breasts big after pregnancy, then you should consume foods rich in phytoestrogens, these are dietary estrogen from plants. They replicate estrogen in the body. Soy products, tofu, flax seeds are rich sources of this and will support breast size. They are also available in supplements but should be taken on medical advice from a doctor.

You could also consider foods that are rich in Vitamin E[4] and Vitamin B, as they are good for your skin. Along with that, also try to reduce the intake of animal-based food, as they’re rich in fats. High-fat foods increase the weight of your breasts and diminish suppleness. While following this diet, also make sure to eat foods that are essential for your baby’s health. 

Right Bra And Right Posture

By the time you start weaning your baby away from your milk and introduce them to other dietary sources, you may end up with saggy breasts. And, it may not feel or look good. To restore them to their original form, you could try to wear a proper bra. When your boobs go out of shape, you can try wearing a sports bra which will give your breasts better support and figure.

Additionally, you would have to focus on your posture as well. While you breastfeed your baby, you usually tend to lean forward. This affects your breast tissues and supporting ligaments leading to a change in the shape and droopiness of your breasts. So, after you breastfeed your baby, try to maintain a firm posture. Doing so can help your breast muscles stiffen up which in turn helps in maintaining proper breast size. 

Get A Breast Massage

Massages are great for your health. They not only relax your muscles, but they release your stress as well. Apart from that, massages also help your breasts stay in shape. When your baby sucks the milk through your nipples, your breast muscles get a lot of stimulation, and that’s healthy for you. However, when you start weaning, there’s little to no stimulation. To counter that, you should rely on something like a breast massage. However, starting massages while you are weaning will lead to continuous milk supply. It is best to wait until they have completely dried up.

A breast massage[5] will not only provide stimulation but also helps in enhancing blood circulation as well. If you could get a breast massage now and then, you can easily make sure that your breasts stay in shape. You will notice the results overtime. For better and long-term results, continue getting massages for six months after you start the weaning process. 

Exercise Regularly

To be honest, this is probably the most effective way to get your breasts back in shape and be firm. Working out regularly helps lose excess fat. And, when you lose the extra weight, you can get your body back after pregnancy. The same applies to your breasts as well. Technically, your breasts are nothing but simple layers of fat, whose duty is to produce milk. However, several muscles underneath them hold your breasts firm and tight. When you exercise, you can work on those muscles and strengthen them. 

Doing so will help you get rid of the sagginess and have them in proper shape. Exercise such as dumbbell pullovers, pushups, and chest press are some of the best exercises that will help you reshape your chest area. Always make sure that you take proper diet with nutrition while you are working out. Don’t forget to hydrate yourself several times a day. 

Breast Reshaping Surgery

Giving birth to a baby, breastfeeding them, and taking care of them must be a tiring process. And then, if you had to work more to maintain good-looking breasts, it seems to be a daunting task. If you’re looking for quick results without putting in a lot of effort, then you should consider undergoing breast reshaping surgery such as a breast lift. However, it’s better to try out the natural methods and first only opt for surgery if you’re not getting results easily. 

A surgical procedure can help you reshape your breasts the way you want, that too in a very shift manner. However, your main job is to find the right plastic surgeon who has a good track record. Some surgical procedures may require you to lose extra weight before you get operated on. Also, keep in mind, when you undergo such surgery, you may have to avoid sex for some time. 

Apply Breast Creams

As soon as you give birth to your baby, you’re tied to the duty of feeding them with milk. In that process, your breasts may end up out of shape, and it is quite normal. To get them back to their original shape, you can try using natural breast creams. These creams are usually made of palmetto or fenugreek[6], which are very good for your skin and muscle. When you apply these creams regularly, you can expect your breasts to become firm and tight soon. However, consult your doctor before opting for such creams.

Additionally, you can also consume supplements that are made of such ingredients. Try to eat them along with your weight loss diet for better results. This not only helps you have good-looking breasts, but it also helps enhance your health as well. You can also look for lotions and topical creams that have phytoestrogens.

Lose Weight Slowly

Most women put on quite some weight during their pregnancy. It’s very normal and you need not worry about that. However, you may have to work on reducing your weight after you are done with giving birth, feeding them, and weaning them. Excess weight can impact your health negatively and also causes your breasts to sag. To lose weight, you can try a lot of methods. However, while doing so, make sure that you do it slowly. Because sudden weight loss can lead to loss and excess skin. To have the best results, try to set a realistic weight loss goal, and work on it without rushing the process. Additionally, you can follow these 9 Tips for Firming Loose Skin After Pregnancy as well. 

Some Extra Tips For The Firm And Tight Breasts After Pregnancy

In addition to the above-mentioned tips, the following are some of the bonus tips for you to maintain firm breasts with proper shape and texture. Follow them in conjunction with the tips you’ve learned so far. 

Try Essential Oils

Olive oil, almond oil, and coconut oil are three of the best essential oils that are good for your breasts. Olive oil comes with high volumes of antioxidants that are good for treating saggy breasts. Coconut oil helps in strengthening your breast tissue and aids in getting rid of stretch marks. And, almond oil is good at healing your breast tissue and muscle, while making them firm and tight. 

Stop Smoking

Smoking can be addictive and it may feel very difficult to quit the habit. However, smoking not only worsens your overall health but also is a prominent reason for your saggy skin. So, quit it. Moreover, it has a lot of negative impacts on the growth of the baby. 

Overall, there’s nothing that getting fit can’t fix, so your priority should be to fix them naturally. Enjoy the journey of being pregnant to the fullest. Don’t let the postpartum blues let you down. Breastfeed the baby to keep him healthy. You can also seek medical advice from a doctor when in doubt.


+ 6 sources

Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here

  1. Silveira, M.L., Ertel, K.A., Dole, N. and Chasan-Taber, L. (2015). The role of body image in prenatal and postpartum depression: a critical review of the literature. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, [online] 18(3), pp.409–421. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4810003/
  2. ‌Dror, D.K. and Allen, L.H. (2018). Overview of Nutrients in Human Milk. Advances in Nutrition, [online] 9(suppl_1), pp.278S294S. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6008960/
  3. ‌Alekseev, N.P., Vladimir, I.I. and Nadezhda, T.E. (2015). Pathological Postpartum Breast Engorgement: Prediction, Prevention, and Resolution. Breastfeeding Medicine, [online] 10(4), pp.203–208. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4410447/
  4. ‌Nachbar, F. and Korting, H.C. (1995). The role of vitamin E in normal and damaged skin. Journal of Molecular Medicine, [online] 73(1), pp.7–17. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7633944/
  5. ‌Witt, A.M., Bolman, M., Kredit, S. and Vanic, A. (2015). Therapeutic Breast Massage in Lactation for the Management of Engorgement, Plugged Ducts, and Mastitis. Journal of Human Lactation, [online] 32(1), pp.123–131. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26644422/
  6. Waqas MK;Akhtar N;Ahmad M;Murtaza G;Khan HM;Iqbal M;Rasul A;Bhatti NS (2012). Formulation and characterization of a cream containing extract of fenugreek seeds. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica, [online] 67(2). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20369794/
Lakshmi Vemuri

Medically reviewed by:

Kimberly Langdon

Lakshmi Vemuri holds a bachelor’s degree in Dentistry. She is also a published author of several Food and Wellness books. Lakshmi has a profound interest in alternative medicines, various forms of physical exercise, mental health, diets, and new inventions in medical sciences. Besides being a dentist, Lakshmi is passionate about gardening and is an environmental enthusiast

Medically reviewed by:

Kimberly Langdon

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