“I want to get my pre-pregnancy breasts back. Is that possible? There are some areas of my body that I know will never return to the way they were after giving birth. My belly, from the beginning, stretched to accommodate a baby the size of a watermelon, so after giving birth I had excess, loose skin on my belly. But there was one part of my body that I was not ready to witness such a drastic change, and that was my breasts. I never thought that my breasts would undergo such a significant change as my belly.” That was the confession of a 33-year-old young woman when she came to Kim Anh Cosmetic Institute with the desire to “overhaul” her bust, a place that used to make her very proud.
“During pregnancy, the breasts undergo significant changes. In preparation for breastfeeding, the breasts become rounder and the mammary glands become enlarged because the breasts increase in size, the skin above them stretches and often the blood vessels become more tense and visible,” explains plastic surgeon Nguyen Van Cuong.
The added stress of breastfeeding on the tissue also has an effect. “After breastfeeding, there is a process called post-lactation involution. The glandular tissue shrinks, so you lose volume in your breasts. Unfortunately, the skin loses its elasticity, so it can’t stretch and cover that sag. The framework that holds your breasts in place, the ligaments that hold them in place, have been stretched and damaged quite a bit, so they can’t hold your breasts up anymore.” Breast pumps are also thought to have an effect on the degree of sagging, according to many experts.
Get your pre-baby breasts back with… surgery?
Like any surgical intervention, it is a lifelong commitment that requires a lot of preparation, you need to make sure, especially after giving birth, that you really give yourself enough time to recover and that you have the right support in place. There is a lot of emotional support needed. “Many women decide to wait until they have a complete family before having surgery, which can be a major disruption to their lives. However, there is nothing to say that breast surgery will affect fertility or breastfeeding in the future, and there are no negative consequences for future pregnancies,” says the plastic surgeon at La Ratio.
Breastfeeding can cause the skin on your breasts to sag and stretch. Nipples that once pointed upward may begin to point downward, causing your breasts to become conical. You may even lose volume in your breasts when you stop breastfeeding. This apparent shrinkage can be distressing if you are used to having fuller breasts while breastfeeding. The desire to get back to your pre-pregnancy body can be strong. Exercise can help restore some shape and volume to the rest of your body, but you may find that it does not affect your breasts. If you want your breasts to return to their original state, surgery may be necessary. Fortunately, there are many surgeries that can help you get back to your pre-pregnancy shape.
“A lot of women gain a bit of weight after giving birth, so fat grafting is actually a practical solution to very subtly alter any stubborn bulges that you can’t get rid of with diet and exercise. It gives a lovely soft, smooth effect. I think people also like it because it’s not a foreign implant, it uses your own ‘resources’. The overall effect is incredibly natural, which I think everyone wants,” offers the doctor at La Ratio Aesthetic Institute.
Non-Surgical Options for Breasts After Childbirth
There are other non-surgical options, especially if you have a smaller cup size. “For sagging or deflated breasts after breastfeeding, especially for women with minimal sagging and smaller breasts, the Erbium YAG Laser can be a great option,” explains senior aesthetic therapist at La Ratio Aesthetic Institute. This non-invasive treatment works its magic by lifting and tightening the skin around the breast tissue with gentle heating to create a thermal reaction. This stimulates collagen production and encourages skin tightening, resulting in firmer, more lifted breasts. A similar option is Morpheus8, which stimulates collagen production through microneedling in the area. The fractional nature of the technology means that the surrounding tissue remains unharmed, minimizing downtime and discomfort. While Morpheus 8 can produce impressive results, multiple treatment sessions may be required to achieve optimal results.”
Sagging or puckered breasts, with skin that has become loose and saggy due to stretching and shrinking, are another common concern. A cosmetic surgeon at Kim Anh Cosmetic Clinic offers his signature laser and injectable treatment for this problem: “I use a combination of ablative lasers and polynucleotide injections on the chest area to reduce any new lines created by sagging breasts, and it can also target stretch marks.” Because none of these procedures work directly on the breast tissue, there are no concerns about future breastfeeding, meaning they are safe to perform between children.
Can exercise improve postpartum breasts?
While it’s not a foolproof solution, exercise can certainly help you get back in shape after giving birth. While it won’t add bulk, resistance training can strengthen your breasts and improve your posture. “My clients are most concerned about sagging breasts after breastfeeding,” says personal trainer Victoria Long. “One thing I particularly recommend is using resistance training to help rebuild the muscles in and around the breasts to help lift the area. Underneath your breasts are two important chest muscles: the pectoralis major, which runs from your sternum up your arms and neck; and the pectoralis minor, which connects your ribs to your shoulder blades. Focusing on strengthening these two muscles is key to getting your breasts back in shape.” She recommends chest presses, push-ups, and incline flyes to strengthen this area.
A recent study found that it takes two years for a woman’s body to fully recover after giving birth, but the abdomen and breasts are the ones that have the hardest time returning to their original shape. With this in mind, Dr. Nguyen Van Cuong notes that acceptance is important. “Embrace the change, expecting identical breasts is unrealistic. It’s a battle you’ll never win. You’ve gone through the most incredible transformation of becoming a mother, growing up and nurturing a new life with your body, who really cares if your breasts look different?”