Having a baby is a rewarding milestone, but it can certainly take a toll on your body. If you are a new mother, you may have noticed that your breasts look significantly different from the way they did before becoming pregnant. In this blog, plastic surgeon Dr. Ary Krau explains some of the common changes that happen to the breasts, as well as the best way to improve the breast cosmetically.
How Breasts Change During and After Pregnancy
Other than puberty, pregnancy is the point in a woman’s life when her breasts go through the most dramatic changes. In the first trimester, the breasts swell and become tender, with the nipples protruding further than usual. By the second trimester, the breasts become significantly larger in preparation for nursing, so much so that many women need to purchase larger bras to support their breasts. The breasts continue to grow throughout the third trimester. The breast skin must also expand to cover the increased volume of the breasts.
After having her baby, a woman experiences breast engorgement, which is where her breasts become larger still due to being overfull from milk. Only after weaning completely does a woman notice her breasts return to their former, pre-pregnancy size (assuming she also loses her pregnancy weight). However, the breasts are unlikely to look as perky and youthful as they did previously. These breasts often have a deflated shape and hang lower on the chest than ever before. Because the skin that stretched out to fit over the larger breasts may not be elastic enough to contract, the breasts often droop.
What You Can Do About Sagging Breasts
If you wish your breasts looked more like they did prior to having a baby, the most effective cosmetic solution is breast lift. This surgery removes excess skin so that the breasts sit at a higher position on the chest. Dr. Krau can also adjust the nipples so that they are more central on the breasts and have an outward projection. One thing breast lift does not do is change your breast size. However, if your breasts look somewhat smaller after your pregnancy, you can combine breast augmentation with breast lift to get your desired shape, size and elevation.
To discuss breast lift or mommy makeover, a popular cosmetic surgery plan that combines breast procedures with tummy tuck to flatten the abdomen, please make an appointment with Dr. Krau. He has helped many women in Miami and across the country to reattain their confidence and pre-pregnancy bodies. Call (305) 861-6881 or request a consultation online.