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Hello, I've done a search through the forum, pardon me if I haven't been extensive enough, and couldn't find a discussion on measures that woman can take while they are still breastfeeding to prevent sagging and shrinking after they wean. I am currently breastfeeding my toddler. By the time she was about a year old, my boobs had gone back to their pre-pregnancy size, or maybe slightly larger. She is now almost three and I expect that total weaning is imminent.
I was wondering if there is anything I can do that might prevent further shrinking or sagging....? In a fit of panic a few weeks ago, I went and bought fenugreek. I realise now that its probably futile taking fenugreek to increase my boob size or prevent further shrinking. (Anyway, I took fenugreek in the early postpartum days to boost supply and it didn't work for me at all.) I've recently also started massaging my boobs daily.
My pre-pregnancy size/current size is 32B/32C/34A/34B depending on the brand and style of the bra. I am a 32C in the Japanese brands of bras and boy, do I love those!
In the initial months of breastfeeding, I was 34C/ 36C.
Any advice would be much appreciated
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I think fenugreek is fine for you to take, as well as massaging, maybe add in some chest exercises. Other than that, not sure what else could help prevent the sagging until you have stopped breastfeeding and are no longer producing milk for a while as most NBE enduces milk production, which isn't what you are looking to do. Other than those things I would say you need to wait until you stop breastfeeding and have dried up and then wait 6 months to start other forms of NBE. Though hypnosis could be another safe form for you.
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My advice is wean slowly over a month or more, don't stop all at once.
Other than that I'm not sure there is much you can do. Genetics do play a role and you just control it kwim?
The best advice you've already gotten. Wait at least 6 full months from total weaning then start NBE. The Noogleberry system really helped me get back some of the fat and shape in the top of my boobs that I lost after bfing.
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Thank you, Ananstasia and Ajac
yes I do exercise, full-body workouts are part of my life routine. yes I am taking a gradual approach to weaning. my daughter is almost three, and I don't have that much milk left but i expect that nightfeeds will go on for a while more.
hynopsis is something that never crossed my mind! could be worth trying for me, i will mosey myself over to the hypnosis threads. thank you very much!
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I weaned my daughter when she was two-and-a-half. My breasts were on their way back down to my pre-pregnancy size when I started taking bcp's and ended up growing a cup size. I was a 36D before pregnancy and nursing, a 40F during lactation, and 40DD on the pill. Thanks to the pill, I had no sagging issue. Don't know if that's something you'd want to try, but it worked for me.
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aha! i have been exploring taking bcps lately. its for bc purposes but it'd be marvellous if it has positive effects on boobs. may i ask, you started taking bcps after weaning, and they were combined pills? i was considering taking the minipill now and switching to the combined pill after i wean. your stats are awesome.
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(21-01-2013, 03:56)themilkyway Wrote: aha! i have been exploring taking bcps lately. its for bc purposes but it'd be marvellous if it has positive effects on boobs. may i ask, you started taking bcps after weaning, and they were combined pills? i was considering taking the minipill now and switching to the combined pill after i wean. your stats are awesome.
Yes, I took combined pills when I took bcp's. My doctor put me on Triphasil, which changes the estrogen/progestin levels three times during a cycle. After a year, I switched to another triphasic bcp, Estrostep FE. Estrostep increases the estrogen while keeping the progestin constant.
A progesterone-only minipill is what a doctor would recommend if you are currently nursing, because it shouldn't interfere with lactation.
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Thanks justalittlemore! I will look into giving the combined pill. a shot. Sometimes, I wonder how much milk I still have left, and how much of my current size is due to lactation. I guess there's just no way to tell now, and I can only be assiduous about massaging and exercising. I was about to switch from taking fenugreek to taking flaxseed oil..... then I read somewhere that its been suggested that flaxseed oil isn't recommended for breastfeeding moms. Neither is PM. Argh.
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