After the completion of lactation, many women face a problem when the breasts sag, lose their elasticity and shape. To avoid such troubles, it is important to properly organize breastfeeding and take care of the mammary glands even during the feeding period. But if the measures were not taken on time, and as a result the breasts sagged after feeding, a number of procedures can be applied to help restore the former firmness, elasticity and shape. Let's look at why breasts sag after feeding. And learn how to tighten sagging breasts.
Causes of sagging breasts
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the mammary glands increase in size and volume. As a result, it becomes difficult for the ligamentous apparatus to keep the mass in its original position. After lactation is completed, breast milk leaves, and the tissues begin to sag.
The chest seems to deflate, becomes smaller in size and loses its shape. The stronger the lactation and milk production, the more the mammary glands stretch. And the longer breastfeeding continued, the more the breasts sag. Read about the pros and cons of prolonged breastfeeding.
Reduced elasticity and firmness of the skin, loss of tissue volume, deterioration occur due to age-related hormonal changes and gradual aging. With age, the production of estrogen decreases sharply, as a result, the connective tissues of the bust dry out and are pulled down. Bad habits, especially smoking, negatively affect the size of the bust, as it slows down the blood supply to the mammary glands and slows down the supply of oxygen to the tissues.
Sudden weight loss or overweight adversely affect the condition of the mammary glands. Excess fat increases the production of estrogen, disrupts hormonal balance and material metabolism, so the breast loses its elasticity and firmness. With constant and strict diets or starvation, the adipose tissue in the composition of the mammary glands shrinks and sags, stretch marks appear on the skin.
Features of breast recovery after feeding
How quickly and effectively the condition of the breast can be improved depends on the condition of the bust before pregnancy, the age of the woman and the number of births. Of course, the younger the mother, the easier the recovery will be. To speed up the process, use several methods at once. Consult with a mammologist, and he will select the most effective means for you, depending on the individual situation.
Special masks and cosmetics, gymnastics and massage, water procedures will help to tighten the chest after feeding. It is important to control nutrition and body weight. After childbirth, it is important to restore a comfortable weight and avoid sharp fluctuations between losing weight and gaining extra pounds.
Proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle are the key to successful breast restoration. Watch your diet, eat only healthy and wholesome food, give up bad habits. Avoid alcohol, large amounts of fatty and spicy foods, coffee.
Protein, which is found in boiled chicken meat, boiled veal and turkey, milk drinks and chicken eggs, low-fat cottage cheese and low-fat cheeses, nuts, fish and seafood, will help restore elasticity to the skin and bust. You will find detailed tips and recommendations on how to put your body in order after childbirth in the article “How to lose weight for a nursing mother”.
Breast tightening masks
- White clay perfectly tightens and tones the skin. Take three tablespoons of clay and mix with a glass of heavy cream, then put a teaspoon of honey and mix again. The resulting composition is applied to the skin and washed off as soon as you feel a tightening;
- Take a few pieces of walnuts and grind until smooth. Put a tablespoon of honey and butter, egg yolk and mix the ingredients. Apply to the bust, leave for twenty minutes and rinse with warm water;
- Kefir mask effectively tightens and strengthens the skin. To prepare the product, two tablespoons of honey are added to half a glass of kefir, stirred and the composition is applied with light rubbing. Leave for 15 minutes and then rinse with warm water;
- Mix 300 grams of cottage cheese with egg white. Put three to four drops of geranium or grapefruit oil. You can add a teaspoon of natural grapefruit juice. Apply the mass in a thick layer on the skin and leave for twenty minutes, rinse with warm water. By the way, cottage cheese is also effectively used for the manufacture of cosmetic face masks;
- You can use store-bought masks and high-fat nourishing creams to tighten the breast skin. In any case, you need to apply the compositions, avoiding the nipples and areola! By the way, such creams are more effective than masks. It is important to regularly apply cosmetic procedures with these products in order to achieve a positive result.
Massage and gymnastics
Breast massage is done using stroking movements from the bottom up, massaging each breast for a minute. Then perform circular movements to the armpits, starting from the center. The mammary glands are rubbed, approaching the nipples from the middle of the collarbone. Two minutes are given to each breast. And at the end, light strokes are done again.
Massage can be effectively combined with water procedures while taking a shower or bath. After that, be sure to lubricate the skin with a nourishing moisturizer with a high fat content. A contrast shower helps well, which increases blood circulation, improves muscle and skin tone.
Special gymnastics includes the following exercises:
- Push-ups from the floor, kneeling. With this exercise, the elbows should be parallel to the floor, the back should be in a straight position, and the stomach should be pulled in. During push-ups, you need to touch the floor with your chest. Do the exercises at least ten times and with each gymnastics increase the number of approaches to thirty;
- Push-ups from a vertical surface (wall or closet) also effectively affect the condition of the mammary glands. Perform the procedure 10-20 times, alternating every other day with push-ups from the floor;
- Clenching your palms parallel to your chest is another effective exercise. To do this, squeeze your palms and hold for a few seconds, then relax your hands and repeat the exercise again. It is recommended to do this procedure up to thirty times. For greater efficiency, it is better to do such an exercise while sitting on a chair;
- Squeezing the palms behind the back of the head is done in the same way as the previous procedure, only now the palms are brought behind the head and squeezed behind the back of the head. Exercise is also done 30 times;
- Using dumbbells weighing 2-3 kilograms. To perform the exercise, you need to lie on your back, bend your knees and spread your arms to the sides, holding dumbbells.
This gymnastics strengthens the muscles and has a positive effect on the state of the body. Add other exercises, exercises with a fitball or gymnastic ball are useful. By the way, such shells are suitable for gymnastics and the development of the baby. When doing gymnastics and during the day, be sure to monitor your posture. A straight and even back will only emphasize and improve the shape of the chest. And regular and prolonged exercise can give the same result as plastic surgery.
Plastic surgery after lactation
Some women are interested in whether it is possible to tighten their breasts after childbirth with the help of plastic surgery. Experts do not recommend doing this procedure for nursing mothers.
However, after the completion of lactation and breastfeeding, it is possible to tighten the mammary glands, give them elasticity and an attractive appearance with the help of silicone implants, if the woman has no contraindications. In any case, you must first recover from childbirth and lactation, be sure to consult a doctor and undergo a thorough examination.
It is important that the mammary glands return to normal by the time of the operation after childbirth and breastfeeding. To normalize weight and restore hormonal levels. Interestingly, in the future, after the procedure, with a new pregnancy, you can easily breastfeed your baby without risk to the baby.
