Breastfeeding Guide
How Do Your Breasts Change While Breastfeeding
First off, congratulations on the pregnancy and welcome to this exciting, wonderful and sometimes overwhelming stage called motherhood.
As you go through your pregnancy, your body will change (dramatically). One of the earliest pregnancy symptoms is breast changes, which can happen in the first trimester, as early as Week 8.
Your breasts may start to feel swollen and tender, and start to get bigger. Your cup size might go up a size or more throughout your pregnancy. Your band size will go up as well, as your ribcage expands to make room for baby.
We don't talk about this enough but your nipples will change too - they stick out more, and the areolas and nipples will grow larger. You may also notice little bumps on the areolas. TOTALLY normal!
Some of the most most drastic changes occur when you start breastfeeding. Your breasts start producing milk and are in a constant state of flux.
We've broken down below the different stages of breastfeeding and how your breasts and your nursing bra size might change during breastfeeding.
STAGE 1: 0 - 3 months postpartum (a.k.a. The Fourth Trimester)
For the first three months after baby is born (after your milk comes in), your breasts will be at its fullest and most sensitive. During this time, your breasts are likely to get engorged due to overproduction - and your breasts might feel hard, tight and painful.
Some moms notice a slight increase in cup size, while others might experience an increase of up to four cup sizes. I myself went from a B cup to F (!!) when my milk came in.
Your band size will be similar to your band size during your final trimester, as it takes time for your ribcage to contract post-birth.
STAGE 2: 3 - 8 months postpartum
At this stage, your milk supply should have regulated i.e., your breasts have learnt to produce the right amount of milk for your baby. This means lower risk of engorgement and your cup size should be smaller than they were during the first three months postpartum.
Your band size will also likely decrease, as your ribcage gradually contracts. For some women, their ribcage do return to their pre-pregnancy size - this can take anywhere between 6 to 18 months. For others, their ribcage may never return to their pre-pregnancy size.
STAGE 3: 8 months and beyond
When your baby starts eating solids, their milk intake will decrease. The more solids they eat, the less milk they drink. Your milk supply will continue to drop to match their milk intake - so will your cup size.
Your ribcage/band size may or may not have contracted back to its pre-pregnancy size by now - it does for some but not for everyone!
You might find your breasts getting closer to your pre-pregnancy bra size, perhaps 1-2 cup sizes larger (since you're still producing milk).
Do Breasts Ever Revert Back to their Pre-pregnancy State After Breastfeeding?
Once you stop breastfeeding, your breasts may return to their pre-pregnancy size, or be smaller or larger - depending on factors such as genetics and weight gain. More often than not, breasts will be saggier than they were pre-pregnancy. Check out our article: "Will My Breasts Sag After Breastfeeding" for more on this topic.