Breastfeeding makes you need a boob job

When I had my first daughter, L, in France in 2006 this is the type of comment I would hear. There are some French women and medical professionals who are totally pro breastfeeding but they are few and far between, which means if you do want to breastfeed you have to really fight your corner.

Whilst I was pregnant I was asked by a medical professional if I intended to breastfeed, when I replied that I would certainly try to, she looked at me, aghast, and told me in no uncertain terms that it would ruin my chest.

And, age 37, with two children, I can tell you now, these boobs ain’t what they were when I was 16! I remember a (male) friend at school asking me if I had some kind of scaffolding on my boobs back then as they were so pert. I can’t find any decent photos, but to give you an idea here I am as a 16 year old on holiday:

Me as a bikini-clad teenager

So, was I upset at the idea of ruining my boobs? Of course I was. But I was also realistic, I was 30 and they were no longer what they once were anyway. I also thought to myself, if they really go to the dogs, I can always get a boob job afterwards.

Then I had L, my milk came in, I ballooned to a G cup and I had these rock solid, porn star boobs for a while! I breastfed her for 11 months and gradually they got softer, and floppier, and smaller, returning to my usual – but albeit far saggier – D cup. It was pretty depressing and I said to Hubs, and various close friends and family members, that when I had finished having children I’d have a boob job. And that’s what I really thought would happen.

Then L stopped being a baby, and turned into a little girl. A girl who turns to me to be her female role model as she develops in this crazy old world. And I started to wonder what kind of message I wanted to pass to this impressionable young girl, who is already surrounded by the media telling her you have to be pretty and skinny, and who is already obsessed with aesthetics. Did I really want to tell my daughter that if you’re not happy with a body part then you have major surgery, putting yourself at risk by going under anaesthetic, to “fix” it?

Gradually I realised that I couldn’t do it. I might not be happy with my boobs as they are now, and it’s taken a long time to come to terms with this as my boobs were always my thing – I’m not tall and I have short, stumpy legs, but my boobs, oh my boobs, they always looked good. Sigh.

Thinking back to that medical professional in France, 7 years ago, I have since discovered that it’s not breastfeeding that ruins your boobs, it’s a combination of genes, pregnancy and age. I’ve got friends my age who’ve never had kids who have saggy boobs and friends who’ve had kids but never breastfed whose breasts are wrecked. So the risk of ruining your chest is not a reason not to breastfeed.

So where am I at today? I have two daughters, I am on the fast track to 40, gravity is having its wicked way with my body all over and I’m sure when I finish breastfeeding C that I’m going to need some pretty impressive engineering in a bra to push those puppies back up. But I will not go under the knife and I will not have a boob job to try and recover the pert breasts I had at 16. I will be fine, and my girls will hopefully grow up loving themselves as they are.

Just pass me the wine please as I come to terms with it all.

My girls

I want them to love themselves as they are.

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9 Responses

  1. Nikki Thomas says:

    That did make me smile. I think most of us accept as we get older and have children that some things are not going to look as good as they once did, but when you look at your children it makes you realise that it is all worth it.

    • Franglaise Mummy says:

      Definitely. When I was 30 and pre children I was convinced I’d have a boob job if my chest got ruined, now I’m less fussed.

  2. Kara says:

    I have to admit that after I had finished breastfeeding Isaac (now 5) I looked at my deflated bust in despair and actually cried they were so bad.
    I never had a busy at school and was an “A” cup for years but having 6 children meant they have now grown and I nearly fell over when I was measured at Cybher last year as a 34FF and for the first time in years I wore the correct size bra!
    I dread to think what size they are now my milk has just come in but for now I am making the most of them as I know they’ll disappear again when I stop feeding Sebby.
    As for a boob job – I could never put myself through surgery, but if they invented a magic pill I may give it a try!!

    • Franglaise Mummy says:

      It’s mad how they change with kids. Enjoy the rock hard look while it lasts 😉 If only there were a magic pill or magic wand…

  3. Worry ye not
    40 doesn’t hurt at all.
    Brilliant blog by the way

  4. I thought they looked pretty impressive in Britmums-just saying 😉

    Well done you – for feeding and being a good role model to your girls xxx

    • Franglaise Mummy says:

      Thanks hon – but there’s still milk in them so they’re not too bad….yet! I know the floppiness will return when the feeding stops.

      I don’t know how virtuous I’ll be feeling about feeding and being a good role model when they’re all saggy again 😉

  1. 11/09/2014

    […] Any woman who’s had a baby is likely to tell you that her boobs are now shot to pieces, whether she’s breastfed or not. Some will tell you they are desperate for a boob job if only they could afford it. Others say they would like plastic surgery but are afraid of the risks. I used to think I would like to have my breasts operated on once I’d finished having children, but I’ve since changed my mind. […]

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