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Are Those My Breasts?

A Lifetime of Changes

By Teri Brown

After childbirth, the breasts produce colostrum, a liquid substance that contains antibodies to help protect the infant against infection. The breasts begin to produce milk three to five days after a woman has given birth, which causes the breasts to become larger and fuller.

"This is when the body begins to shift into production of mature milk, a transition that takes about two weeks to complete," Buchanan says. "After the first few weeks, a woman will notice her breasts feel softer and not as full. This softening is a sign that the mother's milk production is stabilizing to match her baby's needs. Each woman's breast is very different from another's, but regardless of size, they are designed for its ultimate purpose – to nourish and nurture the child."

One of the most asked questions women have about breast changes is will they ever return to "normal" after pregnancy and breastfeeding. Dr. Geeta Sharma, an attending physician in obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Eastside Medical Center asks, "What is normal?"

"There is a certain amount of stretch that occurs with breastfeeding – but the cosmetic effects on the breast are only one aspect of the highly recommended, valuable, nutritive and nurturing qualities of breastfeeding," Dr. Sharma says. "There is also a natural amount of stretch with growing older. I encourage my patient to buy nursing bras for sleep, comfort and support – one bra usually does not serve all these purposes. They should go to a maternity store that can properly fit them for the changes in the pregnncy."

Want to see more?

• Check out our Article Library.
• Hooray for the Human Breast! A Look at the Amazing Milk Factory
• Breastfeeding and Weight Loss: Maintaining a Healthy Size
• Breastfeeding Around Your Sex Life
• Talk about it!

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