Breastfeeding: is the damage already done just from the milk coming

[samsgirlbow]

in..weather you breastfeed or not? I have a friend who doesn't want to breastfeed just because she doesnt want her boobs to get saggy, or get stretchmarks from getting all filled with milk...so she is not going to breastfeed in order to save her breasts. I told her that whether she does or not, milk will come in in the beginning and stretch her boobs anyway, and basically whatever damage will already be done so she might as well breastfeed. Am I right, or will it really make a difference to not breastfeed and save the boobs?

[dueinoctwith#3]

LOL yeah i have to laugh when woman worry so much about their breasts and saggyness. Do people not realize that a womans breasts can sag no matter if they ever have a child in their life? I have a friend that at 30 she had no kids and her boobs were still starting to sag and she had stretchmarks just because her boobs got bigger when she was about 21 years old. I know I had problems with my boobs heading south when i was 21 because i was C and they really didn't get any worse after nursing. Personally I think that the health of your child should always be more important than your vanity and looks. So what if you get saggy breasts, you look at the great health benefits you have given your baby.

[curious]

I'd say your right. But I never got stretch marks - I pump.

[mimi]

Oh my goodness. I am sorry, I'm sure you don't want to hear your friend being slated, but what a truly sickening attitude she has.

Someone with those priorities does not deserve children.

i DESPERATELY wanted to breastfeed my son, and was gutted when it didn't happen for me. It certainly wasn't a choice. I don't judge women who bottle feed now as I know breastfeeding is a lot harder than some people imagine, and the vast majority of people who I know who bottle feed only do so because they weren't able to breastfeed. So anyone that reads this who bottle feeds for that kind of reason - I am not having a go at them! I just find it shocking that a mother to be could still have those types of priorities in her head - good boobs versus healthy baby - you shouldn't even need to think about it!!!

In answer to the question, who knows, as I said I wasnt able to breastfeed and my boobs are saggier now than they used to be. Also the stretchmarks I got on them appeared during pregnancy, not after. Who cares anyway, I could have the body of a 90 year old and not care if it meant I could strengthen my babies health.

I think you should show your friend the responses to this question. That might give her a reality check.

[bettany]

Dear Samsgirl,

Read your friend the riot act on this one. Her baby is going to need that milk. Studies have shown how important breast milk is to her baby. Higher IQ, less illness, etc.

She can always have them fixed after her babies are born, if she will even care because children have a way of changing people for the better!

Very truly yours,


Thunderboobs

[PKUmom]

every women is different...
That being said, if she gets stretch marks during pregnancy they're probably not going to get any worse and if she doesn't-then she probably won't get any either.

Persoanlly, I think that is a pretty selfish reason and she needs a smack upside the head..

[TotalRecipeHound]

According to a recent study done by plastic surgeons, it is pregnancy, not breastfeeding that causes boobs to sag.