Fortunately, within a few months postpartum, most nipples return to their original appearance.
You can expect your nipples to return to their original size and color (likely lighter and smaller than when you were breastfeeding) and extra veins should disappear, says Kasper. All those stretch marks, however, are yours to keep, she adds.
The good news is that once breastfeeding has ended, the Montgomery glands usually shrink back down, and the texture of the areola returns to its pre-pregnancy state.
Once your little one has weaned, your nipples and breasts may return to their previous size, and your body will absorb the remaining milk. Body weight is another factor that influences whether your breasts will return to their pre-breastfeeding size.
Many women find that their breasts never look exactly the same as they did before pregnancy. They may be smaller or larger, sag or droop more and develop stretch marks. The nipples may also look different. It is also possible for one breast to change more than the other.
Fortunately, within a few months postpartum, most nipples return to their original appearance.
Breast changes during pregnancy
The nipples and breasts may also feel tender, and, says Fjeld, "You might notice that the areolae and nipples are getting darker." (For many women this darkening fades after pregnancy.)
Areola reduction surgery is a relatively simple day surgery procedure that can reduce the diameter of one or both of your areolas. The excess pigmented skin is simply cut away so that a smaller and more appropriately-shaped areola is left behind. The height of your nipples can also be reduced, if desired.
The size of your areolae and nipples may change while you're pregnant or breastfeeding because of the hormones that produce breast milk. They may also grow as your breasts expand with pregnancy weight gain.
Montgomery glands
The darker area of skin around the nipple is called the areola. On the areola there are some little raised bumps. These are quite normal and are called Montgomery glands. They produce fluid to moisturise the nipple.
You may have some milk leak from your breasts, and your breasts may feel sore and swollen. This is called engorgement. It usually gets better after several days. Over time, your body will stop making milk if you don't breastfeed or pump.
The truth is that breastfeeding doesn't affect breast shape or volume. Instead, the ligaments that support a woman's breasts stretch as breasts get heavier during pregnancy. After pregnancy, even if a woman doesn't breastfeed, this stretching of the ligaments might contribute to sagging breasts.
It is common to experience sagging, drooping or a "deflated" appearance. Some women describe their breasts as "pancake-shaped." This happens because lactation creates a different, denser tissue in the breasts. Once you are no longer breastfeeding, your natural breast tissues may permanently shift.
"If you don't wear a bra, your breasts will sag," says Dr. Ross. "If there's a lack of proper, long-term support, breast tissue will stretch and become saggy, regardless of breast size." Still, both experts agree that multiple factors play into if and when sagging (technical term: "ptosis") occurs, bra-wearing aside.
Wear a supportive bra that fits you properly
While wearing a bra doesn't necessarily reduce the risk of breast sagging (and not wearing one doesn't cause sagging), wearing a supportive, well-fitting bra can help you feel more comfortable, especially if you have larger breasts, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Unfortunately, since breasts are not made up of muscles, it is not possible to firm up breast tissue with exercise. Breast lift surgery is the only way to bring back the original shape of the breasts. However, you can take certain measures to improve the overall appearance of your breasts.
If you've lost significant weight recently, your areola may get smaller, but not as much you expect. Areola reduction surgery can help reduce the pigmented area around your nipples.
It's safe to say growing and birthing a baby does “some things” to the body. And while many of those changes are temporary, like strange skin conditions experienced during pregnancy, some may be more permanent, like altered DNA.
Once your baby starts on solid foods (usually around the 6-month mark, but sometimes earlier), your breasts will probably begin to shrink. After weaning, they should return to their pre-pregnancy size or close.
A week or two after your baby arrives, your breasts should return to roughly the size they were during pregnancy. They'll stay that way until you've been breastfeeding for about 15 months, or when you stop breastfeeding.
For infants, not being breastfed is associated with an increased incidence of infectious morbidity, including otitis media, gastroenteritis, and pneumonia, as well as elevated risks of childhood obesity, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, leukemia, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Montgomery tubercles are small bumps around your nipples and are completely normal. They are most common during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as around puberty and throughout the menstrual cycle.
What is the purpose and function of the areola? The areola helps to support the nipple and also contains Montgomery's glands which help to keep the nipple moisturized during breastfeeding.