Gynaecologist Allays Fear On Breast Feeding

A consultant  Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Garki Hospital, Dr Garba Omale says nature and not just breast feeding determines drooping breasts.

“Many wrongly informed women do not adhere to the prescribed six-month exclusive breastfeeding period because they feel their breasts will fall,’’ Omale told newsmen.

Exclusive breast-feeding practice is that period when a baby is fed exclusively with the mother’s milk in the first six months of birth, to boost the child’s immunity.

Omale stated that “breastfeeding does not create sagging breasts, even more; it does not have an impact on a woman’s breast shape.

Whether you breastfeed or not, at some point, your breast will sag”.

According to him, each breast is a glandular organ, supported by ligament and connective tissue, which begins to sag as the glandular tissue deteriorates with age.

“When the weights of breasts are pulled down by gravity, genes which determine the elasticity of your skin and ligaments are the only thing that can prevent them from sagging,

“Obviously large breasts will sag easier, since the gravity is pulling them down the more.’’

Omale said that the biggest cause of flabby breasts was pregnancy and not breastfeeding.

He said that because pregnancy and breastfeeding occur at about the same time, people have mistakenly blamed breastfeeding for drooping breasts.

“In reality, breast involution is a phenomenon that occurs after the milk making system that is no longer needed, shrinks naturally,

“This occurs after weaning or right after pregnancy or at menopause, even if you do not breastfeed at all, the tissue inside breast shrinks, while the surrounding skin remains the same.

“This results in the breast looking empty and saggy. With time, some fat gets deposited back to the breast so it will look somewhat fuller but some sagging usually remains,” Omale explained.

He added that many people treat the breasts like a muscle and expect it to respond to certain exercise, but these methods are not effective.

He stated that although at a certain point, breastfeeding might speed up the sagging process,  it did not cause it to happen.

Omale disputed claims that sleeping with or without a brassiere could prevent sagging.

“It is a personal choice, there is nothing against wearing a bra to sleep and there is nothing against not wearing it. Medically, there is nothing for or against it,” he added.