At Evenly we hear from so many new mums about having one breast bigger than the other whilst breastfeeding. Perhaps you already have asymmetry and you’re concerned about being able to feed your baby or maybe you’re experiencing breastfeeding-related boob imbalance? Aside from the obvious baby-growing miracle, pregnancy and birth have some seriously strong influence on our bodies, especially uneven breasts during breastfeeding!
Why Are My Boobs Uneven?
It’s important to note that it’s not solely breastfeeding that may make one breast bigger. Breasts may become imbalanced due to the rollercoaster of hormonal changes during the perinatal period and regardless of how you feed your baby, milk will be produced when your baby is born. Even if you choose to bottle feed your baby, your breasts may produce milk unevenly in each breast causing temporary or longer-lasting asymmetry.
For those choosing breastfeeding, it affects our bodies in so many ways and nursing a baby can certainly come with its challenges. You may experience chapped nipples, the pain in the boob that is mastitis, and will probably get a lot less sleep than you’re used to when nursing or feeding a newborn. Your breast size will swing between being balanced and imbalanced with milk on an almost hourly rate. It’s a bit of a milky lottery sometimes as to whether your boobs even out or not.
If you manage to escape mother nature’s natural imbalances, your baby might have a preferred breast, drinking more frequently from one side, leading to uneven breasts solely from breastfeeding. This can even out again when feeding stops, although it can sometimes lead to a more permanent imbalance.
What Are Solutions For Breastfeeding Imbalances?
Something which can help you prepare for these completely natural breast changes is choosing a really good maternity bra. During the third trimester around 36 weeks onwards, your breasts can start to swell, and after your baby arrives your breasts will change again as your milk comes in. This can sometimes feel very uncomfortable, so a decent wardrobe of bras is a good idea to help alleviate any unnecessary discomfort and help give you the best support.
There is always the option of surgery to balance out lasting changes, although this comes with significant risks. 20 years on from her runway career in the late 90s, Brazilian fashion model Gisele Bündchen shared in an interview her experience post-breastfeeding her two children and said that her breasts became uneven and smaller than before.
Describing her experience of asymmetry, Gisele said "I felt very vulnerable, because I can work out, I can eat healthy, but I can't change the fact that both of my kids enjoyed the left boob more than the right. All I wanted was for them to be even and for people to stop commenting on it." Gisele chose to have her asymmetry balanced out surgically, although she said she regretted her decision and hid her new body for over a year post surgery. "When I woke up, I was like, 'What have I done?' I felt like I was living in a body I didn't recognise"
As an alternative to surgery, Evenly Bra Balancers™ can be slipped into your bra to balance out unevenness and they are completely safe to wear during pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding, making them a perfect option for post-partum mums. They can be worn alongside breast pads if required and they can be easily rinsed if they get splashed with a little milk. Evenly founder Kate Taylor experienced uneven breasts during her own breastfeeding journey, and said;
“Postpartum is just the hardest - you feel so far removed from your body, and feel like it's not your own - I think it's good to talk about and acknowledge that feeling. If you've got breast asymmetry, especially if you've never had it before, it's particularly jarring because you already feel like your body is doing all these kind of crazy things that you don't understand and the asymmetry can make you feel even more disconnected from it and self-conscious”
“Bra Balancers™ can give you back that confidence and weight balance. If asymmetry is something that's affecting you it's just one small way to help you feel more confident in that postpartum period without having to resort to breast augmentation surgery.”
Other mums have gotten very creative with their solutions. Breastfeeding mum Bobbi Althoff’s TikTok video went viral with her joking about her ‘life hack’ of using an avocado to even out her breast asymmetry. Thankfully, Evenly’s solutions offer a much longer shelf life!
Can I Still Breastfeed If I Have Breast Asymmetry?
If you already have asymmetry and are concerned about breastfeeding with uneven breasts, please be reassured that uneven boobs should not affect being able to feed your baby. This may differ for women who have more pronounced imbalances due to conditions such as Poland Syndrome, as sometimes this can also result in an underdeveloped nipple or milk ducts, which in cases, can affect the ability to breastfeed. If you have Poland Syndrome and would like more support or information with this, visit PIP-UK's website and get in touch- they're happy to help!
It is important to remember fed is best, and if you are concerned about anything to do with your body or breastfeeding, or feel that you need some advice, speak to your midwife, doula or pregnancy health professional.
Evenly's Top 5 Postpartum Tips
We know how challenging those early postpartum days can be (not just the breastfeeding) so we’ve put together our favourite products from female-founded businesses to help make our ‘Evenly Moms’ lives that little bit easier:
Royce Lingerie Maternity Bras - Support your pregnancy or breastfeeding bosom with Royce Lingerie’s specifically designed maternity bras with great support and easy-to-use nursing clips. As an extra treat, use code EVENLY10 for 10% off all full-price bras (across all their wire-free ranges, not just maternity!) at www.royce-lingerie.co.uk.
Hot Tea Mama’s Organic Milk’s Up - Delicious caffeine-free breastfeeding tea. This herbal infusion supports lactation with carefully chosen ingredients to improve the volume and quality of breast milk.
Nixi Body Underwear - Super comfy leak-proof pants that provide amazing protection from leaks due to low oestrogen or postpartum pelvic floor issues. They also absorb postpartum or period blood, discharge and sweat. One less thing to think about! Use code EVENLY10 for 10% off at www.nixibody.com
Holistic Kitchen Pot of Wonder - Soothing all-purpose/nipple balm, suitable for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and newborn babies.
Jorgen House - 'For the changing states of womanhood,' Jorgen House make cleverly adjustable sportswear, loungewear and underwear designed for comfortable movement at any stage of motherhood.
If you’d like to connect with other uneven boob’d moms and help us #BreakTheTaboob around asymmetry, you can join our free Facebook support group for breast asymmetry.
Whatever your experience with breastfeeding and asymmetry - you’ve got this mama!
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