*Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. All of my findings are based on what worked for me. Consult a physician before making any major diet or lifestyle changes.
Imagine small, deflated water balloons. That’s what I was working with after I weaned my second son. Honestly, it was depressing. “I guess I have to save up to get a boob job,” I sighed. I had heard about the discomfort and pain of fake breasts from friends, but at this point it seemed like my only recourse. Simply accepting saggy water balloons as my new reality was not an option. Lucky for me, I cannot afford a boob job at the moment. So, I started researching natural options for breast enhancement. The internet has some information on the topic, but it is limited - and many of the theories do not actually work in practice. The following are what I have found actually does work, according to my own “research.”
Wear a Bra
If size is not necessarily your problem, but shape and sag definitely is, wear a bra. Not just any bra. Buy the most padded, most push-up bra you can find and wear it around the clock. Seriously. You’ll have to wear it 24-hours a day for a while (yes, even while you sleep) to restore the shape and some, if not all, of the perkiness.
Take Supplements
I have only tried two supplements in my research to date: Fenugreek and Collagen. Collagen is supposed to increase elasticity in the skin, so I thought, “It’s worth a shot, right?” Wrong. I did not see much results from this one. Fenugreek, however, did slightly improve the size and fullness of my breasts. Other herbs I would be open to try: Goat’s Rue, Fennel, Alfalfa, Stinging Nettle, Blessed Thistle, Shatavari and Malunggay.
Increase Fat
Here comes the big one. Of all the things I tried, this one worked far and away the best. In fact, I noticed a big difference in size and plumpness overnight! First of all, make sure the majority of fats you choose are good fats. Do not reach for processed foods or foods high in saturated fats like butter, fatty meat, pastries and pies. The best fats to try here are unsaturated fats like avocados, extra virgin olive oil, almonds or other nuts, nut butters and seeds like sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. The only downside I have found so far in this experiment is that you have to keep it up consistently. If I miss a couple of my "full fat" days my boobs start to sink back down - not to water balloon level, but certainly less full than when I'm eating a lot of fat. Ultimately, it's not a terrible problem to have. More fat? Yummy.
Gain Weight
Gasp! I know, I know. It’s sacrilege to suggest a woman gain weight. Trust me, a few pounds will not kill you and it could make all the difference for your chest. I gained about six pounds and it looks great. At least up top. I have had to increase my toning workouts to compensate for some added jiggle elsewhere…
Increase Calories
Just like in the last two points, adding more calories to my diet helped a ton. I've added 200-300 a day and my boobs have never been plumper. Again, a great problem to have because mama loves to eat!
Sleep
In general, sleep is a good way to help your body restore itself. During this process of reshaping your boobs, give them plenty of rest. After all, they are doing a lot of work right now. If you think that’s funny, just hear me out. As I have worked toward better boobs, I have actually felt them stretching and growing. It is the exact same feeling I got when I prepared for breastfeeding with many of these same techniques. In that season, as in this one, my breasts grew and changed, and my whole body needed a lot more rest. Although I did have a helping hand from hormones on the first go around…
I should note here that if you were an A cup before breastfeeding, it is not likely you will magically bloom into a D cup, no matter how hard you try. The good news, though, is that it seems you can change and improve your breasts after breastfeeding. Want even more good news? From what I have found, it does not seem like there is a deadline to get started. I began my process a year and a half after weaning and I am still seeing amazing results. Granted, I am only a few months into my breast boost but I plan to continue for as long as it takes.
If you try any of the tips mentioned in this article, please comment below and let me know which tips worked, or did not work, for you. I'd love to hear it!