When I was young I noticed breasts, mostly those that were perky and well-rounded. I had already been swayed by the world into thinking that there’s a sort of standard for the parts of a woman’s body that feed her young. As I grew into my teens and looked at my own mother’s breasts I saw those of a woman, and I didn’t like what I saw. I wanted mine to be perfect, perky, and round.
Before becoming a mother my breasts weren’t “perfect” since perfect was an image that I could not maintain – it was outside of my body, it was outside of me. They were small, round (at least from what I remember), and I had the standard breast that was larger than the other. “Rocket tits” were among the comments I received about my protruding nipples.
During my first breastfeeds I noticed the love that flowed through my body into my daughter and I had a new found love for my breasts – a circle of love completion. Oh – so that’s what they’re for! It all came together.
And then I had two more children and my breasts waxed and waned as they got smaller and larger, and more stretched out. I really connected with a Momma blogger’s post about “can I sling them over my shoulder to feed the baby in the backseat!”
When I went through a divorce recently I realized I had some serious negativity towards the way my breasts looked. As much as I *tried* to love them I was afraid of how they would be perceived by others – specifically a man. (I knew darned well my children didn’t care!)
So I chose to finally walked through the fear. At age 32, almost three years postpartum from the youngest who is still nursing, and with three children, I bare my beautiful breasts to the world. I love them. I love me.
Thank you to The Shape of a Mother for providing the platform you do that allows women to liberate themselves from body hatred.
Updated here.
What is perfect anyway? What we see in the media is what we are told is perfect, but by whom, and why? I gave up trying to be perfect, and learned to love me instead. I think you are great for doing the same! You look great for breastfeeding three babies!! Womanly and beautiful!
I love how you wrote so in detail about your breasts! I think you look great and I am definately jealous of your beautiful skin, 3 babies and your tummy is so smooth and clear! It takes a real man to love a woman for what she is, and when you find him he won’t even see what you are unsure about!
I know a lot of women who would kill for nipples like those! You should be proud momma!
Good for you! Too many women have unnecessary shame or embarrassment about their “imperfect” breasts. It’s understandable but unfortunate.
Your breasts look wonderful and natural. They’re not for men’s viewing pleasure but for feeding babies.
I’m jealous of your breasts! What I wouldn’t give to have nipples like those! Not only that, but you were able to feed and nourish three beautiful children! What man wouldn’t appreciate that!! Congratulations to you for being able to come to terms with your body and fall in love with it all over again!
That was beautiful and inspiring. You ROCK! Great job on breastfeeding/extended breastfeeding! You’re babies are lucky to have you. Thank you
Your breasts are beautiful.
your breasts are beautiful and womanly! i have only breastfeed one baby, my 15 month old, and if my boobs look like that after 3, i will be very happy!
Wonderful story. I too had issues, mostly from having a mother with gorgeous large round breasts compared to my teeny tiny pale breasts. But they did what they were made to do when my children were born. It is amazing how they mature and adapt, and now 10 years post partum I again have small, flat, pale nipples and breasts. I love them.
Good for you!!!! :D My 2 1/2 year old just weaned. It’s so good to hear from other long-term nursers! :D
Thank you, Everyone – what very sweet and loving comments :)
Amy. My wife gave me six wonderful children. Brest fed every one of them. She also has a hard time with loving her body. Her belly is a little streched, Her brests are a little lower than they were before children. But I tell her as much as you hate these changes, I love you even more now!
You sacrificed your flat tummy to give us our family! How can I not love her for that? Besides I find her as sexy if not more so now.
Thank you for standing up for moms everywhere.
Paul
Your nipples are just so incredibly wonderful. Be proud of them. I would be in heaven to be with a woman who has nipples like this. ;)
Thank you fellas! :)
My mother has beautiful, big, round breasts. I have been lucky enough to have the same breasts as her. I have always loved the look and feel of them and i’m constantly told how beautifully natural they are. I dont have children yet but when i do i will breast feed them.
i think it is vital to love the idea that a part of you is helping to make a life grow strong and healthy yet at the same time it is dangerous to favour this over the love that you should have for your breasts regardless of who is touching or seeing them.
Your breasts an esp. your nipples look wonderful!
Men LOVE big nipples – know that :)
Thanks for this post. I am really, really struggling with the appearance of my breasts (same situation — new man in my life, still young in years but my body is so different). I was an A cup pre-babies, DD while pregnant and breastfeeding, and now I have a very deflated B that sit about 2 inches lower than they used to. There is almost no fat tissue left in my breasts; they are floppy, stretchmarked, and droopy. The nipple falls into my breast when I lay on my back and they look like crinkled pancakes! When I raise my arms it’s even worse, just little sacs of damaged skin topped with misshapen, bent nipples. I look at old pictures of myself and cry because I didn’t appreciate what I had then (I thought I was “flat” — haha, if the old me could see me now, a whole new meaning to flat!) when really my breasts were “perfect” — there’s that word again.
I hope I can get to the place you are at soon and stop considering surgery as a “fix” to what really isn’t broken, just different. Everyone tells me guys think “boobs are boobs” and he won’t care about what they look like, but it’s hard to believe when to me it’s such a drastic change — from perfect to…almost nothing there that appeals to me sexually. I feel like I have 70 year old breasts on a 30 year old body. I have to change my idea of what is sexy, I guess.
Kels, I’m not sure if you’re going to read this, but now it’s eight years later from when I posted this, and two more kids. I totally hear you about what happens to small breasts when they stretch to feed babies. I wish we saw more images of real breasts so we wouldn’t feel ashamed. Our bodies nurture life, now it’s up to us to nurture our own with some self acceptance and self love. Take gentle care.