Dear True Mama,

I am in my third trimester and these aren't my boobs. I knew they would probably get bigger and they sure did but it's my areolas and nipples that I don't recognize. They are bigger and have changed colors. Will I ever get my old boobs back?

Sincerely,
Bye Bye Boobs Mama

Dearest Bye Bye Boobs Mama,

Maybe, probably, maybe not is my basic answer. A breast of a different color usually regains it's glory but the shape of it usually does not. Your beautiful pink, purple (or whatever color they were) nipples and areolas will most likely return to their pre pregnancy color...but perhaps not for a couple months. The size will probably go back to the original as well. One maroon nippled mama I know, transformed into a black nippled mama until a couple months after her sunshine was born. Now, they are maroon again. Voila. The shape, on the other hand will most likely change. But remember, time and gravity, not just pregnancy changes that too.

I've heard of plastic surgery that they hawk (& remember a hawk gets his prey) to vulnerable women post pregnancy that resizes areolas. Therefore, there are probably some women whose areolas remain saucer sized well after the birth.

True Mama herself went from light pink areolas and nipples to more of a plum shade (or perhaps it was more in the eggplant family). A couple months after delivery my pink nips were delivered back to me. I still didn't recognize my boobs anyway because I went from an A cup to a C cup. Ahhh, sweet cleavage.

New hooters are a double-edged sword (ahhh, sweet clichés). Though they are new and interesting for your partner they can also be sensitive and sore for you and you may not be in the mood to loan them out as fun bags for the evening. Some women who are nursing have a hard time separating the new use of these mammary glands with the old (aforementioned fun bags, or in True Mama's case fun beanbags). Nursing mothers may find that their breasts, when stimulated (and sometimes just on a whim) can turn into full throttle squirt guns. I know there must be a fetish out there for squirty boobs and I would love to hear from a Mama or Papa who gets a rise out of that. Personally, I get the squirty boob giggles.

A positive thing about these new boobs is they are NEW. They can be viewed as a fun novelty. If you are a nursing mom and shy about folks seeing your knockers in public simply tell yourself, or a rude gawking stranger, "These aren't mine, they are on loan."

I've heard from worried mama's who were concerned that their breast did not change during pregnancy. They were afraid something was wrong. True Mama has researched this and that is completely normal too. No worries. Some mama's only see a change in their breast post delivery. Some never.

After you finish nursing or if you choose to use formula instead of nursing, you'll go through a period of semi painful (hey, nothing is painful after pushing a cantaloupe out of your vagina) engorgement. You may even develop flu like symptoms. Here is what you may not want to hear ladies, but I am sure you've heard stories from your Aunt Bessie and post weaning friends. Your boobs may never regain their original shape. One Mama I know described her new postpartum, post weaned boobs as pancakes, another, as rocks in socks. I know Mamas who say they went down a cup size & were glad about it (If that were the case with True Mama herself, I would be a negative A cup). Other Mamas say their boobs are pretty much the same and some of these Mamas nursed for 18 months. It's up in the air as to wether nursing makes them change shape. Some docs say yes, others say no. Remember ladies, we are snowflakes (albeit hot mama snow flakes), all different. Some of your boobs may change, some not. One thing that won't change is that you brought a beautiful little person into the world and you are his hot snow flake mama.

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