Breast Size – Everything You’ve Always Wondered
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The relation between feminity and breast size has been established since time immemorial. There are many secondary sexual characteristics that define a girl’s entry into puberty and youth, but there is none as prominent as the feature of breast development, which outlines the first advent of womanhood and helps to establish a feminine identity.
Beautiful and proportionately endowed breasts highlight the physical symmetry and harmony of a female body. It accentuates the beauty of clothing and apparels, adds confidence to overall personality and also helps to create attraction and sensuality in a relationship with one’s partner.
However, it is not easy in today’s world to be happily accepting one’s own physical appearance. Social and popular media uses women’s images to sell their ideas and products and create certain body norms which are considered to be the ‘ideal’ beauty. Many reports and research state that most women feel insecure and have doubts about their breast size and shape. It also depends on certain age or stage they belong to.
This article will help you find an explanation for most of the concerns or questions that you might have regarding breast issues.
Breast Growth and Development
It is interesting to know that breasts start to grow and develop even prior to the first menstruation; almost two years before the cycle starts. This is a standard timeline, and there can be differences here and there.
This growth and development is part of puberty and it is phased and unique to each. It can continue to reach its fullness until about 20 years of age when other features of a female body also develop alongside.
Variations to Natural Growth
Breasts start to develop due to the production of estrogen hormone from the ovaries. They are responsible for fat deposition within the breasts and through this process, gradually the breasts grow in size. After we come out of the stage of puberty, the levels of estrogen production in the body reduces, and therefore the breast growth stops gradually.
However, there can be other reasons why our breasts might not develop properly.
- Diet- Healthy diet full of healthy fats is very essential in the growing years. If there is no balanced nutrition, the body or breast growth can’t be optimum. Adequate nutrition is important to keep the hormone levels normal. If you want fuller curves, eating nutritious food with beneficial fats may help. Even if they are not helping to gain sizes, they can definitely help you stay fit.
- Genes- Hereditary structure running in the family also determines your body shape. If the women in the family are largely small/big breasted, there is a great likelihood of you following the same. Though there can be individual exceptions.
- Hormonal issues- Fluctuating hormone levels at various stages of life affect your breast size. Taking birth control pills, pregnancy and lactation increase the breast size whereas it decreases once you stop feeding or stop taking the pills. In fact, motherhood completes and puts a closure to the maximum cup-size you can have. But once you reach old age, they begin to shrink.
Genetic Influences on Breast Size
Do you ever feel curious about your breasts being like or not like your maternal relatives? Gene is a big factor that determines your breast cup size, though it is not necessary that you inherit the traits that your mother or grandmother had. You could have the dominant or recessive genes of your family that determines the general size of your bust. It may also happen that you get only some features like nipple color or size, or you could have an entirely different kind of breast shape. So, don’t be surprised if you have a small bust while other maternal relations had a bigger one or vice-versa.
Menstruation and Breast size
There are some changes to breast before the start of periods. That is due to the pre-menstrual syndrome or PMS as we all know. Hormonal changes cause the breasts to be swollen and tender.
But the symptoms settle on their own once the periods have started. We already know that breast growth is different for everyone. Sometimes, women have experienced breast growth well in their thirties, in spite of having a menstrual cycle for fifteen years. So earlier or later, faster or steady, a breast growth can cover all spectrums!
Pregnancy and Breast Size
Pregnancy adds inches to your whole body and breasts are no different. Breasts grow to prepare and accommodate the body for lactation and feeding because the milk glands also begin to grow within the breasts. The first visible increase can be seen around the sixth or eighth week. As they grow, there are also changes in the areola and nipples. They can appear more sensitive to touch and can grow darker and larger in size.
Since the skin of the breasts starts to stretch, it is a good idea to keep them moisturized with something safe for skin like organic oils or organic body butter.
The breast size may increase further during feeding and may remain like that or shrink back after weaning.
Breast Symmetry
It is said that never are two breasts alike. One is always slightly bigger than the other, and studies suggest that more often than not, it is the left breast that is bigger. On the other hand, it is equally normal to have same-sized breasts.
Having a breast that is little bigger is no abnormality or medical condition. So, if you had or have any doubt, just put it to rest. Accept it is natural and be proud of your body. Never let such small things dampen your self-image.
Breasts are so integral to our womanhood. It adds to our beauty, makes us complete, adds so much to the experience of motherhood. Indeed, it is considered no less than assets!
So, celebrate your breasts as they are, irrespective of their shape, size, color or symmetry.
And enjoy your femininity.
