The Balanced Blog
A balanced view on all things bras, boobs and breast asymmetry
Balanced Blog
Breastfeeding With Uneven Breasts: Your Guide
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 TipsWe 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!
Learn moreChecking Your Uneven Breasts: What's Normal?
Are uneven breasts a sign of cancer? It's important to know your own unique 'normal'. We share our top tips for checking uneven boobs.
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Breast Care, Comfort and Confidence
Breast care isn’t just about wearing a bra that fits or checking each month for abnormalities, it's about everyday moments of self-care.
Learn moreUnderstanding Uneven Breasts: Causes, Treatment, and Care
Every human body in the world is beautifully individual, with its own natural uniqueness. One such aspect that often remains hidden in the shadows is the asymmetry that many experience in their breasts. It's time to shed light on this natural variation, embrace the beauty in our uniqueness, and explore what can cause uneven breasts.No. 1 Treatment For Uneven Breasts: Self-CareIn a world that inundates us with flawless, airbrushed images, it's crucial to remember that these images are far from reality. The pursuit of symmetry can sometimes trick us into thinking that unevenness is abnormal. Our breasts, like all parts of our bodies, showcase a diversity that deserves to be celebrated, yet so often at Evenly we receive messages from people with uneven breasts sharing their feelings of embarrassment, self-consciousness and even shame due to their uneven bust.Our Balanced Blog post Finding Support and Community with Lopsided Breasts delves into this topic, encouraging our followers to curate their social media feeds and unfollow accounts that perpetuate unrealistic standards or make people feel bad about their bodies. By creating a space that uplifts and embraces diverse bodies, we can dismantle the fabricated idea of symmetry and cultivate a more authentic understanding of what’s not only normal but beautiful.Breaking The Silence on Uneven BoobsToo often, conversations about uneven breasts are hushed, leading many to believe they are the only ones experiencing this utterly natural phenomenon. But let's clear the air: you're not alone. In fact, discussing and embracing our breast asymmetry is a powerful way to challenge societal norms and foster self-love. There’s an entire spectrum of breast shapes and sizes, and your uneven boobs are a beautiful part of that booby spectrum.Breaking taboos surrounding uneven breasts starts with an open dialogue and we’ve coined the phrase ‘Break the Taboob’ to promote this. The more we share our experiences, the more normalised they become. So many of our Uneven Titty Committee™ members have shared with us that these conversations play a pivotal role in them being able to come to a level of acceptance and understanding about their asymmetry.As part of the #BreakTheTaboob campaign, we urge you to advocate for change. Brands play a significant role in shaping our perceptions, and it's time they reflect the genuine diversity that exists in their imagery. Your voice matters—let brands know that you're ready to see representations that celebrate real bodies.What Causes Uneven Boobs?Uneven breasts are a natural occurrence, influenced by a variety of factors. Hormonal changes during puberty or conditions that occur during puberty such as tubular breasts can create an uneven chest. Pregnancy and breastfeeding can contribute to differences in size and shape. Breast asymmetry can come about as a result of cancer surgeries such as mastectomy, therapeutic mammoplasty or lumpectomy. Sometimes, genetics play a role, with family history influencing breast development. There are also several congenital conditions that affect breast development such as Poland Syndrome.Some breast asymmetry has no known cause, and is simply a naturally occurring development of an asymmetrical body, just like the face or feet.How Is Breast Asymmetry Treated?It is usually the case that a pair of uneven boobs is perfectly healthy and requires no explicit treatment. Having one breast bigger than the other is normal, common, and not a risk to your health*.Whilst uneven breasts may be perfectly healthy, this doesn’t mean they can’t be a total pain in the neck (or back)! There are several treatment options available to those who experience musculoskeletal discomfort as a result of their asymmetry. These can include chiropractic and physiotherapy treatment, acupuncture, massage therapy and some may even choose to balance out severe asymmetry surgically to alleviate this discomfort.Others with severe asymmetry may choose to surgically balance their breasts due to the psychological impact that their asymmetry is having on their mental wellbeing, although this often comes with a hefty price tag and comes with risks. If you have a breast implant or fat transfer on your smaller side, it is important to remember that this isn’t a one-off surgery as implants need to be replaced typically every 10 years and fat transfers can be reabsorbed by the body. There are also reports of breast implants causing distressing symptoms from what is called breast implant illness. Even if you choose to have your larger breast reduced, there are still risks, costs and recovery times to consider. Always speak to a qualified professional when considering this as an option.Thankfully there’s also a risk-free, non-surgical solution to treat the symptoms of breast asymmetry, wherever the cause! Evenly Bra Balancers™ have been specifically designed to balance out uneven boobs by filling the void between the smaller breast and bra cup of any bra. The silicone bra insert is weighted to mimic natural breast tissue and not only evens out the physical appearance of your breasts, but also balances the weight, allowing your bra to do the job it was designed to do.Give Yourself The Breast Care PossibleCaring for your body goes hand in hand with embracing its individuality. Treat yourself with kindness and respect, just as you would treat your bestie.Invest in well-fitting bras that fit your larger breast and provide proper support. You can then enhance your comfort with a Bra Balancerâ„¢ and by treating yourself to a professional bra fitting whenever your size fluctuates.Prioritise your mental wellbeing and give yourself the opportunity to either share your story or simply listen to others share theirs by joining the breast asymmetry support group The Uneven Titty Committeeâ„¢ which is free to join on Facebook. Keep talking about your uneven boobs - someone out there may just feel that little bit less alone.*Check your beautifully uneven boobs regularly. While breast asymmetry is normal, if you notice sudden changes or discomfort, it's advisable to consult a medical professional. They can rule out any underlying issues and provide guidance tailored to your needs. You can also follow CoppaFeel! for great tips on breast care.
Learn moreUneven Breasts and Body Positivity: Breaking the Stigma
Evenly’s ongoing #BreakTheTaboob campaign champions breaking the stigma around uneven breasts and encourages embracing body positivity.
Learn moreEvenly is on the BBC!
Evenly founder, Kate Taylor, was thrilled to hear that the BBC wanted to help her in her mission to #BreakTheTaboob around breast asymmetry.
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