It's a fabulous moment in many pregnancies when a woman walks by a mirror or tries to button a blouse and discovers the booby fairy has come and left her mark. Forget the pregnancy glow; for a lot of pregnant women, the extra feminine feeling is about cleavage not complexion. Flash forward post-birth a couple days, and the booby fairy has gone above and beyond, and that bust line is beyond the realms of imagination when the milk has come in. For those with ample bosoms pre-baby, this may not be the best news. However, after mom and baby have settled into nursing, the girls will mellow out into a cup size smaller than mid-alphabet.

But what about after months of breastfeeding? What typically happens to a woman's breasts then? After baby is on the cup or bottle, does a woman wake the next morning to perfect imitations of her breasts pre-baby?  Ah, if only!  While it's hard to predict what can happen to any woman's body post-pregnancy, the one sure thing is a woman's breasts will not remain completely unchanged after the storms of hormones have raged through. Also, let's not forget plain old time does some damage as well. Women don't step into time machines while pregnant and nursing, of course.

12 They Can Get Larger...

For some women, the ta-ta expansion begins relatively early in pregnancy, while others slowly gain in the bust line as they do elsewhere in pregnancy. However, when a woman decides to breastfeed, she will feel like she's wearing someone else's breasts for awhile. She may hardly recognize herself. Later in breastfeeding, though, things often level off a bit and a woman may not seem so far from where she naturally was bra-size wise.

After weaning, women typically shed some weight and with that, the fat of the mammary section should diminish as well. Just how much is an individual thing, and some women vary from pregnancy to pregnancy. Just because a woman permanently gained a cup size with one pregnancy, doesn't mean the trend will continue with every successive child. While a woman retaining more weight post-baby will influence a her breast size, it's not the only factor. Some women who lose all the baby weight will still have larger breasts after weaning the baby.

11 Or Smaller...

At the other end of the spectrum are women who look down after weaning and wonder where their breasts have gone? Did the infant suck them away? Sometimes it can appear so. While some women may permanently gain breast size, others may find theirs shrink a bit. Or more than a bit. Again, weight management can play a role, but is probably not the only reason for the size reduction. Sometimes there won't be that much actual breast tissue lost, but other changes will make breasts appear smaller than they did before.

Needless to say, having a good stretchy nursing or sports bra collection in varying sizes may be a great idea until the booby wheel of fortune has stopped spinning and lands on a solid size. Getting a mommy make over, including a breast lift is an option some women choose postpartum to try and get as close to their original shape as possible.

10 They Can Droop...

Depending on how much fluctuation in weight takes place, some considerable sagging can happen post baby. While many blame breastfeeding, it's just as likely that pregnancy and time (as well as gravity) are the culprits. Other factors can include genetics, so if Mom and Grandma have vertical tubes for breasts, a woman should prepare herself for the strong possibility of the same figure.

Having a high BMI or body mass index is another possible reason for sagging or drooping breasts. It's also a good idea to wear a supportive bra throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. Larger-breasted women may even wear a comfortable sports bra to bed in order to provide plenty of support to those heavy sweater puppets. Another possible reason for sagging breasts is a lifestyle choice. Smoking is connected to droopy boobs, too.

9 And Nips Can Darken...

Women of all skin shades will typically notice a darkening of their areolas and nipples during early to mid pregnancy. That's due to pregnancy hormones increasing pigment production in the woman's body. Some scientists hypothesize that this is nature's way of helping the baby differentiate the mother's nipples from the rest of her skin. In most cases, after birth or at least weaning, the darker shades lighten to pre-pregnancy tones, or at least lighten somewhat again. However, there are some women who continue to have darkened skin on their body including nipples and areolas.

While women can search the internet for nipple lightening home remedies or treatments, this is probably not the best  idea. Nipples are obviously very sensitive, and tender skin is likely to be easily hurt. The best solution, then, is to accept the new shade and move on; it's not like that many people will see them, unless Mom has an interesting job in the entertainment industry to return to postpartum.

8 They Can Be Eternally Dripping And Leaking...

When breasts are preparing for pregnancy and nursing, women may find a bit of sticky, yellow fluid coming from their nipples. Occasionally, women may even leak milk as the birth-date nears. That's perfectly normal, but so is a dry nipple. After breastfeeding, mothers may be surprised to see just how long it takes for the breasts to completely dry up. In fact, it's not unusual for a woman to be able to express a few drops years after weaning. For breasts to completely dry, breasts must be left completely alone and well... if a woman has a mate, the odds of that may be pretty much nil.

They will not soak shirts in embarrassing ways post-weaning, however, so it's not that bad of a situation. News stories exist of women in dire situations where there has been a natural disaster or man-made calamity, and there is no food or water readily available, older women who haven't given birth in many, many years have found they can lactate again. It's just a left-over badge of honor of motherhood!

7 And They Can Become Asymmetrical...

It's a fact that no two breasts are identical even on the same woman. However, some may be a bit (or a lot) more lopsided than others. Unfortunately, if a woman thought that during pregnancy, the hormones that make them grow would help even them out, no such luck. In fact, they may become even more asymmetrical because pregnancy hormones are stronger in the breasts with more fat tissue - so the larger breast will grow more than the smaller one.

If it's a ridiculous difference once weaning has occurred, and a woman actually needs two different cups sewn together into one bra, she could possibly pad one with inserts or go the surgical route to even things out, if she is so inclined. But again, with padding on the lighter side, who would know the difference besides the person partially to blame (via impregnation)? Unless Mama has a job where she flashes her chest, it's unlikely to be noticeable to anyone but her partner.

6 They Can Become Softer...

Softer sounds nice and pleasant, doesn't it? However, soft breasts are less dense. Less dense breast tissue also means less firm breast tissue. This means breasts will be more apt to droop or sag, or look like an old beloved build-a-bear, as it they've just lost a significant portion of their stuffing. However, it may not be as much about pregnancy or breastfeeding the baby, as much as time. Time will soften a woman's breast tissue significantly. It's just part of the life cycle of a breast.

Women using hormone birth control may delay or lessen the softening process temporarily, but time comes to all women and collects a toll. No pectoral exercises can fool Mother Nature or Father Time, and any special creams may as well contain eye of newt or dragon tongue. It's just a part of aging, and the opposite of aging is dying, so it's not so bad after all in the end.

5 Or They Can Look Like Pancakes...

Occasionally, for some moms post-nursing and postpartum, the changes in breast tissue, such as softening and drooping, lead to what is known as pancake breasts. They hang flat unceremoniously against the chest wall like two un-syruped pancakes. Again, genetics can play a role and weight fluctuations may influence this breakfast food bust line. If a woman has a history of smoking cigarettes, she'd do well to stop for the health of her baby and herself, but also to give her boobs a fighting chance at normalcy.

Wearing supportive bras that enhance the bust, wearing clothes that fit in a flattering way and standing up straight are about the only natural remedies worth a woman's time. Again, cosmetic surgery is an option for those so inclined and with enough disposable income, but for the rest of us, making peace and learning to love our new mommy body will have to do.

4 They Can Become Oddly Shaped...

For those who were asymmetrical in the chest area before a baby, post baby may not be a happier story. Something else that may occur is when breastfeeding results in really engorged breasts; the tissue may get stretched out in less than ideal, aesthetic ways. After weaning, the differences in shape may seem even more noticeable for some women. Once more, a mom may be able to blame some of this on their female family members.

Weight is also a factor. If a woman allows herself to gain far more than the recommended amount for her pregnancy, and she is successful in losing the weight later, her breasts may not bounce back to pre-baby status. Options are pretty much the same as for women with asymmetrical boobs; buy bras that help the silhouette, improve posture, and learn to love it. Or else, if that yields unacceptable results, breast lifts and augmentation are possibilities.

3 And They Can Leave Stretch Marks...

While whole industries have sprung up promising fresh, smooth skin free of pink, white or silver stripes across their breasts, tummies and hips, it's fool's gold. The main factors in preventing stretch marks on the breast, or elsewhere, include one you can't help (genetics) and one that is tough to manage but is still doable, and that is a sensible, steady weight gain. Suddenly packing on big-time pounds will more likely cause the skin to stretch too rapidly and the tissue beneath to basically break resulting in stretch marks.

If a woman has bright, broad stripes resembling Freddy Krueger 's handiwork, some ease in appearance is likely down the road. Most stretch marks calm a bit, become less intensely colored, less bold and somewhat shrunken. But they will stay, so again, getting used to them is a choice most women must make. If there are any new-fangled cosmetic procedures with lasers or creams, they may be on the new and experimental side. But most women are reluctant to experiment with their girls!

2 They Can Form Bumpy Areolas...

Who is Montgomery and why in the world is a part of the breast named after him? Why, that would be 19th century Irish obstetrician Dr. William Fetherstone Montgomery, who first described this lady part in 1837. The bumpy bits around the areola that become more prominent in pregnancy are known as Montgomery's glands are some of the earliest signs of pregnancy, along with the general new "prominence" of the nipples. These glands are lubricators, helping protect the nipples and areolas so no lotion is needed to keep them supple in preparation for nursing.

These little bumps also are self-cleaning, which is an awesome feature in any body part. The vast majority of the time, these bumps return to normal after baby is born, but some women attest to the fact that their breasts never quite went all the way back to pre-pregnancy. If a woman notices bumps and lumps after birth or weaning, she should talk to a doctor just to make certain everything's A-OK. Also, it is possible for those bumps to get infected, so seeking medical treatment if things seem awry is recommended.

1 But, Some Good News!

It's not all gloom and doom in regards to post pregnancy and post breastfeeding breasts. Having a baby and nursing the infant actually gives women a healthy edge. According to breastcancer.org, breastfeeding for a minimum of a year lowers the risk of breast cancer. For those who nurse less than a year, the benefit is more modest. Reasons for this health protection is that when breasts are busy making milk, they don't get off track with cancer cells. Breastfeeding also typically extends that period-free time zone which means less exposure to estrogen, which is known to raise breast cancer risks.

Lastly, most women tend to live in a more planned and healthy lifestyle when pregnant, avoiding bad diets comprised of large amounts of junk foods and giving up habits like smoking and drinking. A 2014 study found that women who breastfed had a 30% lower incidence of ovarian cancer than those who never nursed babies. Longer term breastfeeding yielded even better protection against the disease. So while they may not be the same size, in the same neighborhood or as perky, having a baby and breastfeeding may be a lifesaver!

Sources: PubMed.gov, BreastCancer.org, Parents.com