Life
I didn't always appreciate being flat-chested. In fact, I spent most of my life trying to pretend I wasn't. Recently, however, I've come to embrace my little boobs: the perks of the perky, if you will. Becoming a mom did wonders for my body confidence. I loved my pregnant body, and hell yes, I love my postpartum body, too. So, if you're a reluctant charter member of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee, don't dismay. Your day will come, and you too will realize the benefits of being a small-chested mom.
I was a late bloomer. Like, seriously late. I was over 16 years old by the time I got my period, and I still had only the tiniest of breast buds. I wore a padded bra throughout high school, and I remember my horror when I opened my bag after morning dance team practice and discovered I'd left my "boobs" at home. I think I wore my buttoned-up letterman jacket all day, lest someone detect my deceit. The situation improved a bit in college when I gained some weight and started taking the pill, but I never managed more than half a nectarine on each side.
I suppose one plus was that I dated people who weren't chained to superficial standards of beauty. One guy told me that big boobs were "so 1990s." Meeting and marrying a man who loved me exactly as I was really helped me overcome much of my insecurity. Still, it was really motherhood that changed my outlook about my, you know, look. I created life from my own body, so I can't help but love it, small breasts and all.
Your Pregnancy Boobs Are Amazing
Pregnancy did wonders for my little boobies. It's actually pretty common to go up a cup size or two when you're pregnant, and if you've never really had boobs before that's a gift from the gods. I was positively bursting out of my bralette. And cleavage. Oh, to have cleavage for the first time!
You Can Still Breastfeed Like A Boss
Thankfully, breast size is not at all correlated with your ability to breastfeed. You might have a smaller storage capacity than a larger-breasted woman, but you can definitely produce enough breast milk to feed your baby. You may just need to nurse more often. I'm tiny, and I successfully breastfed my daughter for seven months.
You Don't Have To Wear A Bra
If you're a mom, I can almost guarantee that the best part of your day is the moment you get home and peel your bra off. Me? I can have that feeling all day long. It's not that I never wear a bra, because I do. It's just nice to know that going commando is an option. Oh, my bra strap is showing through my tank top? I'll just take it off.
I don't even own anything with an underwire. Why would I?
You Can Run Like The Wind
No sports bra needed. The built in shelf on this tank top will do just fine, thank you very much. Being a toddler mom means lots of rousing games of "I'm Gonna Get That Baby" and sprinting across the yard to keep her from putting dog poop in her mouth. It's nice to be able to run around without my boobs flapping in the breeze.
You Don't Worry About Exposing Yourself
If your kid is anything like mine, she frequently pulls the front of your shirt down (both accidentally and on purpose). I'm always worried that I'm going to flash someone, and then it occurs to me that they probably wouldn't even realize it happened. There's not much there, so go ahead and move along. Nothing to see here, folks.
Your Boobs Don't Get In Your Way
My big-breasted mom friends lament that they can't just get up and go. They have to strap those suckers down before they leave the house. Babywearing is pretty simple when you have small breasts, though. For example, I never worried about drool or puffs getting dropped in between them. That sh*t fell right through. On a crowded plane, there's always plenty of room for me, the diaper bag, and the baby on my lap.
You Don't Suffer From Back Pain
Thanks to weight gain, hormone change, and muscle separation, back pain during pregnancy is really common. I imagine that having large breasts only exacerbates this.
Postpartum, I'm grateful that my boobs don't affect my posture or cause me back or neck pain. Double-D breasts can weigh between 15 and 23 pounds, which is the equivalent of carrying a 6-month-old baby boy. That has to really suck when you're also carrying an actual 6-month-old baby boy.
You Can Jump Around Without Losing An Eye
Trampoline? Out of my way! Bouncy house? Don't mind if I do. I jump in the security that my boobs aren't going anywhere. If only I had the same confidence that I wouldn't pee myself a little every time I landed.
You'll Be Perpetually Perky
My mom says she has to wear a bra just to maintain the illusion that her breasts are still located in the vicinity of her chest. She once described them as deflated balloons half-filled with cottage cheese.
I don't really worry about sagging too much. My breasts stand straight up when I lie down, so I don't really see them going anywhere. I feel pretty confident that I won't ever wear my grandma's self-described size: 36 long.
Your Kids Love You Just The Way You Are
Honestly, this is true for every mom, whether you're a double-A or a double-D. It doesn't matter to your kid what you look like. You are the person who loves and cares for them, and you will always be beautiful in their eyes (even if they tell you your wrinkle cream isn't working).
