#Perfect Nipple Club - It’s Not What You Think
#perfectnippleclub
This term was innocently used recently in a breastfeeding group. The post was not intended to cause harm or shame, and this is a phrase that many LC’s use in counseling women. It’s intended to convey a lack of issues with their anatomy related to breastfeeding, but clearly it is not universally received that way. Multiple women then reached out to me concerned that there was something wrong with their nipples when there likely isn’t.
So let’s talk about this phrase and what it means and doesn’t mean!
When the general public hears the term “perfect nipple club,” their brains take a sharp turn from reality into post-plastic surgery perfection. It is yet again another unattainable perception of what a “hot body” looks like. The amount of body dysmorphia that inundates the human mind on a daily basis is nothing to ignore, and the breasts are not spared from this problem.
Our daughters, and sons - yes, even boys, have grown up with the most flawless images of the human body in our ever-expanding digital age, but what we should really be showing them is the unfiltered and raw versions of life - the ones that are real -how real bodies look after birth, breastfeeding, and plain old age.
The term “perfect nipple” doesn’t need to be eliminated from our vocabulary, but it does need to be put in its proper context - because it has absolutely nothing to do with its sex appeal or photo worthiness.
What is a perfect nipple?
A “perfect nipple” in the context of breastfeeding is one that is:
Erect
Flexible
Able to create breast tissue for a baby to latch
A nipple that is inelastic, inflexible, flat, or inverted is not imperfect, it’s just a challenge for breastfeeding at times.
Many lactation clients will preface their appointments with an apology. “I’m sorry my nipples are weird, irregular, strange, or messed up.” People, stop apologizing for the perfection that is YOU!
What does normal breast anatomy look like?
After the early 20s, most breasts sag, some sag even in puberty.
They are often asymmetrical (meaning you’ve got a biggie and a smalls).
Areolae come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and textures.
Some areolae are big like deli meat size (several inches wide) and some are small like quarters.
Some nipples are inverted.
Some nipples are flat.
Moms who have flat or inverted nipples are led to think they can’t breastfeed, but those are very uncommon cases. With good support, we can typically create enough teat for a baby to be able to successfully latch. Even if this is a challenge we have the tools available to support you with this.
So what if my nipples are atypical or not normal?
If we note breast anatomy that falls outside of the normal variations, we can always have a chat about what it means! Even when a nipple is outside the normal variations, it doesn’t necessarily signal anything being wrong, it’s just something we need to learn to work with to meet your goals.
What About Women of Color’s Breasts?
Some ethnicities may have larger areolae, but that’s only if we use Caucasian breasts as the standard, and that doesn’t make any fundamental sense. Women of color may have areolae that are larger than the average caucasian areola, but this is not an issue. This is why we no longer say “fit the whole areola in the baby’s mouth.” Thankfully, that phrase appears to be dying off on its own as people realize how it undermines success in breastfeeding.
So what if I’m worried there is a concern with my breasts?
You have a few options here:
We have a great blog on Breast Anatomy so that you can learn more about what your anatomy is supposed to look like.
There is a whole gallery available online to actual view what average breasts look like. Take it from someone who has now seen breasts by the thousands - there is a wide variation of normal!
You can book a consultation with a lactation consultant: Assessing normal breast variations is a skill we have! We can even explain what your breast anatomy potentially tells us about lactation concerns and challenges we would want to be on the look out for.
So, no matter if you were told you were in the #perfectnippleclub or not, your breast anatomy is probably fine, and this term just doesn’t mean what it sounds like!
