In a message dated 98-04-16 11:34:53 EDT, you write:

<< Does anyone have any scientific references to support or refute the claim
 that breasts sag because of:

 (1) pregnancy
 (2) breastfeeding
 (3) old age
 (4) obesity
 (5) some combination of the above
  >>

Back to my old treasure of reference,  The Uniqueness of Human Milk, guest
editors D.B and E.F.P. Jelliffe, reprinted from Volume 24 The American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition August 1971.  Pg 988-999 by Michael Newton.

"Late Maternal Changes
1) Shape of breast.  There is widespread belief among women who do not want to
nurse their babies that lactation produces a sagging and premature aging of
the breasts...there are few data on the subject.  In a preliminary report,
Oski found that among women who had not breastfed their first babies or had
breastfed them for less than 2 weeks, 60% later reported that their breasts
had become larger and 24%, smaller.  However, among women who had breastfed
their first babies more than 2 weeks, %0% later reported that their breasts
had become smaller and only 14%, larger.  A significantly greater number of
women who had breastfed for 2 weeks or more reported that their breasts had
become droopier.  However, these changes did not seem to outweigh the
pleasures of breastfeeding..." etc.

Oski, F.A.  Breastfeeding and Its Effect on the Shape of the Breast.  Am
Pediat Soc Abstracts, 1968.

Once again, old stuff I know.  Perhaps the author (Oski) went on to do more
work on the subject, though.

Good luck.

Mailto:  [log in to unmask]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Joy Berry-Parks
LLL, Central Arkansas
Attachment Parenting Group of AR
Anthropology Apprentice
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"Childhood Decides."---Jean Paul Sartre
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