Surprising benefit of smaller breasts: breast milk with a high lactose content is better for babies, study shows

The benefits of having a small bust include the lack of back pain and the ability to sleep on your stomach.

But experts have discovered another potential benefit: Women with smaller breasts appear to produce milk with a higher concentration of lactose.

A team from the University of Warsaw recruited 137 exclusively breastfeeding women and collected detailed data on each mother and child.

Breast size was measured and breast milk samples were collected and analyzed in a laboratory.

They found that women with smaller breasts had a higher amount of lactose in their milk than women with larger breasts.

Lactose is an essential component of breast milk. It provides about 40 percent of the energy babies need and supports the development of their central nervous system.

It also helps babies absorb calcium and iron.

However, no link was found between breast size and the energy density, protein or fat content of the milk.

The researchers said hormonal factors could explain their findings, which were published in the American Journal of Human Biology.

Larger breast size has previously been linked to higher levels of the hormones estradiol and progesterone, which can reduce overall milk production and inhibit lactose formation.

“This is the first study to report a negative association between breast milk lactose concentration and maternal breast size during fully established lactation,” the scientists wrote.

‘The demonstrated association indicates that women with larger breasts can, through hormonal control, produce milk with a lower lactose concentration than women with smaller breasts.’

It is recommended that babies are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of their lives.

After this, it is recommended to continue breastfeeding, in addition to eating other foods, for two years and beyond.

Previous research has shown that women with a larger cup size are often less satisfied with their breasts.

Research among 345 adult women showed that women with large breasts more often indicated that they were dissatisfied with them. This made them feel less attractive and had less sexual self-confidence.

In contrast, those who were more satisfied with their breasts were found to exercise more and report a better quality of life.

The team from the University of Canberra in Australia said: ‘Our findings contradict societal norms and beliefs that suggest large breasts are associated with femininity, beauty and sexual attractiveness.’