Do breasts still grow at 30?

My mom always told me I'd be a late bloomer. But I don't think either of us expected it to be this late.

Throughout my twenties, I was an A cup. Although I went through a self-esteem rough patch in my teens because I didn't look like a Victoria's Secret model, by the time I hit college I'd come to not only accept but appreciate being flat-chested. I could go braless in yoga without pain. I could wear ultra low-cut tops and pull off the '60s French gamine look. A dozen "dress for your body type" articles later, and I started investing in pricier statement pieces that I knew I could wear forever.

Or so I thought.

When I turned 30, it felt like a tiny alarm had gone off inside of me. My metabolism slowed down. I couldn't knock back a whole six pack by myself without getting sick or falling asleep. And my favorite dresses didn't fit me anymore. I finally "developed," about 15 years after I thought I would, and about ten years after I stopped wanting to.

Though I felt like a freak, some quick research showed that a metabolism and body change like mine was pretty normal. According to the NIH, most people have more body fat after age 30 as they start losing their lean tissue. It's also normal for people to lose some of their height as they age; as an already-shortie, that news really made me want to drink some milk and sit up straight. For whatever wacky biological reason, some of those bits of body fat ended up in a socially desirable spot.

Although I'd only gone up to a 34B, the change felt massive. Nothing fit the same. Buying new clothes was a nuisance. But it was all the other parts of having sudden curves that came as surprises, even though my female friends had been talking about them for years. Boob sweat? Totally a thing. Chest hurting after working out? Yeah, that was real too. I was about as skillful in picking out my first sports bra as I would have been choosing a jock strap, standing there in the store looking cross-eyed until a teenage employee took pity on me and offered to help.

I used to think that having bigger breasts would make me more confident. But the opposite happened. Women's bodies are always on public display, and no one is safe from street harassment. Suddenly, the "hey baby"s turned into "hey, nice titties!" The nice man at the bodega where I always bought breakfast was now a letch who stared at my chest instead of my face when asking me if I wanted the bagel toasted or not.

It's one thing to be aware of street harassment, unwelcome gazes, and touches. But it's another thing to experience these things. I started thinking back to an argument I'd had with a former boyfriend. We were on vacation, staying in a B&B in a small town in the country. Although the fastest way back was through a park, I tried to insist we go the long way through a well-lit neighborhood. As we argued about which way to go, I finally snapped, "Have you ever walked alone in the dark while being female? Because it's terrifying." He apologized. And then we went the long way. But it's not just walking alone in the dark. It's being outside, anywhere, anytime, wearing anything. 70-99 percent of women will experience street harassment at some point in their lives, according to research conducted by the nonprofit organization Hollaback. That's right—a max of 99 percent, which means pretty much freaking everyone. The stats were disheartening, but they also helped me realize that nothing I said or did, and no way that I dressed, would change that. Instead of trying to hide my changing shape in the hope that men would leave me alone, I realized that the problem was with the guys who think it's appropriate to talk to women that way.

If these later-in-life growing pains have taught me anything, it's that I am not my body. I want to take care of my body by eating well and staying in shape, but I can't be reduced down to a single body part (or, er, two of them). Just like my figure, my life is still in flux. Nothing is set forever, and there's always the potential to evolve. I'd spent many of my formative years imagining a life in which a pair of breasts was my ticket to cute boyfriends, beauty pageant titles, and happiness. Instead, it was just the exact same life I'd had before my growth spurt—just with more lower back pain.

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Just like there’s a lot women don’t know about how their vaginas change with age, so much happens to your boobs as you get older. The changes range from their appearance to how they feel, so it’s smart to stay in the know with what’s going on. Ready to get familiar with your chest? Read on to learn what you can expect as the years go by.

In Your 20s…

Tons of Changes
Your breast size can fluctuate for various reasons in this decade, according to Lisa Jacobs, M.D., associate professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine. First, you may be dropping the freshman 15, your metabolism may slow, or perhaps you’re otherwise settling into your adult weight. “The breasts will change in size as you gain or lose weight,” says Jacobs. Beyond that, there’s pregnancy. “In their 20s, many women get pregnant, so there’s the breast enlargement that happens with that weight gain and preparing for lactation,” she says. After the lactational changes, your breasts may seem either smaller or larger than they were before pregnancy. Pregnancy can also make your areolas darker and your nipples larger, though those both return to their pre-pregnancy states after delivery.

Common Lumps and Bumps
Fibrocystic change, which is a very common condition characterized by benign lumps in one or both breasts, often emerges when women are in their 20s, says Jacobs. Women at this age might be dealing with changes in their menstrual cycles, which means differences in hormones like estrogen. That can cause breasts to get swollen lumps, which are often totally normal. If you feel a lump that hurts but also feels a lot like another area in the same breast or the other one, that’s a sign it’s probably fibrocystic change rather than something worrisome (lumps associated with cancer usually aren’t painful, according to Jacobs). Still, be sure to check with your doctor if you notice any major changes.

In Your 30s…

Some Stretching
After having a few kids, the skin of your breasts can start to stretch because of the associated weight gain and loss. “That can lead to stretch marks or ptosis, which is a drooping of the breasts," says Jacobs. This is especially true if you’ve had to deal with significant weight changes during and after pregnancies, so don’t be alarmed if stretch marks appear, though they’re still more likely to show up on your stomach.

In Your 40s…

A Little Bit Softer Now
In your 40s, menopause leads to more breast changes as your ovaries start to produce less estrogen. At this point, your breasts go through what’s called involution, which is when the breast tissue is replaced by fat, which is softer, so they don’t feel as firm, says Jacobs. Involution doesn’t happen uniformly, so one part of the breast may get fatty, leaving the tissue next to it feeling like a lump in relation. If the lumps are soft, like the side of your nose, that’s not a red flag. If they’re a bit firmer like the bridge of your nose, they should be evaluated. Either way, doing frequent self-exams can help you notice any differences you might want to bring up to a doctor. “We encourage women to do them regularly so they can stay on top of how their breasts are changing,” says Jacobs.

Decrease in Density 
Although you can experience ptosis after major weight loss or pregnancy, it’s more likely to come on naturally as you age. The elasticity of your breasts can decline because the sag-preventing collagen starts to give way. This is also when your breasts become less dense. That's one of the reasons why mammograms are advised after age 40, because doctors are able to see better due to reduced density, says Jacobs.

More from Women’s Health:
How Dense Are Your Breasts?
7 Ways to Keep Your Breasts Healthy
31 Ways to Have More Fun With Your Boobs Every Day

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