I’ve never been what one would call well endowed, but when I was in my 20s, my 34Bs sat regally on my chest. With the right bra I could even create cleavage. By my 30s not only had my boobs shrunk, they appeared to be sacked out on my rib cage, as if in need of a long rest.

It happens to the best of busts. “Most women start to get saggier in their 30s, because as you get older your skin loses elasticity and stretches because of gravity,” says Loren Eskenazi, a San Francisco plastic surgeon. “And pregnancy and breast-feeding accelerate the process.”

Why is childbearing so cruel to your curves? When you’re pregnant, your breasts get bigger, as their ducts enlarge and their tissue swells in preparation for breast-feeding. The months-long stretch-o-thon of pregnancy and nursing can leave them slack. In addition, the ducts and fat in your breasts sometimes shrink a bit after you have a baby, leaving your breasts less dense and full. While nothing short of surgery will make your boobs look like they did when you were 21, there are less invasive options that can make a difference. Here’s the ultimate guide to beautiful breasts at any age.

“I must, I must, I must increase my bust!”

Okay, so exercise won’t increase your cup size. But it is a natural way to make your breasts sit higher and more even on your chest.”Exercise builds the muscles of the chest wall, so your breasts will look less droopy,” says Mindy Mylrea, a fitness instructor in Santa Cruz, California. “If you strengthen your back muscles, too, you can improve your posture, which can make your chest look a hundred times better.” Try to do the following moves every other day

The push-up: Assume the women’s push-up position — on your hands and knees on the floor with your back flat, like a plank of wood. To target the correct muscles (your chest-wall muscles), place your hands on the floor in line with your bust, not with your shoulders. Keeping abdominal muscles tight and back straight, bend your arms and lower your torso toward the floor until your chest almost touches it, then push yourself back up to the starting position. Work your way up to three sets of 10 repetitions. After you’ve built up strength, increase the benefits by putting your toes instead of your knees on the floor.

The back extension: After each set of push-ups, lie facedown on the floor, lift one arm and the opposing leg a few inches straight in the air simultaneously, and hold for a count of 10. Do the move twice on each side. Back extensions strengthen your upper and lower back muscles, thus improving posture.

I’ve never been what one would call well endowed, but when I was in my 20s, my 34Bs sat regally on my chest. With the right bra I could even create cleavage. By my 30s not only had my boobs shrunk, they appeared to be sacked out on my rib cage, as if in need of a long rest.

It happens to the best of busts. “Most women start to get saggier in their 30s, because as you get older your skin loses elasticity and stretches because of gravity,” says Loren Eskenazi, a San Francisco plastic surgeon. “And pregnancy and breast-feeding accelerate the process.”

Why is childbearing so cruel to your curves? When you’re pregnant, your breasts get bigger, as their ducts enlarge and their tissue swells in preparation for breast-feeding. The months-long stretch-o-thon of pregnancy and nursing can leave them slack. In addition, the ducts and fat in your breasts sometimes shrink a bit after you have a baby, leaving your breasts less dense and full. While nothing short of surgery will make your boobs look like they did when you were 21, there are less invasive options that can make a difference. Here’s the ultimate guide to beautiful breasts at any age.

“I must, I must, I must increase my bust!”

Okay, so exercise won’t increase your cup size. But it is a natural way to make your breasts sit higher and more even on your chest.”Exercise builds the muscles of the chest wall, so your breasts will look less droopy,” says Mindy Mylrea, a fitness instructor in Santa Cruz, California. “If you strengthen your back muscles, too, you can improve your posture, which can make your chest look a hundred times better.” Try to do the following moves every other day

The push-up: Assume the women’s push-up position — on your hands and knees on the floor with your back flat, like a plank of wood. To target the correct muscles (your chest-wall muscles), place your hands on the floor in line with your bust, not with your shoulders. Keeping abdominal muscles tight and back straight, bend your arms and lower your torso toward the floor until your chest almost touches it, then push yourself back up to the starting position. Work your way up to three sets of 10 repetitions. After you’ve built up strength, increase the benefits by putting your toes instead of your knees on the floor.

The back extension: After each set of push-ups, lie facedown on the floor, lift one arm and the opposing leg a few inches straight in the air simultaneously, and hold for a count of 10. Do the move twice on each side. Back extensions strengthen your upper and lower back muscles, thus improving posture.

The perfect boosting bra

Less than thrilled with your figure? The problem may be your bra, says Stacey Ellis, a bra-fit specialist for Nordstrom. You’ll get the sexiest support if you look for the following features:

• A firm, solid back. Flimsy cotton and lace may not be strong enough to pull your breasts up. A bra with a wide, tightly woven back will help hoist you up in front.
• Supportive cups. “If your breasts are saggy, they’ll sit in the bottom of a sheer cup,” says Ellis. Look for a bra with lined cups that are slightly firm to the touch.
• Underwire. By providing extra support underneath, underwire bras give more lift than other types. But the fit is critical: “You need to be sure the wire surrounds your breast tissue and is snug (not tight) against your ribs,” says Ellis.