The Benefits of Breast Massage and How to Do It Yourself

Written by Alice Child, Somatic Sexologist

Somatic Sexologist Alice Child explains the many benefits of breast massage, and how to give yourself the perfect one.

This guide contains general advice only. If you need more tailored support, please book in a session. 

Breast massage is a way to listen to your body, reconnect without any agenda, and give your body the touch or sensation it's craving.

Our breasts go through a lot in our lives. They’re squashed into sports bras, pleasured in the bedroom, sexualised or commented on by strangers, stabbed by underwires, and used to nourish the next generation. Honestly, they deserve a medal for everything we put them through.

Breast massage is an incredible way to give your breasts (and yourself) some much-needed TLC. Plus, it comes with incredible physical, mental and sexual health benefits.

What's the deal with breast massage?

Breast or chest massage is any form of intentional self-touch to your chest and breasts. This might look like kneading, rubbing, holding, or stroking—whatever feels good for you. It often involves some form of rhythmic motion on your breast tissue and/or deeper chest muscles.

Not only does it feel amazing, it can have many physical health benefits including pain relief, lymphatic drainage, and improved blood circulation. If you practice it for long enough (15 - 20 minutes), it also releases hormones like oxytocin and prolactin, which help you feel relaxed, connected and calm.

If you’re breastfeeding, chest massage has additional benefits like regulating milk supply, unblocking milk ducts, and relieving painful engorgement.

There are many different ways of giving yourself a breast massage, and the approach and technique will vary depending on what you are hoping to achieve and what your body needs. For example, simply holding your breasts gently in your hands and taking deep breaths can be an incredibly relaxing and soothing form of self-care.

While breast massage has plenty of physical health benefits, I like to remind people that our breasts and nipples are also erogenous zones. This means they’re packed with a large number of nerve endings, and they play an important role in building pleasure and arousal in the body. So, self-administered breast massage is an amazing opportunity to give our breasts (and ourselves) some much needed moments of self-pleasure.

What are the benefits of chest and breast massage (even if you're not breastfeeding)?

1. Body awareness and ownership

Breasts (especially larger breasts) are still hyper-sexualised in the media today. As a result, most women have experienced some form of unwanted sexual attention or commentary about their bodies. We grow up feeling that our breasts are too small, too large, too saggy, too wrinkly, too asymmetrical, too sexual, or not sexual enough!

For some, this feeling goes one step further, and they experience body dysmorphia when it comes to their breasts. Body dysmorphia is the strong belief that you have a defect in your appearance that makes you ugly or deformed.

When our breasts aren't being sexualised, they’re often medicalised. We’re told to “check regularly” for lumps or signs of breast cancer. While this is an incredibly important daily practice, it’s not surprising that we have a complicated relationship when it comes to our breasts and chests.

We can also lose our sense of connection to our breasts when we become mothers. Overnight, breasts go from 'sexual objects' to 'functional objects', used to nourish and feed the next generation. While this is a beautiful experience for many mums, it is not without its challenges. People often have opinions about where, how and how long you 'should' breastfeed—and on top of that, the constant needs of your baby can easily overshadow your own.

Chest or breast massage is a great way to reconnect with this part of our body, without any agenda. Whether you are breastfeeding or not, you can use it as a chance to listen to your body, reconnect, and give whatever touch or sensation your body is craving.

In a self-given therapeutic breast massage, your breasts don’t need to be sexual, medical, or serve any purpose at all. Instead, simply listen to them. This can be a very powerful tool for body confidence and ownership.

2. Pleasure and self-care

Mindful self-touch or breast massage can feel amazing - and not only because it relieves sore muscles. Stimulating the tissue and glands in the chest promotes the release of oxytocin and prolactin from the pituitary gland. These hormones can create feelings of relaxation, calm, and connection for anyone—not just lactating mothers. Research suggests it takes around 15 - 20 minutes of stimulation and massage for these benefits to be felt around the body.

The breasts are also erogenous zones, meaning that they have huge potential to build pleasure within the body. 'Pleasure' feels different for everybody, but breast massage can feel relaxed, calm, grounded, present, sleepy, aroused, energised, refreshed, and excited.

Unfortunately, many of us have a complicated relationship when it comes to self-pleasure. We might believe that it’s shameful, dirty, or self-indulgent. As a result, we might not prioritise acts of self-pleasure. But as a sexologist, I like to remind people that pleasure is good for us! In fact, it has been shown that experiencing and prioritising pleasure has incremental mental and physical health benefits.

So, when massaging your breasts, try and give yourself as much pleasure as possible. Think about exactly the type of touch you are craving, not just what you think you 'should' do. Touch yourself mindfully, gently, and with the same love, care and attention you would want a lover to touch you.

Consider what would make it feel even better for you? For example, grab a massage oil, light some candles, and turn the experience into a beautiful moment of self-care.

Try Slide & Melt, my body-safe massage oil and candle! Whether you're enjoying a sensual massage with a partner or as part of your self-care routine, Slide & Melt helps you slow down, relax your body, stay present, and connect with all five senses.

3. Knowledge of body and breast cancer detection

The more we touch ourselves, the more we know ourselves! It's very important to become familiar with what 'normal' feels like within our own breast tissue so if we notice changes, we can seek out medical advice. This helps with early cancer detection.

If you are giving yourself regular breast massages, you’ll become more familiar with your own body and more likely to notice changes. That’s why breast self-exams are such an important part of early detection of breast cancer.

Keep an eye out for:

• New lumps in the breast or underarm

• Thickening or swelling in the breast

• Changes in size or shape

• Ongoing breast pain

Remember, all of these symptoms can occur with other conditions that are not breast cancer. If you're worried, speak to your doctor.

4. Lymphatic drainage and blood flow

Breast massage can also help promote blood circulation and lymphatic drainage.

Lymphatic drainage is particularly important for people who wear bras or have had breast surgery. Living a relatively sedentary lifestyle, along with wearing tight bras, can prevent the lymph nodes around the chest from draining properly.

The lymphatic system is a network of tubes throughout the body. It drains fluid (lymph) and empties it along with any unwanted toxins back into the bloodstream via the lymph nodes. It's essentially our body's drainage system.

Breast tissue extends into the area under our armpits, which is filled with lymph nodes. By stimulating these nodes with pulsating massage, we are mimicking the natural pumping action of the system and encouraging the toxins that might build up to exit.

How to perform a manual lymphatic drainage:

1. Place your hand in your armpit

2. Apply gentle pressure and push inward and upward, feeling for any tenderness

3. Go deep into the armpit, then ‘pump’ upward and release

4. Repeat this movement 10–20 times.

5. Swap to the other breast and repeat the process

5. Breastfeeding benefits

Breast massage has been proven to have specific benefits for lactating women, breastfeeding mothers and pregnant women. Whether you are planning on breastfeeding or not, breast massage can help with some universal concerns.

This includes:

• Reducing breast pain and engorgement

• Regulating supply of breast milk

• Helping release plugged milk ducts

• Aiding the let-down reflex (the hormonal reaction that causes milk to flow)

How to perform a breast massage?

Here are my top tips for giving yourself an incredible chest or breast massage, regardless of life stage:

1. Set aside the time

   It takes around 15 - 20 minutes of stimulation and massage for the benefits to be felt around the body, such as the release of those great hormones. You have to give yourself (and your body!) time to enjoy.

2. Set your scene

   Think about what would make this experience even more pleasurable for you. Take off restrictive clothing, light some candles, put on some calming music, and sit or lie down somewhere comfortable and sensual.

3. Breathe

   Simply start with a moment of mindfulness, focusing on your breath. Bring your hands to your chest and feel your chest expanding and falling. What do you notice as you deepen your breath? What touch does your body crave?

4. Use oil

   Try adding warm massage oil or your favourite body moisturiser to your breast massage to enhance the sensations. If you don't have any, coconut oil, almond oil or even olive oil are good alternatives.

5. Go slowly, gently and with love

   Start by gently cupping your breasts in each hand. Hold their weight. If it feels good for you, add a gentle circular motion with both hands, one on each breast. Go slowly and be curious about what new sensations would feel good. Touch yourself with the same presence and attention you'd want a lover to touch you.

6. Try new things

   Stay curious and keep incorporating new types of touch. You could try:

   
   

   • Slow, light, circular strokes with one finger, moving slowly inwards towards the nipple

   • Wide sweeping strokes across the entire breast with all four fingers and the palm of your hand

   • Cupping and massaging one breast at a time with both hands, and then swapping over

   • Deeper kneading of your pectoral muscles with your fingertips or knuckles

   • Moving your touch outward to your wider chest area, including up to your collarbone, under your armpits, across your ribcage, and down beneath your breasts

   • Pulsing pumping motion under your armpits to help assist with lymphatic drainage

   • Gentle exploration of your nipples, such as gentle circles or squeezing. If you're breastfeeding, adding some nipple balm as part of the massage could feel very nourishing

7. End with a few moments of stillness

   End your massage with your hands back on your chest, noticing your breath. Integrate what you've just experienced, and thank yourself for the moment of self-pleasure and care.

   
   
   
   

Why is breast massage recommended when breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding can be an incredibly beautiful bonding experience for new mums, but it is not without its challenges.

Breast and nipple pain, social stigma, too much or too little milk supply, blocked milk ducts, difficulty latching on, milk leaking through clothing - it's an emotional and time-consuming process, and it's completely normal to find it tough.

Breast massage not only reduces some of these challenges but it also creates a moment of much-needed self-care in your daily routine.

How to perform a breast massage while breastfeeding?

When you're lactating, there’s no one technique to do breast massage, so experiment and find what works for your body. It can be done before, during or after feeding the baby, so you can decide what works best for you and your routine.

If in doubt, always stroke inwards towards the nipple, using firm but comfortable pressure. This helps to improve milk flow. Try to keep consistent movement and compression, but experiment to see what feels best for you. Remember, it shouldn’t feel painful.

You might want to try using a lactation massager, like the Lactamo, which is a squishy ball designed for massaging breast tissue. It helps get to deeper muscles more easily than with hand massage alone, and provides more consistent and targeted pressure. This is helpful for easing blocked milk ducts and can be warmed or cooled depending on your needs.

When massaging at the same time as feeding, just be careful not to disturb your baby’s attachment. Using an index finger, use a gentle pressure and stroke inwards towards the nipple.

Adding an oil or a nipple balm to the massage not only feels amazing, but can also help with nipple chafing and reducing the appearance of stretch marks (if that's something you are worried about).

How often and for how long should you massage your breasts?

Try to set aside at least 15 - 20 minutes for your breast massage, so that you are able to feel the full benefits. But remember, even 5 minutes of mindful self-touch and massage is better than nothing!

There's also no set rule for how often you should do this. If you're new to breast and chest massage, set an intention of trying to do it 1 - 2 times each week for a month, and see what benefits you notice. If you're breastfeeding, you might benefit from a daily practice.

Best,

Alice x

Alice Child - Somatic Sexologist, Sex Therapy & Sex Counsellor - helps people achieve happier and healthier sex lives through 1:1 sex coaching, couples sex counselling, hens parties, and workshops. Book a session here.