Breasts are a powerful part of the body — there’s no doubt about that. One biological function of breasts is to feed infants, of course, but they also shift and change throughout time, affected by PMS, giving birth, weight changes, or even a mastectomy or reconstructive surgery.

Because of all of these changes in the breasts over a lifetime, no two sets of boobs look the same, and that’s normal. There are also a variety of different natural shapes of boobs, according to bra, underwear, and loungewear company ThirdLove. They’ve identified nine breast shapes: round, east west, side set, tear drop, slender, asymmetrical, athletic, relaxed, and bell shaped. Related story The Video of David Foster Calling Wife Katharine McPhee 'Fat' Is So Not Okay

Along with your size, each shape supposedly dictates the type of bra you should wear that’ll fit you best, according to the bra manufacturer. As if bra fitting isn’t confusing enough already?!

But then we got to thinking: Why stop at just nine shapes? Breasts can take on way more than nine shapes during a lifetime, and can take on many different identities depending on the situation. They’re like the ultimate shape-shifters — from nursing boobs to weightlifting boobs. So in honor of all the things our breasts go through for us, here’s our rendition of all the different types of boobs out there.

PMS boobs

Painful, tender and sore are the trifecta of boob feelings for everyone whose breasts go through a monthly cycle. Hormones that influence the menstrual cycle can do a real number on your chest each month. The other telltale sign of PMS breasts is cookie crumbs or ice-cream drips in your cleavage. It’s cool; you’re just storing them for later.

Pregnancy boobs

Like when you know you’re about to get your period, one major hint of early pregnancy is sore breasts. From the moment the stick turned pink, my boobs took on a life of their own and grew to a size and shape I’d never known they were capable of before. Although I missed the ease of my tiny pre-pregnancy boobies, I did enjoy having cleavage for the first time in my life. Related story The Video of David Foster Calling Wife Katharine McPhee 'Fat' Is So Not Okay

Nursing boobs

Nursing breasts are a force to be reckoned with. Their ability to sustain a whole human life never ceases to amaze me. But if you thought pregnancy boobs were a change, then nursing is like having your breasts possessed by aliens. Not only are they filled — bursting — with liquid, but said liquid also randomly squirts out at the most inopportune times.

Post-nursing boobs

Once the milk is gone, your glorious, functional nursing boobs become sad, deflated balloons. That is if balloons had random chunks of sand in them. Some people end up keeping their larger pregnancy breasts, but others end up smaller than they started. Either way, it’s hard not to want to hug them for all the tireless service they provided.

Post-marathon boobs

Running 26.2 miles is not easy on your body. And your boobs take almost the same amount of abuse as your feet do with all that running. Thanks to miles of bouncing, cleavage sweat, and chafing sports bras, by the time you’re done, all they’ll want to do is snuggle in pajamas with no bra at all on. Your legs will like that option, too.

Bodybuilding boobs

It’s totally true that you can’t make your boobs bigger through weightlifting. (Believe me, I’ve tried.) But you can strengthen the pectoral muscles underneath, which can lift your breasts back up to perkier form! If you end up dropping too much body fat, you may have lower volume in your boobs altogether.

Aging boobs

Faces, hands and waistlines often get the most attention as women age, but getting older can mean big changes for breasts as well. Not only do they sit lower on your chest and wrinkle, but also they can show age spots. And although it’s perfectly okay to miss your breasts in their glory days, try to see your aging girls as more evidence of a life well-lived!

Post-breast cancer boobs

Every breast cancer survivor is different, and so are their feelings about their breasts. But one thing is for sure: You’ll never look at your breasts the same way again. Whether you have scars from a lumpectomy or a mastectomy, or your skin has changed from chemotherapy, or your medications have made them change size, it means developing a whole new relationship with the breasts — not a worse one, just a different one.

Mastectomy boobs

Not everyone with breast cancer will need a mastectomy (and not every person who gets a mastectomy has cancer), but for those who do, it can be life changing. Some people worry that not having their breasts, or not having breasts at all, will make them somehow less traditionally feminine. Yet others feel liberated from the fear and the disease. Some people celebrate their battle scars with tattoos while others use reconstructive surgery to get the boobs of their dreams. Just know that however you change your breasts, and however they change you, is the right way.

Comfort boobs

Babies, children, lovers, and even friends seek solace in a person they love’s chest. And breasts can be so, so comforting. People have been using a tight hug, a cuddle, and a soft embrace as a way to help soothe those they love for as long as humans have been alive. There’s nothing wrong — and everything right — with using your boobs as, well, pillows sometimes.

Silicone boobs

Some people are naturally blessed with a larger bust and ample cleavage, while others chose to opt for breast augmentation surgery. And when it comes to your body, there is no wrong path to self-love.

Padded boobs

People always got made fun of in middle school for stuffing or wearing padded bras, but the truth is they’re an awesome compromise. You can put one on to look sexy or simply more proportional in clothing, and then you get to take it off and be free at night. Plus, no back pain like you’d get if your boobs were naturally larger or surgically enhanced. It’s the best of both worlds!

Minimized boobs

Squashing boobs down into a sports bra to exercise, to fit in a button-down shirt, or to play a boy in the musical Oliver! (just me?) is a time-honored tradition. Sometimes you want to flaunt what you’ve got, and other times it helps to make them as flat as possible. As long as you can still breathe, you’re probably fine.

Sweaty boobs

Nothing like wearing a gray T-shirt in the summertime and seeing two damp circles spreading under… your breasts. Boobs, especially when you smash them together in a sports bra or a push-up bra, can generate an astonishing amount of sweat. It’s just the reality of life.

Venus boobs

Have you ever looked at a statue of the Venus de Milo and wondered how she was the standard of beauty for so many centuries? Thanks to our modern technology such as shaping bras, Photoshop and the Internet, I think we sometimes forget what real breasts, just hanging out and doing their thing, really look like. And if it takes a stone set of boobs to teach us about our flesh-and-blood set, then we should all look at more art. (Actually, we should all just look at more art.)

Hairy boobs

Yep, hairy nipples exist, and they’re completely normal. There hasn’t been enough research on this topic, and many people might not report hair on the breasts to their doctors, so it isn’t really known exactly how many people have hair on their boobs. But there are enough to assure you that body hair, especially around the nipples, is a fact of life, and doesn’t need to be removed to fit any societal standards.

Sex boobs

I put this at the bottom of the list because we’re already well aware that our breasts are more than just sex objects. But it is also true that sex can change the way your boobs look. All the blood and hormones rushing through your body when you’re aroused can help them temporarily perk up, become more sensitive and even enhance their coloring. This may be one of the best perks of having breasts!

Want to learn more sexy body facts? Check out these six orgasms your body can have:

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