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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to want a breast reduction?

88 replies

Badabingy · 05/08/2010 13:35

hello all

I have always had big boobs- when I was at uni I had them measured and they were 34F- before I got married i went to Selfridges and they measured them as a 30K!!!

The only nice things I can get to fit are from Bravissimo. Smock tops make me look pregnant and fitted tops make me feel self conscious. I am embarrassed to get undressed in changing rooms. I hate swimming and can't go running. I know that people think of me as the 'big boobed one': a colleague once told me that he had described me as nice and clever, with big boobs to my new boss (mortified) and in the pub people were describing another girl and said she had big boobs then looked at me and said but 'nowhere near as big as yours'. I didn't breastfeed as I was too self conscious about getting my boobs out- did it in private as long as I could but in the end just had to give up. Oh and in summer it's an nightmare- I am really itchy underneath my boobs and my straps dig in. I am round shoulder-ed as I have always hunched over to hide them.

Has anyone else had a breast reduction and how did you find it? What was the recovery time? I really wouldn't want to tell anyone that I am having it/have had it done as I feel to embarrassed- is this possible to get way with? This has beeen going on for years and years. i would love to have normal sized boobs and not be a freak show, being paranoid that people are looking at me.

Any thoughts and shared expereinces would be so welcome.

Thank you girls.

OP posts:

MorrisZapp · 05/08/2010 13:39

HELLO

Yes, I am huge of boob too and thoroughly hacked off about it. I'm currently in the biggest maternity bra M&S make, and have been assured that when the baby arrives they will swell yet further.

I don't understand it really - we are endlessly told that the modern world approves of and desires big breasts but ime this is not the case. The modern world that I live in does not desire my big breasts, nor is it able to clothe them with any dignity. It stares, but not in an approving way.

You can google breast reduction, loads of women in same boat as us. The problem is, that having a BR is actually a very invasive op (much more so than getting implants) as they have to remove stuff, reposoition stuff etc.

It costs upwards of 5k, which is more then implants too.

Some women take months to recover from the surgery - there's no quick fix. I'll have to wait anyway to see what I'm left with after birth and BF, but if I still look/ feel anything like this I just don't think I can put up with it.

tortoiseonthehalfshell · 05/08/2010 13:41

I don't have anything helpful to add, but I'm a 32G and that's bad enough, and I've thought about this over and over, so I do understand.

I keep coming back to, I shouldn't have to have hugely invasive surgery to feel normal.

And if you want children and intend to breastfeed you should know that a breast reduction very often stops you being able to do so.

But I still want to, so I'll watch your thread with interest. FWIW, my mum had one in her fifties, and is very satisfied with it, very glad she did it.

Original poster

Badabingy · 05/08/2010 13:47

Yes one thing that put me off an op was the being unable to bf- but in the end i didn't anyway due to the size of my boobs. One boob was much bigger than my baby's head!! Am glad it's not just me and I understand that I shouldn't need invasive surgery to feel normal- but the fact is I won't feel normal unless I do...... hmm.

I raised it with my hubby this am and we're going to talk about it. His fear is that something goes wrong-which with 2 children is very scary to contemplate. In a way it would be a very selfish thing to do? Putting myself at risk for vanity reasons? Oh dear...

and also not sure I havr the courage to even go through an op whoch would involve numerous people looking at my boobs- the thought makes my blood go cold!!

OP posts:

MorrisZapp · 05/08/2010 13:47

Look away now if you're eating...

Even on quite cool nights, I have to sleep with a cloth beside my bed so that when I wake up in the night I can wipe away the sweat that has collected between and underneath my breasts.

I am constantly fighting a losing battle to keep my cleavage and under-boob area clean and dry.

It's just crap.

MorrisZapp · 05/08/2010 13:49

Oh I'm way ahead of you then badabingy - I'd run naked down the Royal Mile if I thought there was somebody who could help me shrink the buggers

oneortwo · 05/08/2010 13:54

I want one, I used to work in nursing homes and big boobs in old age is no fun - thrush gathers in the creases, often noone bothers to fit nursing home residents for bras so they are either left to go braless (and sweaty and mucky underneath) or are in very uncomfortable ill fitting bras that haven't fitted them for years.

On the other hand, it is a BIG op, lots of incisions which, as with any op = lots of places for infections to get in.

I am very scared of the OP and wouldn't put myself through the risks for purely cosmetic reasons, but those of us with massive boobs know that its about more than just the look isn't it?

tyler80 · 05/08/2010 13:56

I'm 32g right now, but I not at the stage where it bothers me enough to go through that level of surgery. I do wonder where my limit would be. I've started wearing my own dresses when I've attended weddings and stuff which gets round the big boob issue.

You have my sympathies, especially on the itchy boob thing.

I know once on embarrassing bodies the girl had a boob job on the nhs.

TigerFeet · 05/08/2010 14:06

I have big boobs too (36J/K atm)

It isn't just about the size at all.

I go through phases of months at a time when I just can't shift the fungal infections underneath them.

SAme as MorrisZapp re cloths at night

I have had bras properly fitted but unless the straps are REALLY wide I end up with huge red welts on my shoulders as they aren't pert at all and gravity pulls them down even in the best scaffolding.

Backache between the shoulderblades

Slight dowager's hump due to poor posture

I do need to lose a fair amount of weight but history tells me that my weight has little bearing on my breast size

It is a big op but I am sorely tempted to look into it once dd2 is no longer bfing

proudnsad · 05/08/2010 14:16

OVER HERE! Yes I've had a breast reduction. It was about 8 years ago (I've had a dd since which was a bit silly boob-wise!) and I am soooo glad I did it.

Scars - fine after about 6 months. Now barely noticable, anyway I don't care. They are still way nicer than before even with very feint scars.

Recovery - about 2 weeks.

All good, nothing to regret etc.

I had been offered it at the age of 21 and turned it down as was too young and couldn't decide. Thought about it another 20 years!! But maybe it was right to wait until I was properly ready.

What else do you want to know?

tyler80 · 05/08/2010 14:20

morriszapp sorry if I'm preaching to the converted but have you tried shopping somewhere other than m&s. None of their bras fit me and their sizing is like nowhere else and I know other well endowed ladies say the same.

tyler80 · 05/08/2010 14:21

tyler80 · 05/08/2010 14:22

What size were you before and after proudnsad?

porcamiseria · 05/08/2010 14:24

morriszapp

LOL! I have yukky pregnant boobs like that too, its vile

I saw a photo of me aged 24 with my c/d cups and nearly wept

kayah · 05/08/2010 14:28

I am 34hh
I realised that sweating/infections under my boobs are allways connected with me eating too much crap food such as shop bought cakes and sweets

maybe look into your diet to understand what may cause it - in my case is most likely glucose/converted sugar syrup in those sweet foods

scotsgirl23 · 05/08/2010 14:29

Don;t blame you at all - currently a 30j myself so feel your pain! My best friend had one (paid for by NHS although it was done in a private hospital) last year, went from a 30h to a 30f and said it is the best thing she has ever done.

you · 05/08/2010 14:29

I had one a few years ago. Absolutely no regrets except I struggled and failed to bfeed my daughter due to lack of milk

OneTwoBuckleMyShoe · 05/08/2010 14:30

I am a 34L and am currently on the waiting list for an NHS reduction, I should have had it over a year ago but we were TTC and DD came along in the meantime!

Check out your PCT guidelines but generally speaking anything over an H cup is considered on the NHS.

proudnsad · 05/08/2010 14:32

Tyler80 - I was probably about a 34G. Not sure. Dc1 only 10 months at the time so they were even bigger - amazed they operated really! But it was fine.

I am now 36 (fatter!) C and VERY happy.

I had it on NHS, waited about 6 months.

MorrisZapp · 05/08/2010 14:34

Oh I agree, M&S hopeless for bras. I have some lovely ones from Freya for my pre-preg size.

But ffs, I don't want to have to spend £££££ every time my gargantuan knockers decide to fluctuate in size. I wish I had a pound for every time I've read 'get a good supportive bra in pregnancy and get fitted for after pregnancy too' etc etc, yes that's great advice Ma Stoppard, but are you going to pay for them for me?

Also in magazines 'look, you can now get all sorts of lovely feeding bras etc', aye but they stop at f cup and cost £40 each so er, no use here thanks.

tyler80 · 05/08/2010 14:38

Definitely think there should be some sort of tax deduction if your boobs are over a certain size. I wouldn't mind so much shelling out the money for bras if I liked them, it's paying that much for something you don't even like!

NorkyButNice · 05/08/2010 14:39

I had one 5 years ago on the NHS (chronic back problems meant I was having constant physio and still seeing no improvement).

Have had 2 children since, failed to feed ds1 due to keloid scarring around the nipple, but have managed to express enough to mostly Bf ds2 who is 3 weeks.

I have quite bad scars (an dark skinned which is a risk factor for keloid scarring) but the back pains went immediately and I'd do it again without hesitation.

tyler80 · 05/08/2010 14:40

My personal bugbear is the "now up to a h cup" slogan when they only go up to a dd if the back size is 32 or smaller

NorkyButNice · 05/08/2010 14:40

Oh, and I told friends and family but not work - just said I was having an operation and that was it. Nobody ever commented on my drastically smaller chest but i worked with all men who wouldn't risk that kind of comment.

MoominMags · 05/08/2010 14:42

I have had it done too, it was 11 years ago. I was about 38GG and was 36B/C after it. I have now settled at a 36C. I have no regrets, bit of scarring but totally worth it! (I was 22 when I had it done.)

RumourOfAHurricane · 05/08/2010 14:43

This reply has been deleted

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