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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be fed up carrying blasted 34G around

137 replies

bongobaby · 23/02/2014 21:57

This weekend I have spent laid on the sofa with painful back ache. My shoulders are in a permanent hunch with poor posture because of my 34G size and I'm having physio to help with it. I look ridiculous in any tops and get embarrassed by the size of them and am fed up lugging them around.

OP posts:
pinkstinks · 23/02/2014 23:32

Thanks stat it's good to know, it was payday on Friday so I have already ordered one though!
Aside from the wire issue it fits like a dream supportive at the back no four boobs, front flat to me, they are a wondrous piece of equipment :)

StatisticallyChallenged · 23/02/2014 23:38

Easy check bongobaby. Grab your bra, and put it on back to front. This take the cups out of the equation. Now...how far from your body can you pull the band?

There are loads of Bravissimos, they're expanding rapidly.

Gruntfuttock · 23/02/2014 23:45

Anyone who's had a reduction, would you please say how much it cost? I'm another one who wants them chopped off (40G) I HATE them!

Takingbackmonday · 23/02/2014 23:49

Really? I'm a 32C/D and would LOVE massive ones.

Gruntfuttock · 24/02/2014 00:01

I have read that the reduction operation has quite a long and painful recovery period. Would any of the posters who have had a reduction agree with this?

StatisticallyChallenged · 24/02/2014 00:06

I've not had one but my best friend has
I went to all her consultations etc and her recovery was quite lengthy. I think she was off work for six weeks

HadABadDay2014 · 24/02/2014 01:14

I'm a 36g, if I don't spend £40 on a bra then my back does hurt.

Bravissimo is awesome, but pricy

Jolleigh · 24/02/2014 02:03

While we're talking boobage, I'm a 40J and am wondering how much my love bags weigh. Anyone of a similar size managed to weigh theirs in somehow?

AgaPanthers · 24/02/2014 02:06

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassiere_measurement#Calculating_cup_volume_and_breast_weight

About 9 pounds, apparently, for both.

AgaPanthers · 24/02/2014 02:08

No wait, that's a 34J, 40J is off their chart, but it looks like over 13 pounds.

Jolleigh · 24/02/2014 02:14

I've never seen this Aga...thanks!

MyNameGotChanged · 24/02/2014 04:02

I just did the measuring from the site advised on here: thebetterbracampaign.blogspot.co.uk/p/fitting-advice.html

According to that, I'm a 36N. Excellent :S I get pain between my shoulder blades but that's from slouching.

I'm not really fussed by the weight or them getting in the way or anything like that... it's how I look in clothes.

I went to some ritzy "big bra" shop once and told the girl my size and she bought me one a band bigger (38's).. a whole stack of them. I didn't notice and put one on and was super thrilled because it was so loose I thought I'd lost weight and was a 34. I told her that and she told me they were 38's and I said "why? I told you I was 36" and she told me she was "just checking"... Otherwise known as I just look fat. I have a small waist but it's so hard to see with such big boobs.

I've considered a reduction but don't like the final product I see online. The nipple is detached making breast feeding impossible (so definitely not until we have kids) and you're left with a teddy bear smile scar. Maybe if I'd lost volume because of breast feeding and it was more like a reconstruction... I'd probably go to a DD/E though because such a huge change I would feel massively flat chested.

AGoodPirate · 24/02/2014 04:34

I know two people who have had breast reductions and both loved getting rid of their old boobs.

EmmaBemma · 24/02/2014 05:17

destinysdaughter The usual technique is to leave the nipple attached to a 'stalk' of nerve and blood supply rather than cutting it off entirely, and then make a new hole for it an inch or so above where it was. Although, for really big reductions they do have to remove the nipple I think.

Mine was the first technique and I did lose most feeling in my nips at first, however this returned in time, and I could even breastfeed my second daughter.

But that's by the by - OP, sounds like you could well be in the wrong size bra which will be making a big difference. I really doubt you're a 34 back if you're an 8-10. Sorry to hear about that oaf in the shop - a sadly familiar experience to me!

birdmomma · 24/02/2014 06:16

I'm a 32F (Bravissimo - wouldn't go anywhere else). I fucking hate them. And I hate small titted people saying that they'd love big boobs. They have NO idea.

FoxyHarlow123 · 24/02/2014 06:24

I've had a reduction. Cost £5000. Best thing I ever did. I only wish I'd gone smaller, as I'm still too big in my eyes but I still now have small, perky breasts! The recovery was nothing like as bad as I expected. I have full sensation in my nipples and the scars have faded massively. For anyone considering doing it, don't hesitate for a moment.

PiperRose · 24/02/2014 06:35

10 years ago I went to see my GP because I was experiencing chronic back pain and he suggested a referral to a plastic surgeon for a breast reduction. It was the best thing I ever did.

Lottapianos · 24/02/2014 06:42

I'm 34HH with back and neck pain and seriously considering a reduction. Going to speak to GP about it to see if NHS would cover but would go private if not. Thanks for all the positive stories on here, sounds like a very liberating thing!

beachyhead · 24/02/2014 07:23

Mine was on the NHS, but I think I was lucky, as I had a very sympathetic GP and had just had a slipped disc. Scarring is fine, it is pretty much hidden in the fold, apart from the line going up to and around the nipple. I still have feeling in my nipples, all working ok. Best bit is having much smaller aureole. My boobs actually look nice now, even to me Grin

Recovery was about 2-4 weeks. I couldn't drive for two weeks, which was a real pain as we were living rurally.

I've had that problem with bravissimo bras too. Only the bravissimo brand though, if you stick to Freya or fantasie, you shouldn't have the underwire problem.

WholeNutt · 24/02/2014 07:25

Was a 32H had a reduction 3 months ago, went as small as I could just got myself measured now a 32FF. I know I'm much smaller, I'm in proportion and clothes look so much better but for f* sake FF?!!!!! I was looking forward to shopping on the high street!

Impatientwino · 24/02/2014 07:32

Mine cost 5700 and as far as recovery goes - they say around 6 weeks which I think is about right.

The first two weeks were sore but not unbearably so and the next 4 it got gradually better.

They provided plenty of strong painkillers but I found I only took those for the first few days and then was fine with paracetamol and then nothing quite quickly.

Certainly not bad enough to be a reason not to do it.

I was in a surgical bra for the 6 weeks which was really comfortable I had an appt booked with a rigby and pellor fitter but wasnt for a week so I popped in to m&s just to get a couple of cheap bras to tide me over.

She measured me as a 40C which i obviously ignored and just bought a couple of crop tops instead (for the first time since primary school!) and rigby put me in a 36DD/E depending on the bra style!

I would have a reduction again in a heartbeat

Impatientwino · 24/02/2014 07:35

They took just short of 2kg off me by the way!

beachyhead · 24/02/2014 07:41

They took1.3kg from me. What was my bigger boob is now my smaller boob Grin

I think the bra size you go from and to is misleading as I only went officially from a G or GG to an F, but the difference is enormous.

lubeybooby · 24/02/2014 07:47

I'm 36H with very heavy ones but I do OK now thanks to better posture and centre of gravity, took some work and physio but got there in the end. I'd recommend to all to make sure you have ace fitting bras and some proper help with posture before going under the knife.

rumbleinthrjungle · 24/02/2014 07:53

I had a major reduction from 36K (seriously) to a 36c when back pain got to be a 24/7 issue. Exactly half a stone of spare boob was removed on the table, it was ridiculous. My back and neck were so freaked out by the change in weight distribution I needed additional painkillers the following day not for surgical pain but for the neck pain, but that was 24 hours and then gone permanently. Eight years on I still only wish I'd got my nerve up to do it years earlier, I was so worried about scarring and there's amazingly little visible at all, and it made such a huge difference. The joy of buying pretty bras at any shop and not spending £40 for some specially made one!

I needed the full nipple removal and re attachment, it went fine. Again no real scarring to see.