38 Year Old Mum of Three-finally Having Breast Reduction! - Bristol, GB

Hi there,
I would never normally write anything like this let alone post pictures of myself but after months of reading all the stories from an amazing bunch of women I feel I owe it to this site to add my story. Hopefully it will help someone too!
I have always hated my breasts. I had a 32 E cup by the age of 16 and was crippled with embarrassment and insecurity about them at school. I am tall and very athletic and love sport so my breasts always seemed to hold me back or get in the way. The unwanted attention from men when I was still basically a child has also negatively impacted on my confidence.
I looked into getting a breast reduction at the age of 19 through the NHS as I was so miserable about them -I used to cry myself to sleep about them! Unfortunately they told me I was too young and my parents were not willing to pay for me to go private so I left it. Since then I have had three children. My breasts went up to an I cup with each pregnancy. I breastfed my children but hated it as my boobs were so large they kind of repulsed me and I was embarrassed to get them out. I would like to add that I see other large breasted women and think they look lovely, it just doesn't feel right for me.
Since having kids my breasts are now quite asymmetrical. Apparently this is due to hormones. They are also very lumpy. I've been to the breast clinic so many times for scand and lucky for me they have always been fine.
So a few months ago after feeling miserable about my breasts as usual the idea of breast reduction came to me again and I just thought, you know what, I've had my kids, I'm coming up to 40, I don't want a sore neck and shoulders anymore, I don't want to feel so embarrassed at the gym, I don't want to spend my life trying to hide my boobs, in short, I don't want to think about my boobs any more!!
I then found this amazing site and read all these amazing stories and saw all the wonderful results and made up my mind to go for it. Fortunately my wonderful husband is 100% supportive of my decision. He said he can adapt to whatever size boobs I get!
So I visited the Spire hospital in Bristol and met the lovely cosmetic nurse called Nicola. She was so professional and kind and understanding and told me everything I needed to know. I started to feel excited that this could actually happen. So, after thinking it through again and talking to my husband and sorting out finances I decided to go for it! I had a list of surgeons who all sounded amazing but in the end I chose to go with Mr Robert Warr. Mainly because of the reviews I read about him on here. I am booked in for a consultation with him at the end of May and my surgery date is 6th of June!!
I'm feeling excited, nervous and emotional but think I have made the right decision. My biggest fear right now is that I might not be able to have the operation for some reason!
I will keep you posted...

Hi everyone,

I'm starting to make lists of things I need. Can anyone tell me what best cream for scars is-bio oil? Coconut oil?
Surgical tape-good or not?
Also any recommendations of sports/post surgery bras.
Finally, are you meant to take pictures of the boobs you want to show your surgeon in the consultation? His secretary didn't mention anything about it when we spoke on phone.
Thanks lovely ladies! Xx

It's less than 2 weeks till the big day. I've been going through a whole range of emotions. One day I think maybe they are fine and I'll just leave it and not have the operation and then I think how upset I would be if I didn't do it! I've been worrying about the kids and how they will react. I've not said anything to them yet as I don't want them to worry. I've been worrying about the reactions from everyone really. I haven't told anyone about it apart from my husband and you lot! I'm just trying to focus on the end result and also this is such a personal thing that I'm not ready to share it with anyone face to face yet.
To be honest it all still feels a it like a dream that is happening to someone else!
I do feel a bit nervous about the actual operation but I've had major surgery before so I know a little of what to expect. Just last minute nerves I think. As I said before though, the thing I am most worried about is that I might not be able to have the operation at all!

Hi everyone, So I've met with my surgeon and I'm so pleased. He is such a nice guy and really listened and understood what I wanted. I have been having issues with benign lumps in my breasts and luckily I have recently Had a mammogram and ultrasound. I requested copies of my notes from those scans and took them along to my surgeon. I am a bit worried as my left breast has changed size in the last year but my surgeon said he knows the consultant I saw for the mammogram and he will speak with him to see what he says about the fluctuation. Fingers crossed all will be ok!!! I've also only just now found out that I am in fact a 32 E and not a 34DD. I've got a 32E bra which sure enough fits like a glove! Oops. Anyway, my surgeon understood that I want to go as small as possible to a B/C but I'm now thinking maybe a C is the best option as I looked at 32C bras in a shop and they are the same as 34b. I was originally hoping to be 34b as I thought I was 34. Sorry to ramble! Any advise on sizing would be much appreciated! You can see from my original photos that I'm slim build and usually wear size 10. I'm speaking to my surgeon again on Saturday so I want to be clear in my head what I'm asking for. Having blood tests tomorrow and if all ok will have the op on Monday (3days time!). Feeling like I'm in a surreal world right now but also quite excited. I got some 32c sports bras and they look so tiny -I can't believe I might actually be wearing them very soon. Dream come true!!

Hi everyone, well I am 1day post op and feeling good. My surgeon, Dr Warr is so lovely. Really kind and reassuring and made the whole experience as relaxing as it could possible be. I went in to the spire hospital yesterday morning and Dr Warr saw me in my room to mark me up. It was all a bit surreal at that point! Luckily my husband was with me to keep me calm. I was told my surgery would be at 11.30 but it was actually 11 in the end so all quite rushed getting surgical stockings on and dressing gown and slippers. I was grateful for this though as no time to think about anything! I said goodbye to my husband in the lift and walked down to operating theatre. They walk you down to help prevent blood clots. Now this was the weird bit where it suddenly hit me what I was about to do. Not for the faint hearted! But everyone there was so lovely and made me feel calm. They put the cannula in which I was worried about as I hate needles-I have to say, I didn't feel a thing and I had it on all night without it bothering me. Then I had a drug to make me feel woozy. Next thing I know I'm waking up in recovery from a lovely dream I was having about being at the beach with my kids!! They had put me under a warm duvet and I felt so peaceful and comfortable. It's all quite blurry after that. I can't remember coming up to my room at all. I vaguely remember seeing my surgeon again. He said he had gone as small as he possibly could as requested and that he thought they looked great. I hadn't actually looked at them by this point! Was too dozy. After a comfortable night at the hospital I am now back home being cared for by my lovely husband. I am so pleased with my new boobs. The size looks great to me. I feel in proportion at last! I didn't have drains as they took them out in theatre. I haven't been in any pain. It just feels tight around my chest. I've been taking paracetamol at regular intervals as advised and that has been enough for me. So pleased I have done this. It was such an emotional journey to this point and I'm sure there is more to come but right now I am very happy and glad to be out the other side. Sorry for bad picture. Will take more when more up to it!

Dr Warr even managed to take out all the benign lumps in my left breast. I hadn't thought he would be able to as they were high up on my breast. Really pleased they have gone!

Hello! Feeling a bit more with it today. Had another good nights sleep last night although still waking in night because my back hurts. I fall back to sleep easily though and sleep very deeply. Still taking paracetamol every 4 hours and arnica too but nothing else. Im going to try a little walk round the block later with my husband to stretch my legs. Still taking it super easy otherwise though and not lifting a finger round the house. Really enjoying lying around and watching Netflix! I took my support bra off today to have a look and everything looks good to me. They are tiny!! Yay!! It's really strange seeing myself in mirror with small boobs. Also feels very weird without support bra. Think it will be a long while before I stop wearing one. Hope everyone else is doing well too :)

Just had my bandages off and saw my surgeon for the first time since the op. It was only a week ago but feels like a month! I was expecting this to hurt and was worried about how they would look but it was all fine. I took a couple of paracetamol before I left so maybe that helped. The nurse cleaned them up and trimmed off the ends of the stitches. Then she put some nude coloured micro tape on. I have the all clear to shower and I have some more tape so I can change it every 2-3 days. My surgeon was really pleased with the shape and size and said they look great! They are still a bit swollen so I am still hopeful to end up as a 32C. I was a 32 E before. He said they are boxy looking at the moment which is completely normal and over time they will drop down to a more natural shape. He said if he had gone smaller it would have compromised the shape. I'm really pleased with how they have turned out. Fingers crossed I continue to heal well and the shape stays nice. Hope everyone else who is healing is doing well. The only negative thing I have experienced is finding it hard to sleep. I got the all clear to sleep on my side so hopefully that will help tonight.

So it's nearly 2 weeks since the op and I'm feeling good. Each day I feel more and more normal. I took off the tape today to change it and it looks like I'm healing really well. Only very thin lines around nipples and down. I've got a couple of more raised bits under the breasts but looking good. No oozing or bleeding and I'm hopeful that the scarring will be minimal. Went shopping yesterday and tried on a bra just for fun - I fit a 32C!! This was exactly what I wanted so really chuffed. I know things will fluctuate but for now I'm feeling hopeful they will settle to a size I like. I'm so comfy in my surgical bras that I can't imagine wearing anything else right now! Swelling has been up and down from one day to next. Usually they swell up more if I've been walking around a lot. My left breast is still more swollen than the right but I had a lot more taken out of that side so I'm hoping it will settle down and even out. I'm still avoiding lifting kiddies and have kept housework to a minimum. Thankfully my husband has been amazing at helping me! I'm loving how my clothes fit better. Also loving not having a sore neck! My shoulders feel less tight already. Can't believe I've done it. It's still like a dream! So pleased and would recommend anyone thinking about it to just go for it!

I've not put any updates on for ages so thought I better check in. My healing has been pretty uneventful. I had a couple of parts of my incisions that had a bit of pus around week three. I just dressed them with gauze and taped all the other incisions as normal and they healed up within a week.
I've stopped taping the incisions now but only In the last couple of days. I didn't feel ready before now.
I'm still wearing soft post op bras which I love but I'm so excited as I went to get acouple of underwired bras today in a 34b !! I think I will be either a 32C or 34B depending on the cut and shop I'm buying from. I have to say I haven't fully appreciated how good they look in clothes until I got the underwire bras. I bought a couple of strappy tops too which is such a novelty! I still can't believe it's me when I see myself in the mirror.
I have now started massaging the scars with bio oil but not brave enough yet to press hard. I've also been out running which was amazing. I felt so light and free!
I can't recommend this surgery enough. It has been so much easier than I thought and it really is life changing. So happy! I'm off on hols soon and for the first time ever I can't wait to wear a bikini on the beach!
Hope everyone else is healing well!