51 Yo with 2 Children, 36AA Pre-op, Slightly Prominent Sternum, BA in Two Days - 275-300cc Silicone - Washington DC

I have only known about this site for about 2 weeks but have really benefitted from reading other people's experiences.

I have always been quite small-chested but I liked my breasts and really "owned" being small up top. After two children and 3 years of breast feeding (combined), they've shown some wear and tear but still have elasticity. Two weeks ago, I had surgery to get a fibroid removed from the left breast. It was benign (yay.) I've had a biopsy on that breast before so some tissue was taken out. There isn't a big difference between the breasts but I started to seriously consider implants before this last surgery. Anyway - long story short, I received the go ahead from the breast surgeon who did the biopsy that I can have a BA. Things have moved very quickly and I found a highly reputable surgeon who is scheduled to do my BA on August 11, 2014 at 3 PM. Yikes!

My stats:
36AA pre-op
5'5"
137 pounds
51 yo
2 children (14 and 10) – breastfed for a total of 3 years
Fairly active - I like to do boot camp a couple times a week and run and do kickboxing too.
Surgery on August 12, 2014 - 275cc or 300cc silicone moderate plus under the muscle

Here is some background. I need some reassurance about size ...
Before my breast biopsy, I went to another PS who was very nice and really listened to me. I told him that I wanted a natural look - I really don't want “big” boobs. He said for my frame I could go between 200-300 cc under the muscle. (I forget if he said moderate or moderate plus.) He felt that 300 would start to look noticeable which I don’t want. I just would like to fill out my clothes better. That, and the ability to buy a bathing suit without feeling totally demoralized. I get my padded bras from the children's department (!) because I am 36" and adult 36A bras don't seem to fit me. This first PS was hesitant about doing my surgery soon after my biopsy and suggested I wait until October. I believe he has only been in practice since 2011 but he is at a VA hospital and seemed quite competent/came recommended.

The surgeon who did my biopsy said that there wasn't any swelling in my left breast and that it was fine to go ahead. I'm a preschool teacher and would like to get this done before school starts. Anyway, I called a second PS office - someone who has a ton of experience and did a BA for my neighbor. He comes highly recommended. Is the head of plastic surgery at a DC hospital.

Anyway, the second PS was able to fit me into his surgery schedule for this coming Monday. He did not feel that my recent biopsy was a problem at all. This PS told me that I could get whatever size I wanted and didn't have the same concerns as the first one about upper limits. In a sense, I feel I'm going with experience but have lost a little bit of pickiness that the first PS showed me. Does that make sense? So, I'm applying what the first PS said to me for the surgery with the second PS.

Anyway - sorry this is so long - all the nurses in the second PS office were encouraging me to go at least 300 if not more. I left on Friday feeling that 300 or 275 was the highest I would go (following the advice of the first PS.) They said there isn’t a big difference between 275 and 300. Both sizers looked okay, but when I tried on my bathing suit with the sizers, I was like - uh, oh. I don't know if I want that much boob.

I asked my husband for his advice. He has been super supportive (as have my daughters) and wants me to choose what is right for me. But I told him I wanted to hear his opinion. After talking to him, I realized that he is also worried about me going too big. We have decided on the 275cc, but I think he wouldn't mind if I went down to 250cc. This morning, I woke up in a panic. Was I going to mess my chest up and feel too "booby"? I'm of medium build and I don't want to look matronly.

Anyway, I sent out an email telling a few of my close friends what I was doing and for some reason, that helped calm me down a lot, maybe because I know that they won't look at me oddly after the surgery.

Any advice or calming words about size? This is happening quite fast and we have paid, so there is no turning back. I know that I will be happy in the end, that I'm in good hands, but I need some reassurance. Can't post pics now but I might get up the nerve to do so at some point.

Thanks in advance

Yay!!! Have been back from surgery center for an hour. Still groggy and have a lot of pressure in chest. Anti-nausea meds helped a lot because I was feeling a little yuck. Before surgery, I spoke with my surgeon and told him I didn't want to end up with a D cup. We decided I should go with the 275cc instead if 300ccs just to play it safe. A resident (physician) from my first PS consultation had said something very helpful to me - she asked if I would be more disappointed if the implants were too small or too big. The honest answer is I would prefer them smaller than bigger. I just want to fill out my clothes better but don't necessarily want to draw attention to them. And, as another friend said, I can always dress them up if I want them to look bigger. I really went with my gut and the fact that both my husband and I like smaller breasts. So it's done! Was so quick. And now the healing begins. Thanks for your support. (I'll post pictures at some point. How do you cover the nipple? With photoshop?)

Hi all - it's been a stressful couple of weeks because my mother had pneumonia and was hospitalized. She is out of the hospital now and doing ok. Glad I've more or less fully recovered from the BA.

As expected, the size difference is modest but it's big for me. I bought some soft cup bras and they were B-cups. I think I chose the right size although sometimes I wonder about the 300 ccs and what they would have looked like. I figure I could always revise 10 years down the road. The 275s give me curves that I didn't have before yet they are not over the top. Incisions are healing well although they can sting a bit if I turn over in bed too fast or too much. Sometimes I have the same sensation of fullness as I had when breast feeding. That's kind of a nice memory. The implants feel part of me now.
I have been worrying about push-ups and how they will feel once I get the go ahead - I know it won't be for a while.
My mother has commented that the BA gives me a nice silhouette now and my husband is super happy with the size. Even my 10 year old daughter told me that a shirt looks better on me now than before. I'm very pleased. I'll be ready to go back to teaching in September and I doubt anyone will be super suspicious although they will notice something is different.