I hate my boobs!

Navie42

Feeling a bit down today as I found out that breast reduction surgery, even when said breast pose health issues, is not covered under the NHS. Going private would mean several thousand pounds that we don't have. It's not something I am considering doing now as I am still breastfeeding, but after she weans six months down the line I would like to get rid of these things.

I've been disproportionately big chested my whole life, and started wearing a bra in the 4th grade. Before pregnancy I was rocking a 38 GG. Now I am in a 38 K. I would KILL to be down to a D or even DD.

I don't expect my breasts to change whilst breastfeeding, but did anyone out there have their boobs shrink after breastfeeding? Anyone lose alot of weight and have it come off of their boobs as well?

And does anyone have suggestions for exercising? I want to start the Insanity workout in about a month but judging from the videos I've seen online there is alot of jumping around, something I cannot do without significant pain. I already substitute in squat and box for the jumping jacks on JM's 30 Day Shred because jumping jacks hurt my chest. They don't seem to make sports bras supportive enough for my size boobs.

Blah, thanks for listening.

fitterpam

I'm sorry to hear that. I don't know that I have suggestions, but I feel for you. My best friend has also been big chested and at one point was up to a HH size. It affected her whole mentality and self esteem. She had the reduction a year and a half ago, expecting to go to a C. Ended up with a DD, but is thrilled that she can at least buy bras at normal stores. Our health coverage did pay for most of it (the surgeon explained that the pieces on the side weren't covered, but it would cost less to do them at the same time since she was already under sedation) - still cost her a few thousand. You're not alone.

I think when it comes to exercise, the best you can hope for is to firm up the muslces behind the breasts - it won't reduce their size necessarily, but will help with support. Any chest exercises will help with this - pushups, triangle position, chest press, bench press, chest flies, etc will all help firm those muscles and make your breasts seem smaller.

chroi

Oh I am sort of the same. Decided to do skipping (jump rope), got 3 done and had to stop because my boobs really, really, hurt!!

And I love skipping!!!!

bethinagain

I feel your pain! I was a 42 DD pretty much most of my adult life. It's not as big as you but it still bothered me. They I gave birth to twins and while I was breastfeeding both of them, my breast reached as amazing 48 FF. I they went down a little after I stopped breastfeeding. BUT, when I lost my 40 pounds, I went down to a 36 C. I've never been this small in my life! Well, maybe in middle school. LOL I see that you are looking to lose about 40 pounds, so I say hang in there. You'll be amazed at how much your breast are going to shrink when you lose weight. Good Luck!

aehenson

I don't have children but my mother went from a D (prior to pregnancy) to a B after breastfeeding. I have gone from a D to what I think is probably a C since losing 20 pounds. So there is hope!

HeaterM

my sister is a J and she gets so annoyed with then, one time she talked about a reduction but didnt because of the cost. She usually wears two bras all the time just to feel comfortable. Your not the only one! Sorry to hear though!!

andreahanlon

Exercise that you can do without jumping around is simply walking. Two Decembers ago, I used the treadmill every day and lost weight without changing my eating patterns (although I was eating fairly healthy, but I wasn't tracking or being purposeful in my eating). The trick is to walk at 56-65% of your maximum heart rate for over 30 minutes because anything over 30 minutes is straight fat burn. I recommend 45 to 60 minutes if you can stand it. Using an ipod or mp3 player helps.

At 25 years old, you should should for 18-21 heart beats in a 10 second period (closer to 21 beats is better).

Good luck!

beachcomber12

There is a good article in the October issue of Weight watchers magazine .

spitfire1962

I happen to love my girls. I have been a 40 DD for a very long time. I started working out and now I'm 38 D. They were the first to go. I'm very disappointed to have lost the DD, but that's okay, the rest of me is shirking too. You are very lucky to have been blessed with yours. You will see as you lose more weight that the cup sizes will eventually go down. When you are at your desired weight, your chest will still be pretty generous. Most women would kill for boobs like that.

fitgirl4life

This is a topic very close to my heart, as I had breast reduction surgery almost 20 years ago and it completely changed my life.

I come from a family of very curvy and well endowed women, on both sides. I've had breasts since I can remember, and started wearing a bra early on! I was teased relentlessly because of my breasts, called a "slut" and all the usual hurtful insults that cruel kids say. It completely ruined my childhood. No man looked me in the face, they all spoke to my breasts. I would wear layer after billowing layer to cover up my breasts, which made me look huge and even more out of proportion! So I feel your pain.

As an aside to your question, I'd just like to give you some advice if you are considering breast reduction, whether or not you do it via the NHS. First, choose your surgeon very, very carefully. Make sure they are registered. Ask to speak to them directy, not to some nurse or assistant. Meet with them before the day of your surgery. Ask to see "before" and "after" photos. Pay as much as you can to get the very best. Go somewhere reputable, if you can get a personal reference from someone you know, even better.

I did not go with the first surgeon I visited. I wasn't comfortable with him and in fact he put me off for 2 years before I went to another surgeon and felt completely 100% confident he knew what he was doing.

The other bit of advice is to listen to your surgeon's suggestions on what size to go down to. Like you, I just wanted my boobs cut off. I wanted to go from a GG to a B cup. I didn't want breasts at all! Luckily, my surgeon was so well versed in breast reduction, he was professional and also extremely artistic, and he didn't listen to what I wanted. He did what needed to be done, and that is put my breasts in proportion to the rest of my body! We tend to have breast dysmorphia, and in our minds, our breasts are 10 times bigger than in reality. But the surgeon (if he's professonal) knows best what will look good and suit your body.

I'm pleased to say I am 100% content with the results, I had no complications and the scars are barely visible. I have gorgeous breasts now, and I am an E cup. I am very happy with this size. I can fit into most clothing, Ok I'll never go without a bra, but I love how I look both naked and in clothes. I am so thankful that I didn't go down to a small size as I would have looked completely out of proportion with my curvy hips. I have the classic hourglass figure now!

Last piece of advice is to invest in a very good sports bra. You must have proper support when exercising, it is so dangerous not to have the proper support! So pay the extra money and get a decent sports bra. It will last you a long time, at least 2 years.

As for your question: there is no exercise that will reduce your breasts, it's a myth that you can spot reduce any part of your body via exercise. I have lost almost 3 stone and my boobs have stayed the same size, but I realize this is unusual. But I consider myself lucky because I love my breasts now and am happy with how they look!

Good luck with the breastfeeding and I hope I've helped!

cutmd

I want your boobs. At my heaviest I was a 34D, now I'm a 32B and it's the one thing I don't like about my new body :frown: But I guess it means there is hope for you to lose them, though my mom has DDs that don't go anywhere

pink_butterfly

I went up a cupsize from Breasfeeding, and went back down after, well almost as after I was still 40lbs overweight.. So I went from a C, to a almost too much for D, then now im kinda in between a C and D since im still overweight.. But years back when I dropped a bunch of weight., I was 40lbs less than now and I fell to almost a B, it was a tiny bit snug but soem B's fit me. So i think it is possible for them to go down.

I have a friend that always had big breasts.. She breastfed and for soem reason lost it all, I mean like she dropped down a couple cup sizes and really lost it all lol. Doesnt know why it happened, but she actually was sad to see them go..

Another friend, she was a B, breastfed, and now is a A..

I think once u reach ur goal weight it may happen.. *cross fingers*.. I have always found that EVERYTIME i lose weight, I lose it in my chest first.. for example even now.. in 10days on this site.. i lost pretty much an inch everywhere else, BUT 2 inches off my bust.. crazy right..

Good luck and I hope for ur health they go down for you..

Navie42

Thanks all for the responses. It is encouraging to hear some experiences, personal or otherwise, of boob size going down. I am praying this is the case.

In the mean time I''ve read some reviews online of large boob sports bras and have ordered one... going to give that a whirl and see if it enables me to do jumping jacks at long last =P

vivomatic

Sorry to hear the news about your insurance. I had my breast reduction last October, and love it! Do you ever have skin break down or rashes due to the size of your breasts? Perhaps if they can find some other health risk they might reconsider. I was always a DD, even when I was a size 4. Before having kids I was a 38 F and then up to a 38 H/ I after breastfeeding 2 kids (overweight, but at the same weight as before pregnancy). Doing cardio exercise and chest exercises, push ups etc will help, but the only real solution is surgery to re remove 2 or 3 cup sizes. I always had to wear 2 or 3 bras when exercising...I literally feel your pain. I hope things work out!

Alioth

Don't give up. I've lost two cup sizes in roughly 8 months from working out--months before the scale actually started showing any weight changes. My band size went up, possibly because I was building back muscles? But I think it's gone back down now. I was doing a lot of walking and pushups and never considered it'd affect my breasts, but it did. I had to go out and buy new bras, and I think I'm going to have to get new ones again in another month or so to get that band size right.

I agree that sports bras totally suck when you reach a certain size. I couldn't find one that fit me until a few months ago after I'd shrunk. I was doing my workouts in underwire and avoided all the jumping like you. Glad you found some, even if they are expensive.

vivomatic

There is a website called breakoutbras.com that sells up to triple K. They have some good bras and especially nursing bras if you are looking. The Bravada bra is really good, I wore it for anothe year after I stopped nursing. It has good support, and no underwires.