Make me feel better about this bra

[wambam]

I ordered a sports bra for right after they remove the surgical bra. I followed the size chart for 32C and bought it. It came and it is CRAZY small. Am I just screwed in the head because my boobs have been so big my whole life and I can't imagine being normal?

[wambam]

Jan 22, 2014 21:08:37 GMT -5 chilerellanos said:

Jan 22, 2014 21:06:58 GMT -5 wambam said:

I ordered a sports bra for right after they remove the surgical bra. I followed the size chart for 32C and bought it. It came and it is CRAZY small. Am I just screwed in the head because my boobs have been so big my whole life and I can't imagine being normal?

When I figured looked at my boobs after my surgery I panicked because they were so small. They were a 34D after surgery, so still fairly large by normal standards. Lol

I am having a serious mental block here trying to imagine them fitting in this. Something is wrong with me haha.

[runaways]

Lol. I'm a 32C and I'm not exactly overflowing. Like, at all. I wore an A cup for years because that's what I was sure I was. Not sure if that helps or hurts...

[wambam]

Jan 22, 2014 21:28:14 GMT -5 runaways said:

Lol. I'm a 32C and I'm not exactly overflowing. Like, at all. I wore an A cup for years because that's what I was sure I was. Not sure if that helps or hurts...

Ever worn a Nike or Under Armour sports bra?

[runaways]

Noooo, sorry! But I wear a S in those target ones I was whining about last week, and the XS would fit just fine if my shoulders and rib cage were smaller. (ETA that kind of doesn't make sense. Anyway the XS almost fits and would definitely work if necessary.)

[sadlebred]

If I can offer a suggestion as someone who has been through this....buy a cheapo or two cotton sports bra from Wal-Mart or Target. You may bleed and/or ooze a little bit for a few days, and you don't want to get a nice sports bra bloody and ruin it. By buying a couple of cheapo ones, you aren't out a ton of money if it isn't a great fit, and you can return the ones you don't use. You also want nice and soft the first few days. Trust me on this. IMO, cotton is softer than synthetic materials.

Something like these:
www.walmart.com/ip/Fruit-of-the-Loom-3-Pack-Tank-Style-Sport-Bras-Style-9012/13997008

[wambam]

Jan 22, 2014 22:03:31 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

If I can offer a suggestion as someone who has been through this....buy a cheapo or two cotton sports bra from Wal-Mart or Target. You may bleed and/or ooze a little bit for a few days, and you don't want to get a nice sports bra bloody and ruin it. By buying a couple of cheapo ones, you aren't out a ton of money if it isn't a great fit, and you can return the ones you don't use. You also want nice and soft the first few days. Trust me on this. IMO, cotton is softer than synthetic materials.

Something like these:
www.walmart.com/ip/Fruit-of-the-Loom-3-Pack-Tank-Style-Sport-Bras-Style-9012/13997008

Should I follow a size chart? Will they be too small?

[sadlebred]

Jan 23, 2014 6:10:41 GMT -5 wambam said:

Jan 22, 2014 22:03:31 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

.

Something like these:
www.walmart.com/ip/Fruit-of-the-Loom-3-Pack-Tank-Style-Sport-Bras-Style-9012/13997008

Should I follow a size chart? Will they be too small?

I went instore and tried them on. I've found that if I bought them by band size they were pretty true to size.

[Wines Not Whines]

I'm a 32C and I'm pretty small. I agree with runaways. If I buy a sports bra that comes in letter sizes, I'm a small or even XS. Cup size is affected by band size, so a 32C is less full than a 34C or 36C. All C cups are not created equal. I have no idea what your final size will be though.

[wambam]

Jan 23, 2014 6:26:22 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

Jan 23, 2014 6:10:41 GMT -5 wambam said:

Should I follow a size chart? Will they be too small?

I went instore and tried them on. I've found that if I bought them by band size they were pretty true to size.

Okay. I'm trying to find something that when they take off the surgical bra, I can immediately put on. I can buy some cheapies at Target.

[wambam]

Jan 23, 2014 6:31:31 GMT -5 Wines Not Whines said:

I'm a 32C and I'm pretty small. I agree with runaways. If I buy a sports bra that comes in letter sizes, I'm a small or even XS. Cup size is affected by band size, so a 32C is less full than a 34C or 36C. All C cups are not created equal. I have no idea what your final size will be though.

Yeah, I think I'm having some anxiety about this. I'm worried that my doctor doesn't have this knowledge that all Cs are not the same volume and therefore I'm worried he's not going to go small enough for me and that I'll have to do this again. I think the tiny bra that arrived in the mail stirred that up. I know that I want my breasts to fit in something like that but I'm worried he's not going to give me that. 

I Dr. Googled plastic surgery pictures (mostly of augs because there are more pictures out there of them) and what these doctors are claiming is a 32C is completely NOT.

[wambam]

I think I need to make another appointment with my surgeon. I'm really anxious that he's not going to make them small enough.

[Wines Not Whines]

If the teeny tiny bra is what you want, maybe you should take that in and show your doc so he knows what you're talking about. 36C people have decent cleavage. 32C are small... like I can get away with wearing a supportive cami instead of a bra and I'm comfortable.

[emilyinchile]

Jan 23, 2014 9:09:17 GMT -5 Wines Not Whines said:

If the teeny tiny bra is what you want, maybe you should take that in and show your doc so he knows what you're talking about. 36C people have decent cleavage. 32C are small... like I can get away with wearing a supportive cami instead of a bra and I'm comfortable.

FWIW I'm a 32C and would not feel comfortable wearing no bra, and I can have cleavage! But yeah, like others have said, I wear S or XS sports bras.

I'm sure your doctor knows what a 32C looks like - remember that he does this all day, and you chose him because he's a professional. Try not to worry about it too much But if it would make you more comfortable to talk to him again and show him that you want to fit in your tiny sports bra then go for it.

[wambam]

Jan 23, 2014 9:14:29 GMT -5 emilyinchile said:

Jan 23, 2014 9:09:17 GMT -5 Wines Not Whines said:

If the teeny tiny bra is what you want, maybe you should take that in and show your doc so he knows what you're talking about. 36C people have decent cleavage. 32C are small... like I can get away with wearing a supportive cami instead of a bra and I'm comfortable.

FWIW I'm a 32C and would not feel comfortable wearing no bra, and I can have cleavage! But yeah, like others have said, I wear S or XS sports bras.

I'm sure your doctor knows what a 32C looks like - remember that he does this all day, and you chose him because he's a professional. Try not to worry about it too much But if it would make you more comfortable to talk to him again and show him that you want to fit in your tiny sports bra then go for it.

Seriously, I think I'm still bitter about VS and other stores telling me to shove my boobs into a DD and just buying a fucking huge band and saying "they're 'sister sizes' so it totes works!" and it's JUST.NOT.TRUE. And because I'm so angry about being lied to for so long, I'm very cautious of other people doing the same thing.

This is a psychological mind fuck. I wasn't expecting this.

I think I need to talk to him again before the surgery.

[sitnspin]

I agree, buy something that you won't mind ruining with blood, etc.  I bought some close-in-front bras from Target in 2 different sizes.  I changed sizes within 2 weeks due to the swelling, etc.  

[runaways]

FWIW I'm also not at all comfortable going bra-less, even if it's a tank with one built in. But I'm also pretty distinctly lacking in cleavage.

[emilyinchile]

Jan 23, 2014 9:16:39 GMT -5 wambam said:

Jan 23, 2014 9:14:29 GMT -5 emilyinchile said:

FWIW I'm a 32C and would not feel comfortable wearing no bra, and I can have cleavage! But yeah, like others have said, I wear S or XS sports bras.

I'm sure your doctor knows what a 32C looks like - remember that he does this all day, and you chose him because he's a professional. Try not to worry about it too much But if it would make you more comfortable to talk to him again and show him that you want to fit in your tiny sports bra then go for it.

Seriously, I think I'm still bitter about VS and other stores telling me to shove my boobs into a DD and just buying a fucking huge band and saying "they're 'sister sizes' so it totes works!" and it's JUST.NOT.TRUE. And because I'm so angry about being lied to for so long, I'm very cautious of other people doing the same thing.

This is a psychological mind fuck. I wasn't expecting this.

I think I need to talk to him again before the surgery.

Oh, I just remembered that I have more cleavage than I otherwise would based on chest size because my sternum is indented. Ignore me.

I'm sorry you've had all these shitty experiences that are now making you nervous. I hope talking to the doctor again helps, and just think - once this is all done, no more stupid VS comments!

[pamela]

I don't think you can judge what a bra size is going to look like based on a sports bra, they are squished down by definition. A 32C is sort of small just because the band size is so small. But, if you're a small framed person that the 32 band size fits on, the associated C isn't really that small. It's proportional.

[birdietoldme]

In my personal experience, surgeons call C cups, D cups a universal thing (as if boobs are on a wall) and don't factor in band size. I was a 32G before surgery and my surgeon didn't believe me. MOST people do not know how to properly size bras. I think you should bring in pictures/bras rather than discussing "32C." I was reduced down to a "C/D" but after surgery I was a 32DD. That sounds really big still (mine was also a desperately needed lift) but not when you factor in the band size. A 32DD is basically a 36C.

[wambam]

Jan 23, 2014 15:06:13 GMT -5 birdietoldme said:

In my personal experience, surgeons call C cups, D cups a universal thing (as if boobs are on a wall) and don't factor in band size. I was a 32G before surgery and my surgeon didn't believe me. MOST people do not know how to properly size bras. I think you should bring in pictures/bras rather than discussing "32C." I was reduced down to a "C/D" but after surgery I was a 32DD. That sounds really big still (mine was also a desperately needed lift) but not when you factor in the band size. A 32DD is basically a 36C.

YOU UNDERSTAND ME.

This is exactly what I'm worried about. 

[birdietoldme]

Jan 23, 2014 15:20:07 GMT -5 wambam said:

Jan 23, 2014 15:06:13 GMT -5 birdietoldme said:

In my personal experience, surgeons call C cups, D cups a universal thing (as if boobs are on a wall) and don't factor in band size. I was a 32G before surgery and my surgeon didn't believe me. MOST people do not know how to properly size bras. I think you should bring in pictures/bras rather than discussing "32C." I was reduced down to a "C/D" but after surgery I was a 32DD. That sounds really big still (mine was also a desperately needed lift) but not when you factor in the band size. A 32DD is basically a 36C.

YOU UNDERSTAND ME.

This is exactly what I'm worried about. 

I really feel like doctors talk in cup sizes in reference to a 36 band.  We all know that a 32C is not at all the same as a 36C but they don't seem to get that.  I really lectured my doctor on not going too small.  I gained some weight after my surgery and I have huge boobs again.  They looked GREAT when I was skinny so now I'm doing WW again.  If you really want to make sure that he doesn't keep them too big, definitely bring in pictures and bras.  I'm guessing that your doctor will understand that you're asking for a "B cup" after another consultation and not a "32D."  Good luck!  I know it's nerve wracking.  My doctor refused to guarantee cup size which is understandable because bras do vary but just try to be as clear as you can.  I should have gone smaller.

[ebeth]

Bottom line is that it sounds like you aren't 100% comfortable that you are on the same page with MD. So talk to her again. Even if the end result is the same you want to go in feeling good n confident.