Mammoirs™
What is a mammoir? It's a record made about breasts written by someone who has some intimate knowledge of them. Mammoirs can touch on anything having to do with "the girls." It might be an observation, frustration, or celebration of the breast in your life. Share yours here, or read the very breast below!
Click here to share your own.
I remember wearing my Cadette and Senior Girl Scout Uniform and wondering who they designed them for. There were darts in the vests to accomodate your breasts - however - if you wanted the vest to fit your smaller breasts, you had to be a size 4 or 6. If you wore a 10 or 12 - then you had to suffer through having darts that accomodated the large breasts you didn't have. Not sure who they were trying to fit (obviously not 7-12 grade girls), but it was rather disconcerting and embarrassing.
34b/c
40
American
I never really gave much thought to my breasts as a woman in my twenties. They were nicely shaped, a size I liked and all the men I was ever involved with loved them. They could look sporty, or due to my small ribcage, they could look very voluptuous if I chose to wear something skin tight.
All of this changed after being pregnant and nursing my son (who is now ten). All of a sudden my breasts were an issue. They hung limply and flat against my chest. I asked every single Mom I could find when their breasts came back. Some said after ayear or so, some said never. I waited and hoped for change. I waited and waited. Two years went by and there was no change. They looked like two dog teats hanging on my chest. I was so angry at how unfair that was. I was a great Mom. I chose to nurse. I loved my new found motherhood. I put push ups in all my dresses. I bought push up bras. I tried to ignore how absurd my breasts looked doing doggie style with my husband (pun intended).
The defining moment finally came. I put on an evening gown that I had had pushups sewn into but when I "pushed them up" my breasts just sunk into the push ups. There wasn't even a push up option anymore. "Thats it!" I screamed across the closet to my husband, "I'm getting implants!"
I made the appointment the next day and scheduled myself for implants and a partial lift. Then I spent the next three appointments agonizing over which size to choose. I brought in sweaters, t shirts, work out shirts, dresses. Everything I could to determine which size implants would 1. be close to what I had before 2. fill out the skin so that the strech marks wouldn't show (I had so much extra skin, that if I wasn't having a partial lift, I would need implants bigger than Pamela Anderson's to fill out my breasts!)
So now its nearly 8 years later. I had a great doctor, who was a fanatic for no scars. My breasts have become again what I originally had and wanted back. A non issue. I put them in a piece of clothing and they look fine. No thinking involved. I can look voluptuous if I wear something extra tight, or I can look fairly sporty if I wear a T.
By the way, my husband through all of this, always told me I was beautiful and didnt need to change or fix anything. What a guy!
But, PS. I get screaming mad at the inferences about women with implants. Especially from men. If their testicles fell 6 inches just because they fathered a baby, I think they would have a lot more empathy for the decision those of us make to restore what was rightfully ours in the first place. The personal relationship we have with our own breasts.
All of this changed after being pregnant and nursing my son (who is now ten). All of a sudden my breasts were an issue. They hung limply and flat against my chest. I asked every single Mom I could find when their breasts came back. Some said after ayear or so, some said never. I waited and hoped for change. I waited and waited. Two years went by and there was no change. They looked like two dog teats hanging on my chest. I was so angry at how unfair that was. I was a great Mom. I chose to nurse. I loved my new found motherhood. I put push ups in all my dresses. I bought push up bras. I tried to ignore how absurd my breasts looked doing doggie style with my husband (pun intended).
The defining moment finally came. I put on an evening gown that I had had pushups sewn into but when I "pushed them up" my breasts just sunk into the push ups. There wasn't even a push up option anymore. "Thats it!" I screamed across the closet to my husband, "I'm getting implants!"
I made the appointment the next day and scheduled myself for implants and a partial lift. Then I spent the next three appointments agonizing over which size to choose. I brought in sweaters, t shirts, work out shirts, dresses. Everything I could to determine which size implants would 1. be close to what I had before 2. fill out the skin so that the strech marks wouldn't show (I had so much extra skin, that if I wasn't having a partial lift, I would need implants bigger than Pamela Anderson's to fill out my breasts!)
So now its nearly 8 years later. I had a great doctor, who was a fanatic for no scars. My breasts have become again what I originally had and wanted back. A non issue. I put them in a piece of clothing and they look fine. No thinking involved. I can look voluptuous if I wear something extra tight, or I can look fairly sporty if I wear a T.
By the way, my husband through all of this, always told me I was beautiful and didnt need to change or fix anything. What a guy!
But, PS. I get screaming mad at the inferences about women with implants. Especially from men. If their testicles fell 6 inches just because they fathered a baby, I think they would have a lot more empathy for the decision those of us make to restore what was rightfully ours in the first place. The personal relationship we have with our own breasts.
D
45
I just went from an AA to an AAA, and now the only bras I have that fit me properly are my sports bras. Sometime back I had my laundry piling up and I didn't have any bras left, so I decided to go to college without wearing any. I felt very naughty the rest of the day!.....I think I'll do it again ;)
32AAA
23
I remember being really proud of my budding breasts. I was 10, and I used to sit up straight in class with my chest sticking out. I got my first bra at 11, when my mum decided I probably needed one. There was no discussion of what size I would need, and she didn't take me for a fitting, just bought me a couple of 32A bras. I had no idea how bra sizes worked back then, so I thought it meant 32" bust. When I started buying my own bras, I went up to 34A instead of 32B (because my bust had grown to 34 inches) and carried on getting bigger band sizes until I reached 36C, at which point I realised that something wasn't quite right! I decided to find out what size I should really be wearing, and ended up in a 32DD! I should have stayed a 32 all along!
30E
24
British
I developed early - by the age of nine and a half I was wearing and filling a 34b bra and things just went on from there. I hoped when I reached menopause that they would shrink a bit, but that has not happened. I'm only 5 feet four as well. My husband loves them though.
36JJ
52
Scottish
I've always been quite shy about my breasts. Especially after a year-long crush called them "mosquito bites," and the taunt was such a success it continued at college. But then I got a boyfriend. First time he ever touched me I was terrified about what he thought, but did not dare to ask him. About a month later, lying in bed together, he told me that he would never tire of my body, especially because of my chest-feature. I thought he was being sarcastic, but then he went on about how marvellously perfect they were, because they were the size they were. He never stopped reminding me to this day, now our relationship almost a year old. He also prefers me without a bra, with no make-up and a big smile. I could never wear any of those with pride, if it hadn't been for him.
34B
27
I am very short wasted.I have breast lump under left armpit. It's ok per the dr. This makes it extremely uncomfortable to try to wear underwire bras. Many people tell me to just try it but I cant. Any suggestions of cute, sexy bras w/o underwires for large breated women. [Hi. The Boob Lady suggests you visit one of the many on-line bra retailers like Bare Necessities, http://www.barenecessities.com/, and search for "soft cup bras." There are a few out there that fit your description!]
44DD
45
white
I was embarassed of them at first, youngest in my class, developed early.. I remember my Mom telling me I "needed to wear one now" and I didn't want anything to do with it, but would just wear it anyway.
36 C/D
23
When I was younger, yes, I felt like I was less of a woman for being so flat. Then I learned that my nipples were dark & lovely compared to most which thrilled me. An ex called 'em "perfect" once they were their lovely B shape. Does it get better than that??
34A/B
34
My husband tells me that more than a handful is a waste – so loves me the way I am. However, while working in television news, a cocky sports anchorman once told me that I should take off my shoulder pads (in the ‘80s) and put them in my bra – and I’d probably get an on-air position. I couldn’t believe he’d said that to me – but just laughed it off. He’s dead now.
36B
46
I was absolutely terrified/embarrassed/kind of mad about getting breasts. I remember going with my mom to get my first “training bra” and being absolutely mortified, and grabbing whatever looked the LEAST like a bra. It took until college before I was comfortable enough to not blush in the bra department.
36C
22
I was very excited about getting breasts. I couldn't wait for mine. I thought breasts were great. When mine came in, I was dissappointed. They weren't the same size and they both hung down. I wanted perky ones, the same size. The larger one hung much lower than the smaller one. I thought it was some cruel joke by God. Later, when I breast fed my children, I realized their worth.
36C
50
When I was 10 years old, I told my grandmother that when I grew up I would not breastfeed my children because I didn't want my boobs to sag. She whipped out her breast and said: "I've nursed 8 children, now does this look like a sagging boob to you?" Without hardly looking, I said "No, Grandma." Needless to say, we are a generation of nursing mothers.
40
When my son was breastfeeding, he had a habit of reaching up, grabbing my hair and twirling it around his finger as he was feeding. It became "a thing" he did, whether or not he was breastfeeding. It was really sweet. He then started to twist his own hair for comfort. Funnilly enough, my husband pointed out that it is a habit of mine too. Often in the car, we would both be staring out the window, twirling our hair.
36C
36
Breasts come in all shapes. They should consider designing cups with at least 10 basic shapes. In addition they should also consider different types of straps [fabric and measurements] determined by the weight of the breasts.
36D
24
As much as I love my boobs and consider them my best feature, I hated not being able to find a bra that didn't hurt by the end of the day if I lasted that long. I was constantly buying various brands of bras, only to discard them after one or two wears because I was in agony. That included being "fitted" by so-called experts. Some of the worst models of bra I tried were the molded-cup variety popular with American women.
Then I read about an English shop called Rigby & Peller that doesn't use a tape measure because the result is inaccurate (non-elastic tape measure versus elastic bands) and every woman's body and breast shape is different. Their fitters are trained to fit a woman by sight. R&P have been responsible for cladding Her Majesty's girls for over 40 years, so I plucked up the courage to walk into Rigby & Peller when I was in London in 2006 on vacation. The experience was worth the airfare alone. For the first time since putting on my first bra at age 9, I own truly comfortable bras and they're beautiful, too. Give me the European nipple-showing kind anytime instead of those ridiculous molded-cup torture devices.
I wear Prima Donna (company founded in 1865) at a cost of about $120 apiece, which is still much cheaper in the long run than the hit-and-miss method of buying cheaper bras trying to find the right size and fit.
Then I read about an English shop called Rigby & Peller that doesn't use a tape measure because the result is inaccurate (non-elastic tape measure versus elastic bands) and every woman's body and breast shape is different. Their fitters are trained to fit a woman by sight. R&P have been responsible for cladding Her Majesty's girls for over 40 years, so I plucked up the courage to walk into Rigby & Peller when I was in London in 2006 on vacation. The experience was worth the airfare alone. For the first time since putting on my first bra at age 9, I own truly comfortable bras and they're beautiful, too. Give me the European nipple-showing kind anytime instead of those ridiculous molded-cup torture devices.
I wear Prima Donna (company founded in 1865) at a cost of about $120 apiece, which is still much cheaper in the long run than the hit-and-miss method of buying cheaper bras trying to find the right size and fit.
42E/F
35
American
Playing basketball in high school, if I trained them right they could help me defend the ball. I could use my hands to dribble and my breasts could assault the opponent and I rarely would get called for a foul.
36D
48
I hated my boobs when I was younger. I developed early (was wearing a bra by 4th grade) and hated that I looked different than most of the girls in my grade. I also played sports year-round, and my burgeoning bosom often got in the way. My mother would always say, "You'll love 'em when you're older." Well, she was partially right. My height peaked at 5'4, so my boobs seemed out of proportion with the rest of my body. They were a great asset for a night out in college, and my three roommates used to ask if I could get a reduction and donate some boob to each of them. I had plenty to spare! I wore a DD at that time, and felt slightly embarassed about that. I think I was in denial at that point because I was often spilling out of my bra. I've been adjusting my boobs on a daily basis while wearing an uncomfortable bra for many years. I just thought that was the plight of big boobed women. A few months ago, I went into a department store for a fitting on a whim. Turns out I was in denial. The woman in the fitting room measured me and returned with a bra. I looked at the tag and gasped when I saw that it said 34G. When I put on a bra that actually fit, I was in shock! I didn't realize I could comfortably wear my big boobs. I'm actually excited about this summer because, for the first time in many years, I have a bikini top that fits me well. After years of embarassment and bathing suit frustrations, I love my big boobs!
34G/34DDDD
25
American (of Italian
Oh the joys of cystic breasts - every year I have a mammogram and every year I spend about an hour being manipulated by the great claw - then a couple of days later I have to return to do it all over again. I have become a pro at staying calm while they figure out if I have breast cancer or not. Cystic breasts are always tender and sometimes they just hurt like crazy.
36DD
48
American
I've been thinking about nipples a lot after seeing the Sex and the City episode with the falsies again. I must admit I love mine and day-dream about strutting around with them out and about so proudly. I enjoy it when I catch men looking at them on the bus. If you got them, why not flaunt them, right?
32B
26
The left side started first. And I thought I had cancer, because I’d stolen a cigarette from my mom’s purse during the summer and smoked it in a bathroom at the mall with a girlfriend. I was terrified for months, and didn’t tell anyone. Finally, the second one began to grow – and I realized it was normal!!
36B
46
American
When I finished nursing my third and final child I took myself straight to Victoria's Secret to buy the fanciest, frilliest, sexiest bra I could find. They didn't have ANYTHING that fit my diminshed "girls." I was sad.
32C
47
American
I was 15 when my breasts really started to get noticed. I remember sitting in math class and the boys were coming up to me with a ruler and trying to measure them. I was mortified! I started to walk with my shoulders slumped because I felt like it made them look smaller.
34D
28
I was in the hospital with my first child and was just learning to breast feed. My husband and I had moved here from several hundred miles away and I was a little lonely since we didn't have any family close.
Unexpectedly, in walked my brother-in-law. He was traveling on business and had been able to make an over night stop to visit with his new niece. We sat and visited for about 30 minutes and it was great to have some family to talk to.
Shelly was starting to fuss and I knew it was time to feed her again. I looked at my brother-in-law and made a decision... They were only milk bottles and he had kids of his own. I told him that I needed to feed Shelly. But, it was OK if he stayed.
He handed Shelly to me and I took a deep breath, pulled my tee shirt up and exposed my breast. It felt really strange to do this at first. No man - other than my huspand - had ever seen my breasts in anything other than a sexual context.
My brother-in-law just sat back down and kept on talking. He didn't stare at me. He did share some stories about how his wife struggled at first to breast feed and shared some of the "tips" from their experiences.
His visit took alot of the fear out of breast feeding in public. Aside from coming half way across the country to vist with me when I needed to see some family, he has given Shelly and me a really nice gift.
Because of this experience, breast feeding became much more comfortable and I was able to keep it up (and really enjoy it) for the next 7 months. Who would have thought that a guy would be one of my best breast feeding coaches.
Unexpectedly, in walked my brother-in-law. He was traveling on business and had been able to make an over night stop to visit with his new niece. We sat and visited for about 30 minutes and it was great to have some family to talk to.
Shelly was starting to fuss and I knew it was time to feed her again. I looked at my brother-in-law and made a decision... They were only milk bottles and he had kids of his own. I told him that I needed to feed Shelly. But, it was OK if he stayed.
He handed Shelly to me and I took a deep breath, pulled my tee shirt up and exposed my breast. It felt really strange to do this at first. No man - other than my huspand - had ever seen my breasts in anything other than a sexual context.
My brother-in-law just sat back down and kept on talking. He didn't stare at me. He did share some stories about how his wife struggled at first to breast feed and shared some of the "tips" from their experiences.
His visit took alot of the fear out of breast feeding in public. Aside from coming half way across the country to vist with me when I needed to see some family, he has given Shelly and me a really nice gift.
Because of this experience, breast feeding became much more comfortable and I was able to keep it up (and really enjoy it) for the next 7 months. Who would have thought that a guy would be one of my best breast feeding coaches.
C
22
USA/IL
I am generally a B size but when I am 3 days from my period, I grow an entire cup size. My boyfriend teases me and "knows" when my period is coming because he'll say that his hands are shrinking. :)
34B/C
41
Burner
I was so embarrassed when without any prior discussion and certainly without any prompting on my part , mum gave me a bra as a 12th birthday present. When I gave her an embarrased look, she just something like "I thought you might want to start wearing one soon". In fact nothing was further from the truth!
A few of my classmates had developed enough to start wearing bras during our final year in primary school (much to the amusement of some of the boys), but I was still flat-chested as I started secondary school. To be truthful I was quite happy to stay that way as I was a bit of a tomboy and wasn't in any hurry to 'grow up'.
By the Christmas of that year my chest began to show the first signs of changing. My nipples became a little more pronounced, but this was only really noticable when I was undressed. With my clothes on you couldn't really notice anything.
By the time I reached my birthday in May, my buds had grown a little more, but not to the extent that I felt I needed anything other than a vest under my shirts, so as I said it came as quite a shock when mum presented me with a bra. When I tried it on I hated the way it seemed to emphasize my shape when what I really wanted to do was hide it. So for the remainder of the school year the bra stayed firmly in the bottom of my drawer and to be fair to mum she never mentioned it.
During the summer holidays I started to become more self concious about my chest as with some of my summer tops some movement was evident even with a vest underneath. On some occasions I even wore one of my old bikini tops under my T shirt to flatten everything down!
When it was time to go back to school, although my normal uniform was shapeless enough to hide my developing figure, the PE kit was a different matter. so mum suggested that it really was time I started to wear a bra. As it happened I wasn't alone in that respect, most of the girls seemed to be wearing them when we got back to school.
A few of my classmates had developed enough to start wearing bras during our final year in primary school (much to the amusement of some of the boys), but I was still flat-chested as I started secondary school. To be truthful I was quite happy to stay that way as I was a bit of a tomboy and wasn't in any hurry to 'grow up'.
By the Christmas of that year my chest began to show the first signs of changing. My nipples became a little more pronounced, but this was only really noticable when I was undressed. With my clothes on you couldn't really notice anything.
By the time I reached my birthday in May, my buds had grown a little more, but not to the extent that I felt I needed anything other than a vest under my shirts, so as I said it came as quite a shock when mum presented me with a bra. When I tried it on I hated the way it seemed to emphasize my shape when what I really wanted to do was hide it. So for the remainder of the school year the bra stayed firmly in the bottom of my drawer and to be fair to mum she never mentioned it.
During the summer holidays I started to become more self concious about my chest as with some of my summer tops some movement was evident even with a vest underneath. On some occasions I even wore one of my old bikini tops under my T shirt to flatten everything down!
When it was time to go back to school, although my normal uniform was shapeless enough to hide my developing figure, the PE kit was a different matter. so mum suggested that it really was time I started to wear a bra. As it happened I wasn't alone in that respect, most of the girls seemed to be wearing them when we got back to school.
34B
47
British
My first bathing suit memory was a “Dune Deck” brand swimsuit. Although it was a suit for young small bodies, they had darts for breasts, even though my best friend and I didn’t have them. One day we came up with the brilliant idea to supplement our lack of endowment with puffs of toilet paper. We showed them off with pride. Unfortunately, after a while we decided to take a swim, and had gobs of toilet paper floating into the pool. Not knowing what to do with it, we swam under water, came up and deposited the wads on the side of the pool, and did an underwater escape to the other side of the pool.
36C/D
46
Jewish
I was a tomboy and NEVER wanted to wear a bra. My first bra arrived in my Christmas stocking at age 12. I was appalled and threw it across the room at my mother and screamed “I will never wear a bra!” My Mom had huge breasts – 36DD – and when she was young she used to tape them down because it was the rage to be flat-chested.
36B/none
55
As a teenager at a Junior High, I have had many jokes cracked about my large "breasticles" from immature boys. In the 7th grade, I was a D, on the verge of becoming a DD. For a long time I was uncomfortable with my body (as many teenage girls are) but have recently accepted that I am myself and I'm a healthy weight, therefore I'm the way I should be. But it still hurt when I was younger. I've had breasts since I was in the 3rd grade; I bloomed young and large and many of the boys I've known since then have always made jokes about it.
This year the on-going joke is that I have a monster in my cleavage named Helga, that eats everything that goes down my shirt. I laugh about it, yet it still hurts a little. I was told last year by a "popular" guy at my schoolthat the only reason any of the guys in his group knew who I was was because I had big boobs. I'm the "nerd chick with the big tits." That was what really made me feel self-concious about my breasts.
I'm a very active girl, I play soccer and sprint in track. I know a lot of girls who will flinch from blocking the ball with their chests, and who are much smaller in the bust than I am, yet I will openly "chest" the ball. I have actually been told by a friend that I'd be a much faster sprinter if I had a breast reduction. Now that one hurt me. There is nothing that I can do, apart from surgically modifying my body, to fix that. I do my best, I wear my regular bra, a sports bra and a bralette in a camisole underneath my regular clothes.
I've realized that my breasts are porportional to my body, and I'd look strange with out them, they've become part of my identity, for better and for worse.
I'm proud of my boobies, many women pay thousands of dollars for them, and I got them naturally.
This year the on-going joke is that I have a monster in my cleavage named Helga, that eats everything that goes down my shirt. I laugh about it, yet it still hurts a little. I was told last year by a "popular" guy at my schoolthat the only reason any of the guys in his group knew who I was was because I had big boobs. I'm the "nerd chick with the big tits." That was what really made me feel self-concious about my breasts.
I'm a very active girl, I play soccer and sprint in track. I know a lot of girls who will flinch from blocking the ball with their chests, and who are much smaller in the bust than I am, yet I will openly "chest" the ball. I have actually been told by a friend that I'd be a much faster sprinter if I had a breast reduction. Now that one hurt me. There is nothing that I can do, apart from surgically modifying my body, to fix that. I do my best, I wear my regular bra, a sports bra and a bralette in a camisole underneath my regular clothes.
I've realized that my breasts are porportional to my body, and I'd look strange with out them, they've become part of my identity, for better and for worse.
I'm proud of my boobies, many women pay thousands of dollars for them, and I got them naturally.
34DD
14
I have large breasts and developed early. My mother seemed unsure how to deal with me around it. We'd go shopping to pick out back to school clothes, and she'd buy me something that was cute and showed some cleavage. But then, often when I'd actually put the top on at home, she'd tell me it was too revealing and I couldn't wear it out in public. I think that I learned to become ashamed of showing cleavage. It took me a long time to get over that. I know my mom was probably trying to protect me, but it just ended up being confusing
36DD
42
I don't really have an interesting story, but I do have something really nice to share that would be applicable to those who have had breast cancer and a mastectomy. Check this out--you can knit your own prosthetic breasts: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall05/PATTbits.html. I think this is just fabulous! The creator of the pattern also sells them at http://www.titbits.ca/.
34C
31
Everyone seems to find a locus of insecurity within their bodies. For me, the enemy is the ass. Together, my boobs and I fight the ass. My job is to not eat another donut. My boobs' job is to create a visual counterpoint to the ass...a little comeback up top. And I must comment them - they do a pretty good job of keeping up with The Bunses. I would almost argue that a woman's breasts cannot be considered outside of the context of their relationship to her ass. These two pairs of protuberances are engaged in a lifetime conversation without ever meeting face to face. (Thank goodness for that!)
34C
32
I think the whole science of bra engineering is like so many things --- take birth control for example. If men had to wear 'em, these problems would have received more attention long ago.
36C
56
American
In my early 20's I went out bra shopping one day and returned home almost in tears because I hadn't found anything that fit me. I finally gave up and decided to go into a specialty bra shop to be fitted. I walked in the door and the sales lady looked at me and said "32E". I almost fell over and told her there was no way. She insisted that I would fit a 32E and pulled one off the rack. I looked at it and thought there's no way, I could use this as a hat!. Never the less, I went into the fitting room and put it on. It fit, it was the best fit I'd ever found. The salelady laughed with me when I told her I'd been wearing a 36C. She told me there was no wonder why I couldn't find something to fit right.
Now, after two kids, I'm up to a 34G and I'm still having to spend a good $100 if I want a bra that fits right, and forget about nursing bras, I buy them too big around and then alter them. I was out shopping in a department store with my three year old and 7 month old daughters the other day though and my oldest asked me if I was going to buy a bra. I laughed and told her there was no way I'd fit a bra there and that it wasn't going to happen until I gave away my boobs. I was greeted with a shocked and dismayed expression and "But you can't give them away! My baby brother might need them!"
I had to reassure her that I would keep them until I had finished feeding any babies I may have in the future so if she did get a baby brother he'd have his turn too.
Now, after two kids, I'm up to a 34G and I'm still having to spend a good $100 if I want a bra that fits right, and forget about nursing bras, I buy them too big around and then alter them. I was out shopping in a department store with my three year old and 7 month old daughters the other day though and my oldest asked me if I was going to buy a bra. I laughed and told her there was no way I'd fit a bra there and that it wasn't going to happen until I gave away my boobs. I was greeted with a shocked and dismayed expression and "But you can't give them away! My baby brother might need them!"
I had to reassure her that I would keep them until I had finished feeding any babies I may have in the future so if she did get a baby brother he'd have his turn too.
34G
27
Canadian
I developed early and, at that time, many of my friends were Japanese American like me. As we know, most Japanese are pretty flat-chested, so not only was I different than my other Japanese friends, I developed early and since my mother did not talk about anything sexual or about your body, I felt isolated. I felt boys were looking at them like they were an oddity.
34DD
48
Japanese/American
I hate underwire bras. I just can't stand them. I wish that manufacturers would realize some women can't cope with it (usually smaller breasted women like myself) and not confine their prettier or sexier styles to underwire only bras. We non-underwire bra buyers like lace and ribbons too!!
36C
33
USA
My boobs are uneven by a whole cup size, I call them big boob and little boob. I love them equally, of course. Little boobs could (with a partner in crime) get away without a bra, and wear those tiny handkerchief tops in the summer. Big boob could (with a partner in crime) get away with that neckline, and i would be no longer bottom-heavy.
The day I got my nipple pierced, i failed to think through which boob would be adorned... And so I further lopsided myself by getting big boob pierced. Not by coincidence, I decided.
Viva uneven boobs!
The day I got my nipple pierced, i failed to think through which boob would be adorned... And so I further lopsided myself by getting big boob pierced. Not by coincidence, I decided.
Viva uneven boobs!
32C/B
20
UK
When I was 23 my breasts dropped a little. (I had very perky breasts up until then.) I remember looking in the mirror and I was so shocked and distraught I couldn’t believe this happened. I talked about it for days to my best friend and to my boyfriend at the time. My boyfriend said something very nice and sensitive. He said, “I think they look better. Now you just look more like a woman, more mature.” So he made me look at them differently and I learned to like them.
36D
30
African American
Boobs are fun! Great big boobs are kind of scary sometimes, but they're just so darned unique and interesting. I think I used the power of my super-knockers for good. I'm sure boys started off shy, but my (girl) friends and I just laughed about them and behaved normally. Because of us, there are some men out there today who are less afraid of boobs then they would have been otherwise. As for my current, less intimidating yet still pretty eye-catching boobs, what the heck? They're great! I love them. It's like I always have company, even when I'm all alone.
32H>34DD
25
My dad tells the story of the time he was giving me a bath when I was three, and I looked down at my chest, tapped my nipples with the ends of my fingers, and asked, "When am I going to get.... bumples, like Mommy?"
Apparently he said something like "be patient," or "some day" - but it was all a lie. I finally had to go out and buy some!
Apparently he said something like "be patient," or "some day" - but it was all a lie. I finally had to go out and buy some!
34C
35
Fortunately for me, I have "ins" to the boob world. The bOOb lady told me to go get a fitting and that I would be surprised. Imagine my delight when I found out that there was a reason all my bras totally sucked, no matter how cute I thought they were. I was wearing a 36C when I was actually a 32D! I've spent my whole life being jealous of my mom's well-endowed chest, so I wear these numbers with pride. I'll confess that I've even had it measured again because I couldn't believe it. I bought all new lingerie and now I walk around feeling like I got a freebie boob job. Religion is supposed to change your life, but if you're short on time, go to Nordy's and get fitted. You'll thank me.
32D
29
I come from a long line of large breated women. I was a full C at the end of High School and they continued to grow for many years thereafter. My mom always told me that "they" will always enter a room before YOU do. Just follow them and be proud.
36E
38
Polish
I'm 19 and relatively shy about my body, everyone has their own insecurities right? But in the past few years things have gotten far better for me and I am finally starting to find pride in all the little inconsistancies with it. Like my lopsided chest. I was an extremely early developer, by the age of 11 I was already verging on a B cup. I was always so very self concious. And then I noticed that my right breast was developing a lot faster than my left, I think I may have been 14. I started to worry that the other would never catch up, in fact it never really did. My right side has ended up as a 36c, where as my left side is a 36b, I was extremely self concious of anyone ever seeing me naked. Gradually I started to accept the way I looked and began to feel less embarassed by my lopsided chest.
But the real condifence boost came with one little comment from a boy. He claimed to not have noticed the fact that one breast was smaller than the other untill I pointed it out, and then he horrified me by making a big show of looking at it extensively and comparing it to the other in a sort of mock serious joking manner. The fact that he made a joke out of my insecurity caused my temper to flare slightly, but the comment was so totally disarming and reassuring that I couldn't help but hug him "Aww, why hate it? Its cute, it makes you unique, it makes you, *you*"
Just goes to show how much harsher we are on ourselves when it comes to our own bodies.
But the real condifence boost came with one little comment from a boy. He claimed to not have noticed the fact that one breast was smaller than the other untill I pointed it out, and then he horrified me by making a big show of looking at it extensively and comparing it to the other in a sort of mock serious joking manner. The fact that he made a joke out of my insecurity caused my temper to flare slightly, but the comment was so totally disarming and reassuring that I couldn't help but hug him "Aww, why hate it? Its cute, it makes you unique, it makes you, *you*"
Just goes to show how much harsher we are on ourselves when it comes to our own bodies.
36/B, C
19
I was very excited about getting breasts. I couldn’t wait for mine. I thought breasts were great. When mine came in, I was disappointed. They weren’t the same size and they both hung down. I wanted perky ones, the same size. The larger one hung much lower than the smaller one. I thought it as some cruel joke by God. Later, when I breastfed my children, I realized their worth.
36C
50
When I was 11 and only up to a B or C, I was on the Boys and Girls Club wrestling team. I was the only girl. At first the boys were nervous, but putting someone in a choke-hold is a great ice-breaker. Lack of oxygen is a fantastic distraction from your, uh, distractions.
That was about the last sport I did. By high-school, I opted not to participate in phys-ed. I was informed by the beauracracy that phys-ed was a requirement, at which point I instructed them to look at my boobs and then decide if I should really be doing jumping jacks with high-school boys. Also, I was probably an insurance liability. I could have given myself a concussion. Telling the principal to look at your gigantic jugs when you are 14 years old is a really quick way of ending a discussion. I won.
That was about the last sport I did. By high-school, I opted not to participate in phys-ed. I was informed by the beauracracy that phys-ed was a requirement, at which point I instructed them to look at my boobs and then decide if I should really be doing jumping jacks with high-school boys. Also, I was probably an insurance liability. I could have given myself a concussion. Telling the principal to look at your gigantic jugs when you are 14 years old is a really quick way of ending a discussion. I won.
32H
25
When i bought my first bra entering the 6th grade i found the size "AA" fit me very well. From that day on my mom and i jokingly named me "battery boobs." Im glad they've grown since then :)
34B
17
By getting older My breasts became bigger and even recently I had to change my bras.
95DD (36DD US)
38
Belgium
I definitely recall [my first bra] shopping expedition as I was embarrassed to be trying on bras…didn’t want the lady who was helping us to see me with my shirt off…it was not fun!! Also, when my mom instructed me to lean down and pull my breasts up into the cup…I realized how silly that was, given my lack of anything to “lift and separate!” I really didn’t get any breasts worth discussing until my first pregnancy at age 24.
38C
48
Six months ago a lump was found forming in my left breast. Breast cancer runs in my family at a young age. I was so scared when I found it. Because of my age doctors didn't want to bother themselves with me, they said I was too young to have anything resembling cancer. I may only be 19, but I know my breasts, and I know what is right and what is not. I pushed for medical treatment. The lump was eventually found to be benign, but they were worried. I just had my second mammogram. I cried the whole way home. I'm in the clear.
I never thought you could cry so hard because you were so happy.
I never thought you could cry so hard because you were so happy.
36B/C
19
[When buying a swimsuit] I had nothing to fill the cups with. If I lay on my tummy, I had to make sure that the mostly empty cups weren’t inverted when I rolled over.
none
53
All my life men have stared at my breasts, and most have considered my breasts to be my best feature. Two years ago, I started dating a man who likes my muscular legs, and thinks I have "cute little breasts." Apparently he has dated a number of women with enormous breasts, so my double D's seem small, which he doesn't mind at all. For the first time, I'm with a man who is not focused on my breasts, and I love it.
36DD
61
I was so excited to get boobs. I was 11 and noticed a lump on my left side. My parents took me to the peditrician, who reassured me my breasts were just beginning to develop. I was so excited. Well, nothing much developed. I was always embarrassed about them in locker rooms, bra fittings, beaches etc, despite some very appreciative boyfriends. Then I had a baby, and nursed him into a robust, healthy toddler. Now my previously perky, firm but small breasts are flat and the nipples sag, but the experience of nursing my child forever changed the way I feel about my breasts. Now I am grateful to them, and appreciate them as the beautiful, functional, miraculous gifts that they are. Talk about empowering! We are all entitled to our own choices and the emotions behind them can be complex, but I feel sad for women who choose not to breastfeed their children out of concern for how it will change the way their breasts look - it's what they're for, after all!
32C
35
With an averageish build and decent proportions, I’d like my boobs to be a touch smaller (something my husband does not get) in other words, HEY GIRLS, I’d like to keep a blouse buttoned! I’ve given up. If they fit in the shoulders, they gap or pop at the chest. If they fit in the chest, they swim on my shoulders. And they aren’t abnormal.
34D
43
I have had cysts, usually within my cycle. only scary once in college. As an older woman, I've only had one mammogram "call-back" and it was plenty scary. I check my breasts regularly but they are dense and seem lumpy. I wish I understood better what "normal" feels like!
36DD
48
My breasts took too long to develop. It was a constant question - when would they get bigger? I read all those ads in the back of magazines about how to get bigger boobs, did those dumb exercises, etc. Then, they were perfect, around sophomore year in high school. Everything was perfect, and stayed that way until my second child.
34B
52
In the 60's, a friend worked in a Playboy club. The drinks had to be served 'Bunny' style, where the hand went behind the shoulder so the guy got the full cleavage effect as you bent backwards. Classy. She had small breasts, and was pushed up to the max. One time as she was serving, her nipple popped out of her costume - sticking straight up towards her chin.
Guy
57
[When I developed]I honestly had nothing to fill a bra but felt it was time and I begged my Mom to go with me and get one. I was probably a “AA” and couldn’t have been prouder to be in Victoria’s Secret, what I felt to be the most elegant store in the entire world. My mother just told me that I needed to not let the women at the store measure me because they were always incorrect.
34B
19
My first bra was an embarrassing experience, although I wanted one. My mom was uncomfortable with the subject, and eventually took me to Silverman's discount to get a training bra sometime in junior high. I ended up feeling somehow dirty, because of mom telegraphing her discomfort. She suggested tweezers, if I sprouted any hair around my nipples like her, and said it was better to be small, because they couldn't sag. She said big women would be jealous eventually, because I would keep my shape.
My best friend was more help, but then I was 2 years younger than my classmates, and was naiive about alot of things. I got picked on for being flat chested, and skinny, and too smart, and being "gay" because I wasn't into boys...so I was scared of developing and of not developing. Either way, my life was hell. I just wanted to be normal.
Now I am a more secure adult, thanks to a biker-boyfriend who was a very experienced lover, yet protective of me. He had had lots of women: models, hired ones, and so on, but liked that he could hold my breast with one hand, instead of "losing it" once the bra was off. To him they were "just right" to fit his hand, and didn't flop down out of sight! They were also "real". He helped me see myself as worthwhile, not the skinny outcast from high school. He was also very realistic: said that fake boobs felt fake to him, and you could always tell if you knew what to look for. Besides that, everyone is different, and implants wouldn't be "me" if I got 'em. "Just be who you are, it's easier that way." That's what happens when someone likes you for who you are, not for your Hollywood-perfect "twins".
My best friend was more help, but then I was 2 years younger than my classmates, and was naiive about alot of things. I got picked on for being flat chested, and skinny, and too smart, and being "gay" because I wasn't into boys...so I was scared of developing and of not developing. Either way, my life was hell. I just wanted to be normal.
Now I am a more secure adult, thanks to a biker-boyfriend who was a very experienced lover, yet protective of me. He had had lots of women: models, hired ones, and so on, but liked that he could hold my breast with one hand, instead of "losing it" once the bra was off. To him they were "just right" to fit his hand, and didn't flop down out of sight! They were also "real". He helped me see myself as worthwhile, not the skinny outcast from high school. He was also very realistic: said that fake boobs felt fake to him, and you could always tell if you knew what to look for. Besides that, everyone is different, and implants wouldn't be "me" if I got 'em. "Just be who you are, it's easier that way." That's what happens when someone likes you for who you are, not for your Hollywood-perfect "twins".
36A
39
German/Czech
I started developing in the fourth grade. As only once side was sprouting at the time, I thought it odd and went to my mother saying "Something is weird here - this swelling." Days before I had held a pet guinea pig for the first time and my mother thought that perhaps I had been bitten or scratched by it and that caused the swelling. Mother takes me to see father. I'm not embarrassed because I don't know any better. Dad looks, has me cover up, and takes mom off to the side. The next thing I know, I'm standing in the girls' underwear department of the local Pomeroys with my arms up while some saleswoman measures me for my very first TRAINING BRA! Quickly after this I get my very own "Life Cycle Library" encyclopedia set so I can learn about the joys and wonders of my body in the privacy of my bedroom and not embarrass my dad anymore with odd swellings!
38DDD
41
American
I’m smaller than my mother and sister. Growing up in my culture and in Africa, one did not talk openly about breasts and such related topics. Shopping for bras was not the best, lack of choices, availability and sizes. Being heavy and having small breasts made sizing difficult.
36B
49
I first started growing breasts the summer after third grade. By the time I was in sixth grade I was a C cup. This was very upsetting to me since I was already bigger than my mother (a 38B). I've been told it's those darn recessive genes though. Both my grandmothers had large breasts but my girls are still larger than they ever were. While I love being large chested (46F), I hate the back pain, shoulder grooving, neck pain, and trouble finding clothes that fit. Even if I manage to find a cute top or swim suit made for busty women I still spill out of it. Oh well. As soon as I get better insurance I am getting them reduced to a small D. I don't want to loose all my cleaveage although if exasperated enough I will say chop them all off. If you want to find a really comfortable bra in the US go to a Layne Bryant/ Cacique store! They have by far the most comfortable and best made bras on the planet! (Believe me I've tried just about everything). What's more they carry larger size bands for small and large cup sizes and they make sexy looking bras at any size. It's so nice to walk into a store and find they carry your size when so many stop two or three sizes smaller than mine.
46F
26
American
I just remember being very embarrassed and my mom was no help. I think puberty embarrassed her. I was definitely an A cup. I also remember that I really wanted a bra because everyone else had one, not because I needed one. I grew up youngest of three girls, so I wanted to belong. And then of course I hated having to wear a bra.
36B
49
I remember learning to breastfeed my son was difficult, but not because it hurt, but rather my breasts were so big - as big as the little guy's head! I went to the lactation nurse to help me position my son and teach me better ways to hold him to get the nipple in his mouth. It worked and I was able to nurse him until he was 15 months! It was the thing I treasured most: to be able to spend the time with him in a quiet place and bond over the feeding. We would gaze into each others eyes, he would grasp my finger with his little hand and move it around while sucking. I was lucky to have a copious milk supply and no pain while nursing. It was a wonderful experience.
38DD
39
USA
Oh baby, I did swimming in High School. Not really a sport for boobs since you are in a bathing suit the entire time. I distinctly remember (one of my all time embarrassing moments) one day at swim practice when I was a Junior in High School. We were practicing "starts" off the racing block and I was wearing a black suit with turquoise stripes that was a little loose on me, but that was just the style you wore for practice for "drag" in the water. I was diving off the block and when I splashed into the water I realized that my left boob had flown out of my suit mid-dive, mid-air. When my head popped above water my coach, who was already a known pervert and later got "transferred" for biting a friend of mine's butt, said, "Thanks for the show, but a little less skin next time." It was mortifying. So basically the boobs were awkward for swim team. Especially when we had to buy our racing suits which are supposed to be SUPER tight, about two sizes smaller than you normally wear. I had to force them into the suit every time and there was always some boob trying to pop out.
36D
23
French/American
I felt like I lost sensitivity in my nipples when I was breastfeeding. They felt almost numb. Some of the sensation has returned, but they’ve never been the same.
34C
42
Being Asian, I always had tiny boobs, and being also a year ahead in school subjected me to a lot of teasing by my male friends when all the other girls developed breasts. My favorite: "Your boobs remind me of my CD player: two AAs". My own mother encouraged me to use pushup bras (which I did for a while), and I eventually stop being sensitive about the size of my breasts, often taking part in making fun of my lack of boobs myself. However, I became good friends with my breasts only after I became a nudist. I remember one day realizing "Wow, I don't actually NEED to wear a bra! Even when I'm clothed!"
My first bra-less day was filled with discreet playing with my own boobs. It was so fascinating to have them be free range at last. For a while, it hurt to go up and down the stairs, but after a while putting a bra back on felt constricting and horrible. I lived braless ever after, until...
Over the last month, I started noticing my breasts aching, with increased sensitivity in my nipples. I couldn't figure out why, although it didn't feel like something that should be checked out. Then, one day, I looked down and realized that my breasts had almost doubled in size. Finally!
I really thank nudism for allowing me to get comfortable with my body, and especially my breasts. I also thank my breasts for finally deciding to grow so that maybe, just MAYBE, I can finally wear a strapless dress one day.
My first bra-less day was filled with discreet playing with my own boobs. It was so fascinating to have them be free range at last. For a while, it hurt to go up and down the stairs, but after a while putting a bra back on felt constricting and horrible. I lived braless ever after, until...
Over the last month, I started noticing my breasts aching, with increased sensitivity in my nipples. I couldn't figure out why, although it didn't feel like something that should be checked out. Then, one day, I looked down and realized that my breasts had almost doubled in size. Finally!
I really thank nudism for allowing me to get comfortable with my body, and especially my breasts. I also thank my breasts for finally deciding to grow so that maybe, just MAYBE, I can finally wear a strapless dress one day.
Forgot
18
Chinese
I always felt I could get boys to do whatever I wanted once I had breasts. Only stupid-but-funny thing was one day I had breasts and a good friend (guy) asked me if I was on the pill because all of a sudden I had breasts.
32C
45
One of my roommates, who was just beautiful but small breasted, envied me. One day she put on one of my bras and stuffed the cups with socks. She wore a tight tee on top of my socked filled bra and happily went out in public. She even asked me to take a photo of her as a busty woman.
32DD
46
American
My mom had breast cancer and ended up getting reconstructive surgery. Her breasts are different now, different shapes and there are some scars. One implant is tight and hardened. I think she looks beautiful and I love her new-found confidence with her new breasts!
B
37
When buying a swimsuit at any time, my breasts were never an issue. It had more to do with my stomach and thighs, but that's another story.
34D
47
I never really filled out a [swim]suit. Masking tape would have worked just as well. I hated my friends with boobs cause they looked so much better in their suits. I stuck with speedos.
36B
49
I was sent a training bra in the mail in 9th grade and received many anonymous phone calls asking me to buy a bra, much to my devastation. I still don't need a bra, my breasts are as perky as ever - I only wear one to keep my stand-at-attention nipples down, as it attracts too much attention without one. Eat your heart out now girls!!
32B
38
Ironically, many people think lesbians choose to be with women because they have some penis phobia. For me, I’m with a woman because I appreciate what she has that a man doesn’t…breasts! I also take pleasure in knowing that my breasts bring pleasure to my partner.
38C
46
My friends and I have always compared our breasts with each other. I call mine “little guys”… while another girlfriend – who is an F – tells me I can have ALL of hers. All my small chested friends want big boobs, and vice versa. Funny how that always turns out.
34B
19
American
I ordered two of my absolute favorite minimizing bras, and they came yesterday, and once I got home from work I put one of them on and I was like "There is absolutely no better feeling IN THE WORLD than putting on a brand new, super-tight, super-well-fitted bra." There really isn't! I love having my meat-bags all lifted and supported and out of the way and forgotten about! And my poor shoulders...oh, a well-designed bra is just such a heavenly thing.
34D
35
American
Being a big girl with small breasts I rarely wore a bra. One morning running late I put on a blouse that was sheerer than I should have. It wouldn't have been such a problem but someone in reception had called in sick and I had to cover front desk. I got quite adept at finding reasons to have my arms crossed or turned away from the front counter. Needless to say I ALWAYS wore a bra to work after that.
40A
50
American
I was once waiting tables when my front-closure bra blew under the pressure. The clasp broke and my bra flung itself open with an audible SNAP, as I was handing someone their marinated chicken. I was wearing a white shirt, so going bra-less was not an option. I had to wear an oversized sweatshirt the rest of the night and I looked ridiculous. Same thing happened on a beach in Aruba with a bikini top that couldn't contain my boobs. The front clasp snapped and I was left standing there in the sand, boobs on display, flailing to cover up as fellow beachgoers yukked it up at my expense. Damn plastic clasps! Can't manufacturers spring for metal?? I no longer wear front-closure bras and I now keep a back-up bra in my car (I really do) for such disasters.
36C/D
34
When I was 10, I read an Ann Landers column where she advised that if you could put a pencil under your boob and it would stay there, then you were large enough to need a bra. So I tried it and ... yep, it stayed. I used to strap them down with an ace bandage to play basketball. I'm a big gal, and my girls are the biggest part of me. Part of me loves the attention they get (although I learned to not wear slogan t-shirts at a very early age), but part of me hates them; we're talking real back and shoulder pain here. There's probably a reduction in my future (I haven't been able to buy a bra in a store in years), but they're part of me, and for now I haul them around with pride.
36+++
46
I have always wanted boobs! Right from the very start when there was the promise of some.....then no more. My little AA's were the bane of my existence at school and in reality throughout my adult life! I am now a 'bigger' girl and although my bra size has altered, my cup size remains much the same....how difficult do you think it is to get big bras in small cups (impossible), hey ho, I dream of one day getting a well fitting bra where the shoulders stay up and the lumps and bumps are in their rightful place.
47
44
