Approx recovery stages

Hi girls, I know everyone is different and people heal differently but I was just wondering a few things. Can someone just talk me through the kind of stages you go through, how many days you have strapping/ bandages on? How long do you have to wear a sports bra for 24/7? When should boobs drop a bit and soften up? When can you wear normal bras/bikinis Etc etc...!!
Sorry, know its loads of questions and there's no exact answers, but just to hear others experiences will be useful!
Mandy x

Hey Hun I'm now 4 days post op and had 445cc unders and now an 34E sports bra so after swelling should hopefully be a 32DD, recovery is uncomfortable and I've needed help so far to do a lot of things so make sure you have somebody around after surgery, everyone's so different though as I've heard so many different recovery story's on here some people are fine and back to normal very quickly, for me it's just been emotional as I get stressed not being able to do things but it's all worth it =) I'm so happy with my results so far. Some surgeons don't use bandages mine just used a strap which I change daily and my sports bra and I think a lot of girls on here are trying bra's etc at about 4-6 weeks? I no I have to wear my support bra and strap for 4 weeks day and night, hope my short experience so far is a little helpful to you x

Hi Mandy, I can tell you about me personally, bearing in mind I'm only 6 weeks post op:

I did not have any strapping or bandages after my BA, I only had dressings over the actual incisions, and they were taken off 10 days post op.

I only have my 6 week check with my surgeon 3 months post op as his diary is booked up, so I will be wearing a sports bra 24/7 till then. Usually your surgeon gives you the all clear to wear normal bras at your 6 week check up.

My left boob seems to have been dropping since the first few days post op, righty is taking a little more time to catch up but it has also been dropping, just slower (though it had more bruising which took longer to clear up, in fact it only disappeared completely this last week). Although they have been very slowly getting softer I noticed a drastic improvement yesterday and can actually wobble then about now, lefty more so than righty.

Hope that helps a little :D

mandyjs wrote:how many days you have strapping/ bandages on?

I didn't come home with a compression band, but due to a bleed that wouldn't stop I had to have one on after to control my bleeding. It did stop. I had to wear the compression band for I think about 2 weeks

How long do you have to wear a sports bra for 24/7?

I had to wear mine for 12 weeks

When should boobs drop a bit and soften up?

Mine dropped at 12 weeks and also started softening up them. By 6 months post-op they were nice and soft and had good movement. By 12 months they had fully softened and dropped further to a nice natural appearance.

When can you wear normal bras/bikinis Etc etc...!!

Your surgeon will tell you when you can wear normal bras based on how you're healing. It's generally around 6 weeks post-op, some can wear them sooner, others lie myself who had to wait till 12 weeks have to wait to wear them later.

Sorry, know its loads of questions and there's no exact answers, but just to hear others experiences will be useful!
Mandy x

Don't apologise Mandy. We're all more than happy to help ask as many questions as you need to, the more you ask, the more prepared you'll be xx

Great thanks girls, when you say that you get the all clear to wear bras, does that include wires?
Mandy

Yes Mandy, that's exactly what it means lovely xx

I had dressings on until the 4th day. On the 4th day I was allowed to take them off and start wearing my sports bra.

On the 9th day I had my 1st post-op appointment where my ps had a look at my stitches, cleaned them a bit, and put on a gelled steri-strip. The nurse gave me 3 sets extra and told me to massage the scar over the steri-strip. They gave me a scar cream as well and told me start using it once I run out of steri-strips. Bruising in the middle was there but disappeared after a couple of days.

3rd week post-op, I noticed the 1st change. The twins had gone from squarish-looking to more natural, round looking. They were also a lot closer together compared to the weeks before. The soreness was also almost gone by the 3rd week.

4th week post-op, the soreness was a lot better than the week before and the boobydoos felt more a part of me. Everything was back to normal. Lifting things was a lot better, but I still couldn't carry my 15month old boy. In the car, a little bounce or shake still made the boobies ache, but it was tolerable.

5th week post-op, it felt like nothing happened and never had a BA but morning boob was still around occasionally. Any bounce and shake didn't make them ache anymore. I started using the scar scream.

6th week post-op, I can carry my little boy, but I try not to over do it just to be on the safe side. I have my 6 week post op appointment with my ps 2mrw so I will find out then if I can start wearing normal bras! Fingers crossed!

Xx

Wow, great info from anyone, thanks so much, you're all great!
Mandy xx

Hi Hun, everyone's different so this refers to me personally

I was completely taped top and bottom for one week, had tapes taken off at one week post op and told to wear dressings for 2-3 days just to stop sports bra band rubbing incisions. I think the first week is worst obviousbly, this is because you just had the op also are unable to do certain things for yourself, lack of sleep from sleeping upright and the Boobie blues x

By week and halfish I could lift my arms above my head comfortably with no help.
2 weeks post op I was sleeping flat with no morning boob and managing to do a lot more. Boobies dropped abit and felt less hard. I also felt I would be able to drive so did this
Now 3 weeks post op boobs are feeling abit squishy in places still more numb on one boob more then the other but they are looking more like my boobs rather then stuck on melons!
Hope this all helps xx