Motherhood brings about a lot of changes to your life. Apart from the responsibilities of a little human that you have created, it is your duty along with your partner to take care of their nutrition and every other little need. But do the changes stop there? Not really.
Pregnancy and motherhood cause changes to your body also. When you are pregnant, you will see that your breasts become bigger, your skin might break out and you will have stretch marks as well. Delivery can cause other changes like scarring, if it is a cesarean birth.
Once you embrace the role of motherhood, there are more physical changes - some because of the after effects of delivery and some because you focus more on your children than on yourself.
When Deeksha (name changed) came to Dr. Girija at the Birthplace, she had a problem that many women come with, but Dr.Girija was surprised to see the intensity of it.
It’s no news that breasts begin sagging after childbirth, especially if the children are exclusively breastfed for a longer duration. While there are solutions like wearing a push-up bra, for instance, to prevent sagging, they are not permanent or 100% effective.
Deeksha was a woman in her late 30s who had given birth to four children. She had breastfed each child for about two to three years exclusively and therefore when she had come to Dr. Girija, she knew just from her experience that it was a case of breast sagging. However, when Dr. Girija examined the extent of the problem, it was quite unexpected. Deeksha’s breasts had undergone extensive sagging so much that they almost reached her navel.
Now, there are several ripple effects of this one problem.
First, there is the whole physical looks aspect of it. When the breasts sag so much, there is a general negative body image that the woman forms which is not good for their self esteem.
Next, there are associated problems because of the excessive sagging and consequent weight. Deeksha suffered from breathlessness, heaviness in her chest and back problems as a result of the sagging.
Dr. Girija knew that she would have to go for a functional reduction of the breasts. She opted for a technique known as the ‘inverted T’ method in which the main incision is made on the underside of the breast. This is a preferred technique to preserve both sensation and functionality of the breast coupled with minimal scarring as well.
Once the surgery was performed, Dr. Girija was able to remove 1.5 kgs and 1.4 kgs from each breast, making it a total removal of four kgs. This reduction in breast size helped to tighten the breast eliminating the sagging completely, as well as reducing the weight of the breasts that was causing a lot of issues.
Once the surgery was done, the operated area was secured with light bandage and there was constant monitoring for infection as well as fever. Deeksha was advised to opt for a sports bra so that the breasts would stay protected and well-supported.
The general road to recovery is quite smooth in this type of a surgery. However in Deeksha’s case, because there was a large portion of both breasts removed, she had to be extra cautious. She was asked not to indulge in heavy exercises for two to three months as well as steer clear of lifting heavy objects.
One of the biggest impacts that this surgery has had in her life is bringing back the smile she had lost because of the discomfort and the dampened self-esteem. Today, she has recovered very well, with her wound healing complete. She wears a bra two sizes lesser to what she had been wearing all through.
When Deeksha had come to the Birthplace, she had come with a problem that she didn’t want to share with too many people. Understanding that this is a sensitive issue, Dr. Girija went beyond the call of duty to assist her emotionally as well, prepping her for the surgery as well as guiding her even after the procedure was complete. With adequate assistance from our support staff as well, Deeksha has not just gotten rid of saggy breasts, she has got renewed confidence as well.
If you know someone who is dealing with something similar in silence, please guide them to the Birthplace. We would be happy to help.
