In just a couple of weeks, I’m doing something I’ve wanted to do for 20 years: I’m getting Breast Reduction surgery! As I’ve had several gremlins hanging off of my breasts the past 10 years, my reduction will also include a lift (bless!). This will be my first surgery, and first time going under general anesthesia EVER. I’m definitely a little bit nervous to go under for the first time, and to have surgery, since I don’t know what to expect– but overall I have been feeling so much excitement. It feels surreal and empowering to be finally doing something that I had always wanted to do, but hadn’t simply because of fear of anesthesia. So, why now? Why at all? When, How, and Who? I thought I’d write a post about it– because if it’s one thing you have been able to count on me for during these nearly 10 years of HEA, it’s radical transparency. When I shared on social that I would be getting a breast reduction surgery, I had hundreds of women reach out, either sharing that they were interested in the surgery themselves, or offering words of encouragement after going through a successful breast reduction. I truly believe that as women, sharing about experiences like this helps us to feel more collectively empowered. It helps to know that you are one of many going through a similar experience or considering very similar choices. It can be so isolating to be a woman sometimes, especially with more taboo subject matter. I’ll share more about my experience and choices below, but I strongly urge you to share a bit about your own experience with this surgery in the comments, if you have an experience to share (and feel comfortable, of course!) Hopefully, this blog post can be a source of info and inspiration for anyone considering this surgery!

THE WHY

I have size 32F breasts, and I’ve had them since 20 years old. In my first year of high school, they grew literally overnight to a DD, and then steadily grew even more when I was in college. The biggest my breasts have ever been was a size G/E during my pregnancies. On a size 0-2 frame, this has been a lot. Anyone who has very large breasts knows this, but huge boobs take a toll. From the outside, it can seem glamorous, sexy, and fun (and when you’re naked, it can be!) but having extremely large breasts can not only affect you physically but also mentally. It can make you extremely self-conscious and insecure. They hurt your back, they’re hard to clothe, and most importantly: you can’t take them off and take a break. That’s been the hardest part. Having huge boobs has been a blast at times! When I want to feel extra sultry or sexy, they’ve been super fun! In the bedroom? FANTASTIC. When I want attention? Perfection. But what about those days that I didn’t? What about when I would have done anything to not have to carry 10 extra pounds on the front of my body or have breasts I couldn’t put away or ignore? The women who get it, get it. It’s one of those things.

As I went through my motherhood journey, my breast size increased and decreased. I would grow much bigger during pregnancy, and then shrivel to almost half the size when I was done breastfeeding. The yo-yo-ing size contributed to drooping and sagging. I’m definitely a body-positive person, and I always found a way to embrace my curves no matter my size, but my breast size in particular was something that was always really hard for me to process. I had wanted my breasts smaller since I grew them, basically, but the only thing holding me back from the surgery was fear. I have always been really scared of going under anesthesia. After my kids were born, I was even more scared. I just didn’t feel comfortable being that vulnerable, trusting a doctor that much, or putting myself at risk for something that I wanted but didn’t medically need.

The past four or five years have really made me re-examine and re-evaluate my fears. As I approached forty this past year, I realized that I can absolutely do scary things, and most importantly that living how I want to live in my own body is WORTH IT. I feel so much agency these days in creating the life around me that I want to live. When I really sat with that truth, it was easy for me to recognize that I had every right to apply that ethos to my own self-image. Will making my breasts smaller solve all my problems? Unfortunately not. LOLZ. But will it be the first step I’ve taken in a long time towards affirming that I deserve to be completely happy? YES.

It’s worth mentioning that one big reason I feel comfortable with having this surgery now, after all of these years of fear, is because I found a surgeon who I have complete faith in, who I feel understands deeply what I’m trying to achieve, and who is absolutely capable (and then some) of giving me the boobs of my dreams. And the reason I found her is because of ONE OF YOU!

THE WHO

I find it hilarious that three of the biggest decisions I’ve made in the past five years (choosing a wedding dress, choosing where we got married, and choosing my breast surgeon) all happened because of DMs on Instagram! I had shared during a Q&A that I would love to get a breast reduction and lift one day. A follower (and thank you to whoever it was!) sent me a very simple message in response that started the ball rolling on all of this: “If you move forward with this, you MUST meet Dr. Umbareen Mahmood. She is seriously talented, and the BEST in the city. Check out her IG you’ll see what I mean“. I clicked and was immediately blown away. Here was this ultra-chic woman, with impeccable style, who not only had the best before and after shots that I had ever seen of reductions, but was also a MOM. After decades of being scared to do this surgery and feeling like I could never feel safe with a surgeon, I took one look at Dr. Mahmood’s Instagram and realized that she could implicitly understand WHY. It takes a Mom to know how a Mom looks at risk, and that life just hits different once you’re not number one on your own priority list anymore.

And, not to be rude, but when I’m having a person designing what my breasts are going to look like for the rest of my life, you’d better believe I’d rather have a woman doing that…who has actual breasts herself! And…not to be emosh about it…but when I’m vulnerable and unconscious having surgery, you’d better believe I’d rather have a Mom in charge. (For obvious reasons!)

Dr. Mahmood is a double Ivy League-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon, and a specialist in cosmetic surgery. She has made a name for herself in New York City doing breast augmentations, Mommy Makeovers, and skin/tissue reductions after patients have had significant weight loss. Her website speaks for itself (seriously, it’s wildly impressive), but when I met with Dr. Mahmood I was blown away but how elegant, aesthetically-minded, but also meticulous she is. It’s clear that she is both extremely driven by the art of plastic surgery, but also completely medically savvy and disciplined. It’s a combination that immediately put me at ease.

I also have been following her for about a year on Instagram, and she is f*cking hilarious. I love the candor she has when sharing about the motherhood work/life juggle, her adorable kiddo, and her love for her girlfriends. My kind of woman! You also know ya girl has noticed that many of Dr. Mahmood’s patients that she shares on Instagram are other plastic surgeons and doctors! You always want to find the plastic surgeon who the other medical professionals flock to when they get work done!

(By the way, I asked if she could give me a code for you guys, and she did! You can use EVA100 for $100 off procedures of $400 or more with Dr. Mahmood…she also does excellent botox and lip fillers FYI)

When I first had my consultation, I was completely surprised by how emotional I felt during it. When we were doing my examination, the Dr. commented: “Wow, you really hide these well!” (Truly, it is kind of shocking how big my breasts actually are when I’m naked, compared to the rest of my body) and my response was “Honestly…It’s been my life’s work.” Even saying that unlocked something in me, a level of exhaustion maybe, for what being in a certain type of body you don’t resonate with can feel like. It made me realize how tired I was of navigating life around breasts that I’ve always felt are too big for me. It made me realize I was speaking to somebody who has heard this same story a thousand times, and who understands. I committed right then and there and put a date on the calendar. When I left the office, I was euphoric. That sounds dramatic, but it’s true. There is something endlessly surreal about wanting something for over 20 years and then making a plan to do it. I think it won’t even feel completely real until I check into the surgery center.

WHEN

And, am I scared still? Ummm, YEAH. I am. I’ll be honest. I’ll 100% be taking a chill pill or two when I wake up the morning of surgery. But I’m also SO excited. In a lot of ways, I feel like this is the start of a new chapter for me of complete empowerment. Emerging after my surgery with my body on my own terms is going to feel fantastic. I get my surgery in two weeks, and I’ll be mostly in bed, recovering for about a week. Then, I’ve been told I can start puttering around, walking, and working if it feels ok to do. I can’t lift anything over a pound or two for the first 6 weeks, and I can’t do workouts either. I have been encouraged to walk, so I will be enjoying the impending warm weather as I recover! I’ll be sharing my post-op recovery as well.

I hope if this post does anything, it encourages you to do the thing you’ve been putting off. Your happiness DOES matter. Your feelings about yourself ARE important. And other people’s opinions? They absolutely do not matter. There will always be people who think you’re doing the wrong thing, no matter what you do. Trust me, I experience this a hundred times a day. You can’t live for anybody else. And while there are always going to be people who disapprove of whatever you do, there will also be the ones who get it. The Sisterhood. The beacons of light who want to encourage you and share of themselves with you. Find them! I wish it hadn’t taken me as long as it did to focus my gaze on the people who bring the light.

Bye bye, boobies! It’s been fun, funny, sexy, uncomfortable, and hard. Stay tuned for 2.0!

Photographs by Julia Dags | Copyright © 2025 Happily Eva After, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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