Why we love our boobs Nine ladies get it off their chest

Best breasts ... readers Helen, Lisa, Hye-Young, Hannah, Danielle, Carol, Amy-Lou, Hannah and Sharon

ONE in five women reckons her boobs are her best feature, a new survey has found.

But a huge number of British women are unhappy with their cleavage – and boob enhancements are still the most popular kind of cosmetic surgery.
There were 9,854 of the ops in 2012, according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.
Maxine Heasman, co-author of the Good Boob Bible, reckons she knows why. She says: “Fashion dictates the size and shape of the ideal cleavage and that’s something that women across the world have become slaves to. And how you feel about your breasts can affect your self-esteem.”
Here ME’s CHRISTINA EARLE meets nine women who bare all and reveal why they love their breasts – whether they’re natural or enhanced.

 

Amy-Lou Howard

PART-TIME waitress Amy-Lou, 21, from Norwich, wears a 32B and is pleased with her cleavage.
“I have small boobs but being a size 6-8, they’re in proportion.
I’m quite confident and am happy with the way I am. I was conscious of my boobs at school as I hardly had any, but I knew they suited my frame.
Sometimes, I wish they were bigger but I know girls who had boob jobs and they look so fake.
I’ve got stretch marks on my boobs from having my son Eddie, two, but I’m proud of them. I breastfed my son and as far as I’m concerned that’s what they’re meant for.
I still wear skimpy bikinis – I’ve never been one to show my boobs off but I won’t cover them up.
I might be lacking in the chest but my bum makes up for it. I’ve been with my partner, Dan, since we were at school and he likes my shape.”

Hye-Young Lim

HYE-YOUNG likes her 34B chest – nowadays. Back in her schooldays it was very different. Now 23, the theatre assistant from Surrey Quays, SE London, says:
“My boobs started to show when I was ten. It made me a hot topic of conversation at school.
I was quite taken aback by the attention and used to shy away from it.
In fact, I got enough attention for them at school for a lifetime. Although I’m not as shy as I was, I don’t like to show off my chest. I rarely wear low-cut tops.
I don’t get comments from men any more either, which I like. I think if that happened I’d feel like I was in school again.
But I’m happy with my breasts’ shape and feel. I’m lucky they turned out such a nice size.
I’d really hate to have big boobs and get lots of attention for them. I like my mouth to do the talking – not my chest.”

Hannah Donovan

MUM OF TWO Hannah, 27, from Swindon, Wilts, is a 36DD and has a love-hate relationship with her chest. She says:
“By the age of 14, I wore a 36C. Having big boobs for my age made me popular and I suddenly found myself in the cool crowd at school.
When I was 15 I used them to get into nightclubs – they made me look older. At 18 I fell for my husband – definitely a “boob man”.
When I was 21, I fell pregnant with Sophie, who is now six. After having James two years later, pregnancy, motherhood and gravity began to get the better of me and my boobs started to sag.
It made me desperately insecure, even more so when me and my husband decided to part ways.
Things are much better now. My new partner loves my body, including my boobs – even if they aren’t as pert as they used to be.”

Danielle Wood

DANI wears a 34B bra. The full-time mum, 27, from Kent, is happy with her breasts and wouldn’t even consider surgery to remove scars.
“I was two when I tipped coffee down my front. leaving me scarred.
Growing up, I was selfconscious but once I got to 16, my attitude changed.
I’m so used to it that I’m happy to go topless on holiday. The first time I went topless was in Cyprus six years ago. It was fine.
The one big change I found was when I had my children, Tommy, 12, and Alfie, one. I breast-fed both and loved my boobs throughout my pregnancy – it felt nice to have bigger ones for a while.
I’ve never had anything done to my boobs. I’ve got bigger things to think about in life than the size of my breasts.
Boyfriends I’ve had have seen the scarring, but none of them has been turned off by it.”

Lisa James

LISA, 28, of Llanelli, South Wales, is a 32DD. The nurse had implants in June 2010 as losing more than 6st meant her chest shrank to a 32AA.
“I never had an issue with my breasts growing up and was a 38C throughout my teens.
Already 2st overweight before I fell pregnant, I vowed to lose weight.
Within four months, I went from 17st to 13st. It took another year to get to nine-and-a-half stone – but my boobs shrank.
My doctor referred me to a consultant for implants because my lack of chest affected my self-esteem.
I went under the knife at the Prince Phillip Hospital, Llanelli, in June 2010 and woke up two hours later with 34DD breasts.
My confidence came back and I instantly felt more feminine.
Since having implants, I’ve started powerlifting. My breasts have made me stronger – literally.”

Hannah Foxley

FINANCIAL planner Hannah, 35, from Cheshunt, Herts, had a mastectomy a year ago after being diagnosed with breast cancer. She says:
“When told I had cancer I felt like I’d been hit by a train. I was worried about how I was going to cope emotionally after the op so my local cancer centre gave me counselling.
Afterwards, it took a lot of getting used to but, after looking in the mirror, I made the decision I wouldn’t be beaten by it.
These days, I’m on a mission to prove you can still be beautiful even with a breast removed.
I wear a prosthesis in my bra now and no one can tell it’s not natural.
I feel sexier now than I did with both breasts because I respect my body so much more.
My goal is to inspire other women facing mastectomies. I’m very proud of my body and what it’s been through.”

Helen Goldthorpe

HELEN, 41, a receptionist from Tonbridge, Kent, loves her pert 34B breasts. She says:
“I only ever worried about my boobs as a teenager. They didn’t start appearing until I was in my late teens but I was never overly concerned.
I was athletic and I knew that my build meant I’d never have a large chest.
Now I’m much older, I’m pleased I don’t have big boobs. Thanks to a strict diet and exercise regime, my body is toned and my boobs are pert, which I put down to their tiny size.
They do change throughout my menstrual cycle. They often feel fuller and plumper but no one other than myself or my partner, Steve, 40, a fitness instructor, would notice.
Even though I don’t have a lot of cleavage, I try to make the most of it with push-up bras and low-cut tops. But I feel blessed and wouldn’t change them for the world.”

Sharon Campbell

SHARON, 45, a cleaner, from Croydon, south London, is a 34C. She goes braless in some evening dresses.
“I’ve never had big boobs. Girls at school used to hurl insults at me in the playground. When my boobs did appear, I was pleased with them. I felt sexier because of them.
Most of my friends with larger chests complain theirs have gone saggy.
Although we’re all in our mid-40s, I’m pleased mine haven’t gone south.
It was my daughter’s 21st recently and I happily wore a dress without a bra.
No one commented so I like to think that my chest is like it was when I was in my 20s.
I think it helps that I exercise at the gym three times a week, My partner, Geoffrey, 40, a carer, loves my figure.
And he always tells me any more than a handful is a waste, so I’m glad they didn’t get any bigger.”

Carol Taylor-Bird

HOLISTIC therapist Carol, 47, from Norwich, feels blessed with her 38DD chest.
“I started to develop breasts when I was 11 and, ever since then, I have felt good about them.
It may sound daft but I remember thinking girls turned into ladies once they had boobs – and had confidence to match. I was empowered by mine and have never looked back.
By the age of 15 I was the proud owner of a very pert pair of 34C breasts that afforded me a lot of attention from boys – something I really enjoyed.
By the age of 16, I was a very ample 34D and was aware that, along with my tiny waist, they were a positive asset.
Throughout my adult life, I’ve had a good attitude towards my breasts. Even now they remain full.
No matter what changes nature has in store as I age, I’ll be happy with my lot.”