"It was the right time to do something for me," replies Elise when asked why she chose to have breast augmentation surgery at age 29, after thinking about it for years. "I wished I had larger breasts since I was a teenager," she continues."I never felt very womanly, but having larger breasts wasn"t that important to me when I was younger."
Life"s Transitions Can Change Body and Mind
Motherhood often has a way of changing a woman"s priorities. "For the first 5 years after my son was born, I dedicated myself to being a mother and wife," she explains. "I focused on my family and not myself. I gained 50 pounds when I was pregnant, which was quite a bit because I"m 5"3". I breastfed my son and my breasts got up to a small D. They were huge!"
While she lost the extra weight quickly, her body didn"t just snap back to its pre-baby shape after Elise stopped breastfeeding. "I lost all size and volume in my breasts. They were stretched out and empty. On top of that I had a lot of loose skin and stretch marks around and below my belly button. I didn"t feel attractive," Elise recalls.
When her son was old enough for kindergarten, Elise had the time to turn some of her attention to herself. She had been researching breast augmentation for years because she wanted to know as much as she could about the procedure. Some of her girlfriends had undergone breast enhancement surgery, so she had a good idea of what to expect.

Making a Personal Decision
She scheduled a consultation in ID hospital. Breast augmentation was her top priority, but she also was interested in options for restoring her abdominal area. "My husband and I went together to meet with ID hospital ‘s doctor, we both asked a lot of questions and felt completely at ease with him. I think that"s so important," explains Elise. "When you choose a plastic surgeon, you"re sharing something that already makes you feel very self-conscious. ID hospital ‘s doctor was so professional, that I never felt embarrassed, even during the physical exam."
She continues, " ID hospital ‘s doctor felt that I was a good candidate for a mini tummy tuck, which would get rid of the stretched out skin and some of the stretch marks. I was happy that I didn"t need a full tummy tuck because it"s a more invasive procedure that involves a longer incision and relocating the belly button." In order to fill out the stretched breast skin, without a breast lift ID hospital ‘s doctor recommended 300 cc breast implants. "I chose to go with silicone implants because I liked the way they felt - very natural."
Realistic Expectations Led to a Positive Experience
After her questions and concerns were completely addressed, Elise decided to schedule both the breast augmentation and tummy tuck together. "I didn"t expect to come out looking like a Barbie Doll and I had the confidence that ID hospital ‘s doctor respected my wishes. My husband supported my decision because he wanted me to feel good about myself again."
ID hospital ‘s doctor performed the surgery at ID Hospital. Both the tummy tuck and breast augmentation procedures went smoothly without any complications. Elise recovered quickly in her hotel with some initial help from her husband. "I really didn"t have much pain. I used the prescription medication for the first day or 2 and slept propped up on the couch. At first I felt heaviness in my chest and it was uncomfortable to sit up when I was laying down. But otherwise, I was back at work in just a week," she recalls.
Confidence Regained
Since her surgery Elise hasn"t looked back. "I was thrilled with my results right from the start," she shares. "My breasts sat a bit high for the first few months, and then they gradually settled into a very natural look. I was so happy to have full, firm breasts and a firm, flat abdomen. I feel so much more proportioned and confident about myself."
While Elise understands that everyone has their own personal reasons for having plastic surgery, she offers her thoughts to those thinking about it: "Do it for yourself, not because you want to gain something. If you"re doing it for the right reasons, it"s self-fulfillment. I know I did it for me and I am so happy with my decision."
"It"s important to find the right doctor even if you have to spend money on a consult fee to a few of them," she explains. "You need to choose one who cares about what you want to achieve."