My Big Breasts and Me BBC Documentary
July 28th, 2008
BBC.uk is airing a fantastic special about life with large breasts called MY Big Breasts and Me. Visit their website for show times.
This documentary follows the lives of three women who feel uncomfortably defined by their naturally large bust size.
One is terrified of having breast reduction surgery but with her breasts causing her chronic back pain she knows it may be her only option. Another hopes that alternative therapies and an exercise regime will downsize her chest; and the third, a 19 year old fashion student, struggles to be taken seriously in a world where she feels only women with ’small boobs’ can look attractive.
Interesting Facts:
- British women have the biggest breasts in Europe and the average bra size is increasing each year.
- The average breast size in the UK is between 36C to 34E compared to 10 years ago when it was a much smaller 34B.
- Nearly 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size and need a proper fitting.
- Breast reduction operations have gone up a whopping 19% in 2006 compared to 2005.
- Half of women in the UK would consider plastic surgery while another 36% would consider a breast operation.
- It is estimated that 26,000 women had a breast enlargement in 2006.
- Thousands of teenagers - some as young as 13 years old - are now going under the knife in order to reduce their bust size and “fit” in.
The girls who work here at Hiddenfeet found the story of the young fashion student to be especially profound. For years now we have been working hard to show the world that large breasts are beautiful. The happy ending to her story should encourage any large chested woman who watches it to follow their dreams and shed their fears and phobias.
Warning: This BBC documentary does contain topless nudity. The nudity is tasteful however and necessary to explain the stories of these three women. No sexual content is shown but viewer discretion is advised.
That being said, we still believe that girls of all ages should watch this documentary - perhaps with a parent - to learn about their bodies and the choices they will face as they get older.
I heard of this program a few months ago. Watched it and enjoyed it. Very honest and truthful. Didn’t showcase surgery as an easy way out for any of these women. If I remember right, the blond girl who at first thought surgery was her only option decided after all the talks with doctors that she wouldn’t even get it done.
Has this been shown in the USA? UK only?
Anyone know of where online my wife and I can buy a DVD of this program?
Here are some UK showtimes for those interested:
I watched this on my dish a while back. Great to see such a warm happy smile on the fashion student at the end of the program. I am sure many large chested girls get the same feeling when reading your stories Sara. Keep it up! This is a super-duper website!
Inspirational! I signed up at my local health club and will seek the guidance of a personal trainer four times a week. I will email Sara before and after pictures.
Exercise does help Brook. I am a dancer like other women here. Pointemagazine.com Is a great site that I visit often. My breasts were a size 34D and always in the way. My six month fitness program and diet has reduced my size to a more comfortable 34C. I am still large but my chest muscles are firm below my breasts and I see far less breast movement when I twirl around the dance floor. Now if I could only do something about my perky nipples.
Jodie needs to loose weight. I am not trying to be mean but she is busty because she is fat. She wears revealing outfits, porks out on fast food, and has the nerve to complain about her chest? At the end she mentions that she will not get surgery and just work on her posture? Nah, I can not respect that. Sorry.
Linda the psychologist in the movie mentions that large boobs are viewed as comical and silly - this is why women like us are never taken seriously. Large boobs bounce and jiggle - there is no hiding this. A few large chested girls I know started wearing glasses to help look smarter.
Dear ‘Katepink’
as a friend of Jodie I feel the need to reply to your accusations. She is a size 8-10, does not “pork out on fast food” (she is in fact a very healthy vegetarian) and is most certainly not “fat”. Neither does she wear ‘revealing’ outfits: if you had cared to listen to the programma, she was demonstrating the problems with tops/dresses.
It is people like you who cause great offence to people in Jodie’s situation and I hold you to your ’sorry’.
Well, the point of the documentary was to showcase three different lifestyles and how they are dealing with the burden of their chests. Everyone is different. Some women consider surgery, others work on diet and exercise, and some keep and enjoy what they have.
Regardless of what we think about the choices the girls made, I find it courageous of them to even share their stories. Making a documentary that will be seen by millions of people is not an easy thing to do. People of local media and the internet will always be critical of us. I have taken my share of abuse over the years as well. BBC did a fantastic job in my opinion. If you still haven’t seen “My Big Breasts and Me,” check it out as soon as you can.
13 year old girls are now going under the knife in order to reduce their bust size in the US also. Too early imo. I will wait until my daughter is older before I coach her on such an important decision.
My first post. Great website Sara!
Debbie
Hello.
Can someone tell me the brand of clothing Maddie, the fashion student, was modeling for the photo shoot in the documentary? I never seem to be able to find bras or swim wear that I don’t ‘fall out’ of, or look nice. It seems all the bras available in larger sizes here is maternity… a little embarrassing for a 20 year old with no children. I would very much like to find the out the brand. Thank you.
Ya the bikini she wears in this photo looks nice. I would love to own a few in different colors.
Anyone know the brand?
Guba is showing the film.
At the age of 14 puberty came knocking on my door. For the next 4 years, I hated the double dd bust that I grew. In a world of children I felt alone and out of place. I was a kid but felt like an adult and was treated like an adult. Unfortunately, when I was growing up, I didn’t know any other busty girls. If you learn anything from Hiddenfeet.com know that you are not alone. Thanks Sara!
I watched this show with my mother. They were showing it Tuesday. Tell your friends to watch it everyone! I wear a 32DD after a professional fitting. I was tucked into a too-small 32C last year. I gasped at the thought of a DD because I didn’t want my friends to think I was wearing an old-lady bra. My friend Hanna still wears a C bra and I know she is as big as me. We can’t get her to buy something bigger because she says she will be made fun of. Like in the show I’m finally free of shoulder and neck pain because I wear the right size now. It supports from below and in the back so well that it keeps me from bouncing my boobs when I run.
The only thing my mom does not like is that it makes me look slimmer and more like a barbie doll. She says that I might attract bad attention but I don’t spend time around strangers alone. My dad is always with me. My boobs stick out a lot but it is more comfortable in these new bras because my old ones would have my boobs spilling out of the sides and they would get pinched all the time. I don’t have to adjust my bra every five minutes!
Jenny 16 Bellmead, Texas
Me too! My mum and I watched this over the weekend . The nudity wasn’t that bad. I was expecting more but a boob is a boob so they needed to be shown I guess. I liked the fashion girl the best. She was so happy at the end. What has she been up to since the filming of this program?
They show this documentary on BBC America.
I’m so glad I found this site. I’ve already asked my husband to watch the documentary Sun. night with me. I am torn between keeping what I have and just staying as trim as possible and getting a reduction next year after I’ve saved up enough money. I’m 5′4, 140 lbs., a size 8, and can wear a medium t-shirt. I’ve heard more than once that I’m “hot” or attractive. But I have a 34DD, sometimes 36DD chest, and I’ve dealt with for over 15 years. It’s always affected my self image something awful, and I just don’t really know what to do. Hopefully this show will help me figure it out.
Hello Kristy,
Thanks for your comment. Please do watch the documentary. I hope it helps you. Let us know your reactions. It is tough giving advice, because everyone’s situations are different and we know how you feel. I’ve heard women say it makes them feel like less of person, when people talk to their breasts. But don’t forget that is a part of you, and that is what makes you unique. You can only decide for yourself what is right. Don’t worry what other people think.
well, this is an intresting topic, especially because its not talked about in such a way. I saw the program and I’m a guy! I found jodie very attractive when she was playing the piano (couldnt see her breasts) I think she was very well spoken, and had a charisma to her. If i had met her on the street or met her at a music recital I think her breasts would be the last thing i would notice. Women you have to know: you project to the other person how you feel! whether you have small or large breasts, project your personality and eyes, and the person you’re interacting with will respond to that. just my two cents
I’m also a man and I agree with you, Andre. If you’re preoccupied with how people will notice your breasts and mistreat you because of it, you’ll be more biased toward noticing instances when that happens and you’ll be less focused on the times when it doesn’t happen. If you think it’s a problem, then you’ll notice lots of things that will reinforce your mindset that it is a problem. If you don’t think it’s a problem, then people may still do these things to you, but it won’t affect you or you may not even be aware of it.
However, I don’t agree that if I were to see her on the street or at a music recital, her breasts would be the last thing I would notice. That kind of wording seems to fit in with the mindset that breasts are still problems that get in the way of you being recognized as a musician and that you must live in spite of them or ignore them. I prefer to think of it this way. Her breasts are part of her body. They’re part of who she is, and there’s nothing wrong with them. There’s nothing wrong with a woman being both talented and beautiful (yes, big breasts are beautiful). Think of the whole package. Often, people are either talented (smart, etc.) or beautiful, but not both. That makes women like her so much more special.
I also wanted to say that even though I wouldn’t try to ignore the fact that she has big breasts, I wouldn’t let noticing them dominate the interaction. It’s called self-control, people. You’d notice that this one woman has big breasts, but you wouldn’t let yourself stare or drool over them or form stereotypical biases in your head about her personality. You’d just respect her as a regular adult and treat her as such.