lellow

Actually breastmilk being the main source of nutrition until age one isn't an Australian idea, it's endorsed by the World Health Organisation. I also don't believe that my attitude means it's all about me, and I don't believe I'm being selfish in wanting the freedom to feed my child when he's hungry, without covering him up in shame. It's not a shameful act, and that you think it is and should be hidden is your prerogative. Not everyone shares your view. And just because I don't share your view doesn't make me selfish, or self-centred. In my opinion, intolerance of women doing what they have to do to feed their babies, and not giving them the freedom and support to do it without being demonised as breast-flashing hussies for doing something so natural and beneficial to their child, without having to be ashamed of it either, is the sort of attitude that makes this world the mess that it is. It isn't the mothers who just want to feed their children that's the problem. IMO it's the ones who view this natural and essential part of mothering as sexual and offensive that promotes intolerance against something that should be accepted as normal and nothing to be ashamed of. I (and many other women, and yes, men as well) simply cannot accept that feeding a child is offensive and needs to be hidden.

And you're entitled to your opinion, pattygreen. It seems to me that you generally view breasts as a sexual thing no matter the circumstance, and I don't share that view, especially when I'm breastfeeding, so obviously I would feel differently from you about it. And as someone who breastfed my 3 of my 4 children well into their 2nd year of life, I can assure you that sometimes a biscuit or some other food does not suffice for a toddler, esp when breastfeeding is also about comfort as well as nourishment. Some children depend on a pacifier, I was my children's pacifier. And until the age of 12 months, breastmilk remains their main source of nutrition. It is recommended that until that age, breastmilk is offered before solids, and this is what I adhered to, whether I was in my own home, or out in public. And with younger babies (esp newborn infants) learning to breastfeed is really hard on the new mother, and expecting someone to try to get the hang of it, and baby to get the hang of it, while trying to 'shield' your poor 'offending' breasts from prying eyes, is almost cruel and unusual punishment. No wonder so many mothers give up in despair. And as for 'suffocating' them, I would say that in a country like Australia where 40 degree days are commonplace, 'suffocating' them under a blanket is in fact a real possibility. But even if it wasn't, I would never put someone potentially being uncomfortable at the sight of me breastfeeding ahead of my son's comfort, especially when I just don't feel like I have anything to be ashamed of in feeding my son in the way nature intended. So I think this is where you and I will just have to agree to disagree. Breastfeeding is as natural as breathing for me. As it was for my son. I will never believe that it's something that should be hidden like some dirty secret.

As a function of being a mother to my son, one of the things I do is feed my baby. That is my right as well as my son's right - for me to feed him when he's hungry. That a man may sexualise my breasts while I'm using it for the pure function of feeding my child is honestly the problem of perception of the man, and nothing to do with my son or me. In my opinion, this 'man' needs to learn the difference between breasts for feeding and breasts for sex. I equated it to ankles because it shows that with society can learn to accept that a display of a women's body shouldn't automatically mean it should be sexualised. And to say that you believe it's 'normalised' and yet in the same breath say you think that it should be doing under wraps shows that it is in no way normalised at all. 'Normalised' would be that it is considered ordinary, normal and an everyday occurence that no one, not even the poor, lustful male, would bat an eyelid over. That's 'normalised' and from your posts alone, you prove it's not. I don't have a problem with breastfeeding in public. I don't feel that it is an issue of modesty. Neither, for that matter, does my husband. He feels no discomfort in women breastfeeding in front of him. Nor does he have any issue with me breastfeeding in public. I don't believe women breastfeeding are generally immodest about it at all either (which I expect is an assumption you made about me). In fact, and I would suggest that most women (including me) don't make a display of it. They just get on with the job at hand, they're not into flashing themselves to all and sundry, they just want to feed their baby quickly and without any fuss or disapproving eyes on them. And you know what? You may think it's no skin off my nose to throw a wrap over my son, but IMO to say my son SHOULD be under a wrap to eat is insinuating that I have something to be ashamed of. And I'm not ashamed, so why on earth would I use a wrap? To make someone else 'comfortable' because they may view my breasts as something by which they might get turned on? Maybe I should cover myself from head to toe then? Because apparently, if you're right, men have no control over their lust, and I wouldn't want someone with a foot fetish, or a hand fetish to get turned on, would I? Or perhaps I should just stay indoors all day? You know what's funniest about this? Once your baby is 'latched on' you show almost the same amount of breast a someone in a bikini. In fact, in my case, I would suggest I showed far less of my breast than someone in a low-cut top. In fact, you could barely see any of my breast at all behind my son's head. So I suspect it's more about the ACT of breastfeeding in public that people find offensive than the possibility of a breast being on display. So no, basically I don't feel responsible for people discomfort over my breastfeeding. I do what's right for my baby, and I will do it the best way I know how. I am not an exhibitionist, and I breastfeed my son in public only when he's hungry and needs a feed. I will not I put a blanket over his head as though I'm ashamed of what I'm doing, so that's he's sweaty and sticky from being under there, nor would I skulk away to feed him in some unsanitary toilet. I have my own very real motherly responsibilities without being lumbered with the responsibility of whether some pervert will stare at what little bit of my breasts are on display and get turned on.

Lol kareyquilts, I think I've been pretty successful at NOT thinking about it too much of the last few weeks, but now with anaesthetist appts, bloodwork and unfill appts etc all in the nest few weeks, it all seems real suddenly. I have to remember to take 'before' pics too!

Eep! Only 22 days until the big day!! Today I'll be undergoing the most painful part of the whole thing: I'm going to pay for my surgery! Also doing my bloodwork today. Then am donating my 2 units of blood over the next two weeks. Also going to order my kelo-cote silicone spray today and will pick up the toilet riser next week. <deep breaths>

Hi All Stars! Today marks the month of our 6 month bandiversaries! Let's take stock and Celebrate our achievements! Today (1st March) is my bandiversary. My achievements: lost 85% of my excess weight went from an (Australian) size 22 to a size 10/12 Went from a waist size of 45inches to 34 inches (with excess skin) Went from a fat percentage of 45% to 33% Went from a BMI of 37.4 to a BMI of 28 have found fitness! my risk of diabetes and heart disease are markedly decreased There are a lot of over NSVs along the way, but these stats speak for themselves. I am proud to say that I am a very happy bander!

I regularly have wine at dinner. Just a glass but I don't consider alcohol taboo. But Restless Mokey is right - they are empty calories, so I try not to have too much.

I'm doing okay: Start: 158.4lbs Goal: 150lbs (by 1st April) Now: 154.7lbs To go: 4.7lbs I may get there, I might not, it depends on my my body decides to go from now on, I guess. Still, I think I'll be celebrating when I get to 154lbs anyway because I would have gotten to my Dr's goal and officially lost 100% of my excess weight at that point.

He quoted me for a TT and a body lift, and the TT was about $8k and the body lift (with vertical incision and body contouring) was $16000. His fees include the compression garment and 6 weeks of aftercare, and he said if i needed revision, he would make sure the cost would stay similar to the medicare rebate so it wouldn't cost me too much out of pocket (if anything). He also gave me item numbers for some of the procedures he's doing, so Medicare is rebating me about $2000 on his fees. The anaesthetists will cost me a maximum of $3500 (based on an 8 hours surgery, but if it takes less time, he will charge me less), of which half is rebatable by Medicare. My hospital fees will be covered by HBF because of the item numbers that were provided. Autologous fees are covered by medicare too. So altogether, after rebates, I'll be out of pocket about $16000k for everything. I decided on the body lift based on his recommendations. I figured if I was going to go ahead with surgery anyway, then I wanted to shoot for the best result I could have.

The main difference for me is this: I could always LOSE weight with exercise and portion control. I couldn't keep it off. Eating like a rabbit was something I couldn't sustain forever - my hunger always ensured I fell of the wagon and stayed off. With the band, I don't have to think about portion control, the band regulates my hunger, and restricts my portions. I still have 'bad' days but even my worst 'bad days are better than my good days pre-band. The band has also broken the relationship I have with food. I no longer look to food for comfort. I eat to live, not live to eat. Yes I worked hard to lose the weight, but the band helped immensely with my dependency on food. And most importantly, I know that the band will help me keep it off.

I hope this fill is the one for you, Lanakila! I can eat just about anything - bread, Pasta, a little bit of rice, chicken, beef. As long as it's moist, I can stomache just about anything. I just can't eat MUCH of anything. I'm sorry you haven't had much restriction. I went 'over' from no restriction to restriction with one fill, so I hope this is the one that does it for you. And well done on the weight loss so far (considering you've been doing it on willpower alone!)

I think the main thing is: we're all different. If you are cruising along and losing without a fill, why mess with what works? Me, I needed to curb the hunger. I was still losing well before I got restriction, but getting restriction meant I didn't have to combat hunger anymore, and that's what I wanted the band to do. So I got fills everytime hunger started to creep back in within an hour of a meal. And now I'm at the point I hardly think about what goes in my mouth anymore. In fact I often forget to eat. I don't think it's necessarily BAD to get fills. If you need them, you need them - after all, we're all after the same tihng: to lose weight. Alternatively, I don't think it's any more exceptional to NOT get a fill. You just work the band to suit yourself, so that you too ultimately get to that same goal of losing the weight. I think ANY success should be appreciated.

LOLOL!! Aw bindi you crack me up! Esp since you're almost 20kgs lighter than me already anyway!! And no, I'm not at goal yet! In fact the first half of the week was horrendous, because despite exercising and eating well, I started GAINING. But the good news is in the last two days I lost all that weight plus some, so I think it may have been water-weight. So these are my stats: Last week: 71.1kgs This week: 70.4kgs Loss: 0.7kgs (1.5lbs)

Nat, I actually asked Steve Watson who he'd recommend, and he said Dr Bruce Allbrook. So I got a referral from my GP, called Dr Allbrook's rooms and made an appt for the 21st of Jan. I was about 73kgs by the time I went to see him (3kgs off goal). Dr Allbrook said he was happy for me to have the surgery as soon as I was ready, so I booked myself in for the 2nd of April at that first appt! That's basically the short story, but I have to say he was really nice, seemed to know what he was doing, and Steve's recommending him made me feel a lot better about deciding to go with him!

I don't have a moveable port problem but I did think, at one stage, that my port was moving up, because it used to be under my incision but now it's above. So I asked my Dr, and he laughed and said your port isn't moving, your skin is! As I've lost weight, my skin has started to sag, and the incision has dropped a couple of inches! My port is where it's always been! Not saying the same thing is happening, though!

Yep lingling, if you lose enough weight, you can see the lump where the port is. I can see mine now. It's not very obvious, but you can see that there is a 'hill' where the port is lying under my skin. My DH can also tell where it is by looking at me closely. I do wonder though if after my PS, if it'll be relocated deeper in, so it doesn't stick out. Though if it doesn't happen, I'm okay with that too.

Yes, if you're at the point where you've eaten too much already, yes it can be uncomfortable. Painful even. And yes, if you eat too fast (don't chew enough) those first few bites, the discomfort is very similar. I think you do in fact have some restriction, because you can feel the effects of the band when you eat too fast. You just haven't gotten to the point yet where it's limiting the amount of food you can comfortably eat. I'm sure you'll get there soon though. I barely felt ANY discomfort at all until I got to 6cc, and even then only immediately after a fill.

I didn't feel restriction until I had 6cc in my 10cc band. And in saying I got restriction, I want to make clear that, to me, it's not the same feeling as being 'full' pre-band. When I have had enough now, my band makes sure I know it. If I feel like I won't be able to 'hold' anymore food than I've already eaten, I've probably eaten too much already. It's not the same as that 'full' feeling you get pre-band, where your stomache feels like it's heavy and expanded. I can feel like I've had more than enough band-wise and still feel hungry in my stomache. I guess it's because it takes a while for the food I've eaten to move through the band and into my lower stomache. So I guess I've learnt when I'm satisfied, and that's different from feeling 'full'. And if you can't feel that difference yet, then yes, you've not yet gotten sufficient restriction.

Hi nat, haven't seen you in ages! You look great! I see you're still losing despite getting to goal. I hope I do as well as you!

Patti, when did you get your fill? If it was more than a couple of weeks ago and you're still only able to eat soft foods and not hard Protein, you're probably too tight. You may be losing right now but if all your can stomache is soft foods, you're not going to be able to get enough food down and will eventually have trouble losing more. You don't have to have HEAPS taken out - even a small unfill may be able to get you to a point where a cupful of hard protein will keep you full for hours.

After that first initial 'burst' of weight loss directly after surgery, it's actually quite normal to then start to average about a 2kgs a month loss. I exercise quite a lot (3-4 times a week at intensities where I'm pouring with sweat) and I only lost an average of 3kgs a month. And as a bander, that makes me a fast loser!

I am nervous too, don't worry! The pain is the part that makes me most antsy, but it doesn't stop me from wanting to do it anyway! And re the breast lift/augmentation: I get it now. I guess when they lift, a fair amount gets taken off, so it makes sense to put some back in so you don't lose a cup size. I can't imagine being an A cup either after never being any smaller than a C since puberty! I'm sure you'll look stunnning at the end of it, and the pain will all be worth it!

Oh bugger. Oh well, I guess I couldn't expect to keeping losing 3 kgs a month forever! It had to start slowing down and eventually stopping at some stage. I hope I'm in the 'slowing down' stage and not the 'stopping' stage yet because I personally just want to get to the goal my Dr set me. It's just over a kilo away, so close and yet it feels so damned far right now!! I mean, it's one measly kilo! I feel like everytime I get on the scales, it's taunting me! Lol! I've lost 27 kgs so far, what's ONE lousy kilo????

It's funny I came into this forum wondering exactly the same thing. After losing an average of 3kgs (about 7lbs) consistently every month, this month my weight loss has slowed substantially. Okay for the first two weeks after my last fill, I didn't exercise quite as hard (my Dr didn't want me to lose much more before my PS) but I was still losing. Not much but still, it was a loss. Then about a week ago, I decided that I actually really did want to get to goal at least, just that last measly kilo so I can at least claim it as a milestone. So this week I've gone back exercising hard and I've been watching what I eat extra carefully. And all this week, I've gained. Again, not much, but enough so that on average, all I've lost this month is just over a kg (about 2.5lbs). So I guess I'm wondering, is this normal as you get slower to a normal BMI? Does your weight loss slow?

It's going fast, isn't it, Tina? I have about 4 weeks until my surgery and am freaking out! I'm not having a BA (still a D cup even after losing the weight, though they're a little 'emptier'-looking than before), just a LBL. How much bigger are you going?