If breast augmentation (enlargement) surgery is in your future, putting some thought into your post-surgical care is an important step to ensuring your recovery is as stress free as possible.
Sleeping after breast augmentation – Good sleep is important at the best of times, but it is essential after surgery and there are few operations where the way you sleep is more important than breast augmentation. Sleep is key to a healthy immune system which will give you a better and speedier recovery. It has also been shown to reduce pain.
Sleep on your back – It is often recommended to sleep on your back and slightly sat up for a while. It reduces swelling, enhances circulation and keeps the breasts in the most natural position as they heal even when wearing a bra. Learning to sleep soundly in a new position doesn’t happen overnight. Practice sleeping on your back. Like all things practice makes for better results and it is possible to train yourself to sleep on your back. It will allow you to identify what you might need such as extra pillows or a bed wedge. It may even identify problems such as lower back discomfort which could be addressed beforehand or helped by a support under the knees.
Prepare spare sheets – Make sure that you have spare sheets. You are going be lying in bed a little longer than normal and won’t be inclined to be doing lots of extra washing.
Cut back on sleep inhibitors – Avoid known sleep disruptors like caffeine, sugar, and limit screen time in the hour before sleep. But remember, although rest is important, activity is too. Walk around regularly throughout the day; this helps with circulation and reduces the risk of developing blood clots. It also helps keep you from getting stiff and achy from too much immobility.
Eat little and often – One important piece of advice is to eat smaller and perhaps more frequently. Large meals require energy to digest. If you can, eat smaller portions or have light meals to allow your body energy to recover. You’ll want to avoid eating a larger meal right before bed. Having a lot of food sitting in your stomach can feel worse when lying your back, increasing heartburn and indigestion.
Reducing exertion after breast surgery – Stretching and bending can be difficult to start with. Reduce the need to exert yourself in this way by moving things up high down to waist level and things at ground level (for instance phone chargers or remote controls) easily reachable on a table. A good exercise in making your home ‘post-op ready’ is to walk around the house, carrying out your usual routine but without reaching or bending. It will help you see what tasks are difficult to perform so you can make changes before going into hospital.
Clothes – Make sure you have loose fitting clothing ready to wear when you’re home, when your scars are still tender it will be easier to slip in and out of loose fitting clothes and they should offer you some extra comfort when you need it. Remember that these clothes should be within easy reach so maybe leave a selection on a chair in the bedroom so you’re not having to search through drawers or on clothes lines.