If you caught my last post, where I shared the fact I’ve decided to go ahead and have cosmetic surgery, you won’t be surprised to hear that my surgery date is almost here!
As I’ve spent such a long time researching this procedure, I thought it would be helpful to share what I’m taking with me and my plans for recovery. We are all so very different, therefore what works for me, might not be right for you, but hopefully, this will provide a small insight on how to plan ahead.
BRA’S
The standard procedure following surgery is to wear a post-surgery bra, 24hours a day for at least 6 weeks. It was recommended that I should buy two but I’ve brought 4 on the basis I’ll use them as sports/sleep bra’s in the future.
I brought two Macom bra’s in black, these are designed by surgeons and come highly recommended, alongside the added bonus of expandable cups. I decided to try one of Amazon’s own post-surgery bra’s in white, which is, a snip at only £15.99 but has mixed reviews. Finally, an extremely popular choice is the Marks and Spencer High Impact Sports bra, I took a view and ordered a size DD because I’m expecting some swelling, is it possible to go wrong with M&S? I don’t think so, plus the print is fabulous.
Whilst I’ve no idea how I’m going to get on with these bra’s, I do just want to point out a couple of things-
Firstly, they are all zip front fastening, this is an important factor because I’m expecting there to be some limitations with my upper body movement for the first week.
You might like this…
Secondly, I decided to go with a couple of the surgically recommended bra’s because I simply cannot fantom spending a huge amount of money and time on my body, only to recover in a cheap unsupportive bra. Yes, they might not look ‘cute’ but the end results and a save/successful recovery far exceeds having a pretty sports bra or saving £20.00.
Pajamas & Comfy Clothing…
After my surgery, the only thing I’m going to want to wear is my most comfortable clothing and I’ve purchased some lovely new pajamas and a new dressing gown. I’m staying in the hospital overnight, so for an easy life when I return home, I’ve sectioned off a small selection of ‘easy to wear’ clothing. With a focus on wide necks, a loose fit and limited fuss, I won’t really be seeing anyone for a few days, so my personal style will certainly be more “relaxed”.
Batwing Pillow – For Sleeping Upright Post Surgery
Image Credit – House Of Bath (you can purchase from here)
One of the less comfortable and rarely talked about elements of recovery is the fact you need to sleep upright, my lovely nurse has already given me a demo of the correct elevation. If you’re not sure, I firmly recommend asking for a demo, just so that you can prepare yourself in advance.
So, on that note, to ensure I’m comfortable and supported, I’ve purchased a batwing pillow and set myself up in our spare room. No, it’s not at all romantic but I’m best to spend 6 weeks sleeping solo until I’m completely recovered. I love how supported and cozy this pillow makes me feel, plus I’ve used the center of the bed to ensure I’m correctly propped up.
Overnight Bag Essentials
I won’t be wearing my contact lenses or any makeup to the hospital, which means there’s absolutely no requirement for me to take any beauty essentials. I’m just taking a basic wash kit, good face cream, my toothbrush, some dry shampoo (if I can be bothered) and my kindle. I might sneak in some snacks, but I’m not entirely convinced I’ll be in full-blown cookie monster mode post-surgery, who knows?
Psst – My kindle will be charged! Plus I’m taking a little plastic stand for my phone, so I can watch YouTube and Instagram stories. Alongside that, we are going to set up Netflix on my phone, therefore If I can’t sleep, I have plenty of entertainment to keep me occupied.
Stress-Free Recovery
Across the board, I’ve found that the minimum recommended time off work post-surgery is 7 days for none manual jobs and 14 days for jobs that include manual labor. Whilst we are all completely different, it’s almost impossible to predict how we might feel post-surgery.
It’s come highly recommended to have someone around to keep an eye on me, so my husband has taken a few days off. Alongside this, I’ve set personal objectives to complete any outstanding jobs, tidy my room, prep some meals in advance and download some books/mark various programs to watch.
I hope you’ve found this helpful, free free to drop me a line if you have any questions?
Katie x
Links to some of the products featured – *Affiliate
