For years, Ms Rebecca Ng endured judgmental comments and chronic pain due to her large breasts. After undergoing breast reduction surgery, she realised just how much her breasts had been affecting her life. 

Ms Rebecca Ng after she underwent breast reduction surgery. The 38-year-old now feels more freedom to choose clothes she likes instead of covering up. (Photo: Rebecca Ng)

Ms Rebecca Ng after she underwent breast reduction surgery. The 38-year-old now feels more freedom to choose clothes she likes instead of covering up. (Photo: Rebecca Ng)

I've had large breasts since secondary school, but a growth spurt after I gave birth to my first child in 2017 saw my bra size rapidly increase from a B cup to a D cup. By the time I had finished breastfeeding my second child, I was a 36E.

I did not realise how much my breasts were affecting my everyday life until I began thinking about all the things I had stopped doing or learnt to work around.

For example, I gradually gave up many physical activities.  

Swimming? Maybe next time. Running? Absolutely not. Golf? I couldn't do it at all because my chest literally got in the way of my swing.

Funnily enough, I had never thought of myself as someone with a medical problem. I was simply a woman with very large breasts who had learned to adapt to them. 

ENDURING JOKES AND JUDGMENT

The teasing began early and never really let up. 

In secondary school, the boys in my physical education class had a Hokkien nickname for me: dua neh bu (big-breasted girl). 

I learnt fast that laughing along drew less attention than getting upset did. If I showed them that their jokes were upsetting me, the teasing would only get worse.

Even in adulthood, when I started working in the insurance field, colleagues would make comments about my chest when I wore blazers. 

As a young insurance agent, I worked on a lot of roadshows. 

Whenever I closed a case in a roadshow, my colleagues would joke and say things like: "Is it because your boobs were on the table? That's why your clients became distracted and signed the plan."

Again, I just brushed them off. I wasn't too affected by these comments because, fortunately, I've always been someone with high self-esteem. However, I still felt like I was getting attention for all the wrong reasons.