[bryony]

I grew about that much in that time.....then just stopped!

However I've said the same thing about increasing downwards. I've said several times that I wish I had a measurement from, say, shoulder blade to nipples, from when I started.

It comes to something when you start sagging before you've even grown them!

Sagging!

Back to the point though, I think there's something to it. The male ribcage doesn't taper as much as a female, but the upper measurement is markedly affected by the group of large muscles under the shoulder (deltoid? or lower?). So, as the weight increases, and the breast becomes rounder and fuller, it does drop down a bit to where the ribcage measurement is smaller. Hence, the tape measure "lies".

I know something like that must have happened, because they are a lot more noticeable under a t-shirt now than they used to be, even though the tape measure doesn't indicate it. (And I'm a lot more self-conscious about it too!)

I think it would be tricky measuring from shoulder to nipple, because of the 3-dimensional problem... it grows out as well as down. You'd need a high resolution frontal photo and measure the distance vertically that way, I reckon.

Have you considered the noogleberry? I'm sure I would have got one before I started this if both of the kids had moved out. ( I wouldn't now, of course! ) Some people get all of their development that way. I know it would be a nuisance, but I suppose how desperate/disappointed you would be to stay put.

B.