Carefully, I draped the tea towel over my breasts and began to feed my little girl Jodie.

But as she suckled, tears pooled in my eyes. She was three weeks old and I loved feeding her.  I just hated seeing my 32JJ breasts — even like this, partly covered with a cloth.

I was 31, a cleaner, and my loathing of them was almost a phobia.  I'd banish my husband Dave, 39, from the room when I breastfed, kept my bra on when we made love. The lights had to stay off too.  Even on our wedding night, me aged 19, I'd refused to undress properly.

The only time Dave, a joiner, saw me naked was in fleeting moments in the bedroom.  'Why can't you accept you're beautiful?' he'd say.  But my breasts were so out of proportion to the rest of my slim figure.  I had only managed to breastfeed my other two children for three weeks because I hated exposing my chest.

And a few days later, I changed Jodie to bottles too. 'I'm sorry, darling,' I said:  Years passed and I came up with ways to manage my problem — I wore loose-fitting tops, and instinctively crossed my arms over my chest whenever I talked to people.  I dreamt of a breast-reduction op but couldn't afford it.  Only, then, when I was 51, a friend mentioned that cosmetic surgery was cheaper abroad.  After some research, I found that an op in Tunisia would cost £3,500 - including accommodation and flights.  'I need to do this,' I told Dave.

I just want you to be happy,' Dave said, agreeing I should get a bank loan to cover the cost.  My friend flew out with me and it was so exciting, not scary at all.  After a two-hour op, I woke to a bandaged chest.  Surgeons had reshaped me to a C-cup, although with the .swelling they were more a D.  But I felt so relieved, as if there'd been an instant change in me, a sudden acceptance of my body.

Back home, Dave saw the difference too.  'You really do Iook happy,' he smiled.  When I felt ready, three weeks later, we made love.  Only, this time, I took off my bra and left the lights on.  I even straddled him, so he could take in my new figure. 'Beautiful,' he gasped.  And for the first time ever, I felt it.

Now, three months on, I love my new figure. I'm hoping to be a C-cup when the swelling reduces but it just feels so good to be the woman I've always wanted to be.

SHARRON WHITEHEAD, 51, OLDHAM, GTR MANCHESTER

Click here to get Sharon's surgeon's CV