Table 3.

Illustrating quotes of the seven identified themes of the phenomenon ‘breast sensation’ in healthy women with the respondents number

Theme		Quote
1 The absent breast	7	The thing is, off course I am not aware of my breasts, not even now.
	10	If you are asking me about these topics I am thinking ‘Oh yes I am aware of my breasts’. But in the moment, not so much, they are just always there … So, they have become part of my body and how my body works and reacts in certain environments.
	5	The fact that you are not aware (of your breast) is pleasant and will interfere with the way I describe sensation. Because they are just part of my body and I am not aware of them. It would be a pity (if I did not have sensation). But it is not something I would worry about. However, I am not sure. And off course it matters if sensation would be gone in one or both sides … I don’t think it would be such a big thing if I would still have sensation on one side.
2 The present breast	10	If I menstruate, I feel them a little bit more, it is an unpleasant sensation. If you don’t have your period you feel freer and don’t have to think about anything.
	9	I don’t find performing self-breast-exam annoying. I just feel neutral about it I just do it quickly, once a month Sometimes I feel pain, right before I have to menstruate, that is a very painful sensation in the breast.
2a The well-functioning breast	2	That that body can carry a child, can bear a child and can feed a child. I find that very pleasant. ‘Oh that is what these breasts are also for’.
2b The feminine breast	6	I would miss it (sensation in the breasts), but I don’t think… I would not feel less feminine… I think the aesthetic appearance of the breast are more important to feel feminine than sensation.
2c The sensual breast	3	Well, my partner thought it was amazing (breasts in an intimate setting). I thought, well if this is part of intimacy, well ok then. But me myself I did not find it special.
2d The alien breast	2	Sometimes I have to hold them while playing sports, and then it becomes almost a thing like during a mammography, a separate thing… That breast is pressed completely flat in between two plates and off course that is a very strange experience. A thing hanging from your body, I don’t like it at all… As if the breast is being taken away from you. I like to think of the breast as something round… That might nog be very realistic, if you see what kind of breasts there are. But the form changes (makes flat gestures with her hands) and that seems strange to me.
2e The safe breast	10	It might be scary (to have a breast without sensation) because I would think that if a body part is been operated you would be extra focussed on this body part and that you would want to know how it is doing. And if you don’t feel anything anymore, you would lose control… But I also think it (sensation of the breast) is important to regain trust in your body… For example, this might be a strange comparison, but I have injured my ankle once and during revalidation sensation was very important to see if I could move it and if it was going well with my ankle.
	7	It is not a pleasant sensation (sensitive breast during menstruation), but it is more like I know that my body is working right... You can trust a little bit on your body, I know by the sensation of my own breasts ok I will have my menstruation with a few days… It is a confirmation that everything is well, you know. And that is pleasant although the sensation is a bit painful.
	5	Because you know, for me the main reason to undergo a preventive mastectomy would be to get some security. And I think that if you cannot feel a piece, I think that, that would give me a very insecure feeling. There is a piece on my body, but I can’t feel it. For me that would be very unpleasant.