Mommy Makeover
Pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding have significant and lasting effects on your body. Many women find that their childbearing years changed the shape and tone of their bodies in ways they weren’t expecting and aren’t comfortable with. A healthy diet and exercise go a long way toward restoring your pre-baby body, but often that’s not enough. A Mommy Makeover can do the rest.
What is a Mommy Makeover?
A Mommy Makeover is a combination of plastic surgery solutions, like a breast lift and tummy tuck, to help restore your body to its pre-baby shape.
Many women find that exercise and diet may get them close to the results they want, but it’s not enough to get their pre-pregnancy body back. Sometimes, no matter how hard you work at it, the muscles and tissues that stretch to accommodate pregnancy and breastfeeding won’t return to their previous shape without extra help.
What is included in a Mommy Makeover?
Every Mommy Makeover is as unique as your body. One woman might decide to sculpt several areas, while another may select a completely different combination. There are several types of procedures you can choose from to address the areas you feel need a little help.
Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation uses implants or fat transfer to add volume, reshape, or restore symmetry to your breasts. After childbirth and breastfeeding, you might choose breast augmentation to:
- Have fuller breasts
- Increase the projection of your breasts
- Have more symmetrical breasts
- Even out the balance between your breasts and hips
Breast augmentation can’t restore drooping breasts, but a breast lift may be done simultaneously to correct any sagging.
Breast Lift
A breast lift, also known as mastopexy, reshapes breast tissue and removes excess skin to raise drooping breasts. Even if you didn’t breastfeed, the ligaments supporting your breasts might have stretched during your pregnancy and caused your breasts to sag afterward.
You might a include breast lift in your Mommy Makeover to:
- Add shape and volume
- Reposition the nipples
- Reposition uneven breasts
- Create a more youthful look
A breast lift enhances the tone and shape of your breasts but can’t change breast size, but a breast augmentation may be performed at the same time.
Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, removes excess fat and skin, tightens connective tissues, and repositions the skin to create a smoother-looking abdomen. It can also remove stretch marks and excess skin below the belly button.
You might have a tummy tuck to:
- Remove excess fat or skin
- Tighten a weak lower abdominal wall
- Address stretch marks and remove excess skin below the belly button
- Achieve a firmer, smoother abdominal profile
It’s common to have a tummy tuck when you have liposuction because after the fat is removed there may be excess skin.
Mini Tummy Tuck
A mini tummy tuck also removes excess fat and skin in the abdomen after pregnancy and tightens muscles. The difference is that it specifically targets the area below the belly button. You might get a mini tummy tuck to:
- Flatten the lower abdomen
- Tighten the muscles in your lower abdomen
A mini tummy tuck is best for women who have a small amount of excess skin and fat in their lower abdomen but are otherwise in their ideal shape.
Liposuction
Liposuction, often shortened to lipo, is a procedure that permanently removes fat deposits to create a smoother shape. Even if you’ve reached your ideal weight or size, you may have fat deposits that refuse to shrink with diet and exercise. You might have liposuction to:
- Remove fat deposits that don’t respond to diet or exercise
- Smooth and contour specific areas
You might have a tummy tuck at the same time as liposuction to remove excess skin.
Lower Body Lift
A lower body lift, also called a belt lipectomy, removes fatty deposits and excess skin in the lower body to reshape and smooth the area. It specifically targets the abdomen, thighs, back, and buttocks – combining the benefits of a tummy tuck, thigh lift, and butt lift. You might have a lower body lift to:
- Remove excess fat and skin from the abdomen, thighs, back, or buttocks
- Smooth and contour the targeted areas
How much does a Mommy Makeover cost?
The cost of a Mommy Makeover will vary from person to person and depends on your:
- Chosen procedures
- Geographic location
- Surgeon’s experience
The cost usually includes all the related fees, including:
- Medical tests and X-rays
- The surgeon’s fee
- Anesthesia
- Implants
- Prescriptions
- Post-surgery compression garments
Who is a good candidate for a Mommy Makeover?
Are you considering a Mommy Makeover? You may be a good candidate if you:
- Are healthy
- Are your ideal body weight
- Are optimistic
- Have realistic expectations
- Are done having children
Recovery
For the first 48-72 hours after surgery, you need another adult to help you with medications, prepare food for you, help you to the bathroom, and be nearby in case of an emergency. You should plan to stay inside and rest for the first week.
Your recovery time will depend on which procedures you choose. Most women need about two weeks of restful recovery after surgery and take time off from work, school, and other responsibilities. You should plan to have another adult help you during this time and plan to avoid lifting anything heavy, including your children.
Because of swelling and bruising after surgery, you won’t see the results you’re hoping for until a few weeks have passed.
Most women can return to their normal activities after around three months depending on which surgeries were performed.
During your recovery period, there are steps you can take to reduce complications, maximize your results, and help your body heal:
- Eat a healthy diet
- Don’t smoke
- Don’t try to do too much too soon
- Call your plastic surgeon if you have questions or concerns
For any procedure, you’ll get the best results if you follow your post-operative instructions carefully. Your surgeon and nurses will go over your instructions with you and answer your questions before you go home.
