Motherhood can be an incredibly rewarding and life-changing experience. It can also bring significant changes to your body. The stretch marks, loose skin, breast changes, and stubborn pockets of fat that often remain after pregnancy and childbirth can be frustrating and difficult to eliminate through diet and exercise.
If you’re unhappy with your post-baby body, you’re not alone. Many women struggle with these changes, and it can affect their self-esteem and confidence. However, there is a solution: a mommy makeover.
This post will discuss what a mommy makeover is, the procedures commonly involved, and what you need to know if you’re considering this option to help restore your body to its pre-pregnancy shape.
What’s Included in a Mommy Makeover?
As we explain in our Guide to Mommy Makeover, the procedure is a combination of cosmetic surgery procedures designed to help women restore their pre-pregnancy bodies. The specific procedures included in a mommy makeover vary depending on each woman’s individual needs and goals. However, 4 specific procedures are usually involved in targeting the typical post-pregnancy problem areas.
1. Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation can benefit women who’ve experienced changes to their breast size and shape following pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. These changes often result in a loss of volume and asymmetry.
Breast augmentation restores breast volume, improves shape, and corrects any asymmetries or irregularities in breast size and shape.
2. Breast Lift
Breast lift surgery involves removing excess skin and tightening the breast tissue to raise the breasts to a higher position on the chest. A breast lift, together with breast augmentation, addresses the common issues of sagging breasts and volume loss following childbearing.
3. Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen and tightens the abdominal muscles. Women often choose this procedure after pregnancy to achieve a flatter, more toned midsection.
4. Liposuction
Liposuction is a targeted procedure that removes excess fat from specific body areas, such as the hips, thighs, or buttocks. Patients with stubborn fat deposits resistant to diet and exercise often choose this procedure to contour their bodies and achieve a more toned appearance. To enhance your results after liposuction, Renuvion® is a great add-on to smooth out and tighten skin after fat removal.
Some people also choose to include an arm lift, Brazilian butt lift, or breast reduction in their mommy makeover surgical plan.
It’s important to understand that tummy tucks and liposuction aren’t weight loss solutions. In fact, it’s best to be at or near your goal weight to achieve the best outcome from these procedures. And to enjoy your leaner, sculpted body long term, you’ll need to make regular exercise and a healthy diet part of your lifestyle.
What Is the Surgery Like?
During your consultation, you and your surgeon will discuss your concerns and goals to create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
The surgery can take several hours to complete, depending on the extent of the procedures involved. After surgery, you’ll be monitored in the recovery room until you’re awake and alert. Most mommy makeover procedures are performed on an outpatient basis.
What Is the Recovery Like After a Mommy Makeover?
For a smooth and successful recovery from mommy makeover surgery, it’s essential to plan for your aftercare in advance.
Take adequate time off work to get the rest your body needs. Arrange for your spouse, family member, or a friend to help you during your recovery and assist with household chores and other responsibilities. You may also need to make arrangements for transportation to and from follow-up appointments with your surgeon.
Have the necessary supplies on hand, such as prescribed medications, ice packs, pillows, and comfortable clothing that’s easy to put on and take off. (Most patients find that button-down or zippered clothing is easiest.) Stock your kitchen with healthy food options to support your body’s healing process.
Follow your surgeon’s post-operative instructions closely. It’s essential to prioritize rest and avoid strenuous physical activity while healing. Most patients can return to work and normal daily activities after about 2 weeks. However, you should avoid strenuous exercise and lifting heavy objects for about 4 to 6 weeks after surgery.
When Will I See Results?
You’ll notice that your body gradually improves in shape and contour as you heal. Still, it’s important to remember that the final results of your mommy makeover may not be visible until several months after surgery, when the swelling subsides completely and your body is fully recovered. Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regimen will help you maintain your results.
Request a Consultation
A mommy makeover can be life-changing for women who are unhappy with the physical changes following pregnancy and childbirth. If you’re interested in speaking with a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive body rejuvenation experience about a mommy makeover, call our Little Rock, Arkansas, office today at (501) 575-0088 or request a consultation.
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