Mommy Makeover

It is incredible to see the changes that our bodies undergo during pregnancy, after delivery, and before and after breastfeeding. The changes are a merit to how strong and resilient mother are. Many women who finish having children, however, may become bothered by some of the irreversible physical changes in their body, such as excess deflated skin in the abdomen, stretch marks, a separation in the abdominal muscles, or loss of volume of the breasts. Some mothers can “bounce back” to their pre-pregnancy shape with ease, however, for others, genetics, weight gain, breast feeding, the number of pregnancies, and lack of time for exercise and “alone time” can create challenges to restoring how you would like to look and feel. Mommy makeover surgery is a combination surgery that focuses on improving areas of the body that have been impacted from pregnancy, with the goal to help restore and enhance a woman’s comfort and confidence with their appearance after having children.

Mommy Makeover surgery is individualized for each patient.  For the abdomen, a Tummy tuck will focus on tightening the abdominal musculature that can be stretched and out-of-position after pregnancy. It also involves removal of skin and/or fat from the abdomen, which will help to remove some of the stretch marks and loose skin that results from pregnancy. Liposuction may be incorporated to help contour the waistline and to remove some of the fullness from the upper abdomen or back.   A popular surgery to help restore the breast appearance is Breast Augmentation, which can rejuvenate the breast to re-create your ideal breast size and shape. Depending on your breast aesthetic goals, this may also involve a Breast Lift to tighten the surrounding tissue and reshape the breasts.

A good candidate for Mommy Makeover surgery:

• You are finished having kids and breastfeeding
• You are a non-smoker in good health
• You have a stable weight
• You have deflated breast size and shape following breastfeeding
• You have drooping nipples and stretched out areolas
• There is excess sagging abdominal skin and stretch marks
• You have realistic expectations
• You have someone to help you during the recovery period

Mommy makeover surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure at a private surgical facility. Because of the lengthier combined breast and abdominal surgery, it is required that patient stay overnight in the surgical facility to be monitored and increase their comfort during recovery.  With a family at home, minimizing the downtime, and ensuring safety through the entire process is a priority. In general, most patients recover well over the first 2-6 week, depending on the number of procedures performed. When thinking about time off work, or away from social commitments, 6 weeks is usually a safe window of down time. During the recovery time, you will wear a compression garment and surgical brassier to help minimize swelling and provide support to your abdomen and breasts. Heavy lifting and strenuous exercise should be avoided for 4 weeks.   There are often drains used in the first 5-12 days to help minimize the chance of fluid accumulating. These are removed in the office and appropriate drain care instructions are provided. The final results can appear gradually over the first few months. The incisions continue to fade over the first year, and all of the important things you can do to help optimize your results are reviewed during your follow-up visits.