For many women, pregnancy can wreak havoc on the body. Although there is nothing better than having a healthy, beautiful baby, the major changes to the body can be hard to cope with. While pregnancy affects every woman differently, many factors go into the changes experienced. They can include genetics, weight gain, and the number of pregnancies. Some of the most commonly seen changes are deflated breasts, stretch marks, loss of muscle tone, and excess skin or fat.
While there are some women who are fortunate enough to regain their pre-pregnancy body with the help of diet and exercise alone, many others carry a great deal of guilt that they are even entertaining the idea of surgery. When many women show up for that first “mommy makeover” consultation, the tone is often one of guilt or shame.
Our job, as plastic surgery professionals, is to help patients understand that a positive body image is an important component of confidence and self-esteem. While we will never steer our patients into making a decision, we are here to offer support and help them conclude that taking care of themselves and feeling youthful, attractive, and confident are all valid needs.
That brings us to discussing what mommy makeovers are, and when is the best time to consider them.
Mommy makeovers are a broad term used to convey the spectrum of procedures that are available to help restore the body to its pre-pregnancy status. This can include tummy tucks, breast augmentations, and liposuction. We offer some non-surgical options for patients to explore as alternatives to surgical procedures.
Women who seek mommy makeovers should be in good health and within a few pounds of their healthy, ideal body weight. For most patients, we recommend waiting at least six months after the most recent pregnancy and at least four months after they have completed breastfeeding before having a breast augmentation. It’s also imperative that any women seeking a mommy makeover have adequate help taking care of the children during the full recovery period. Many women try to return to normal activities that include lifting and too much movement can make recovery difficult and possibly even ruin the results.
