Bringing children into this world is a beautiful process that many women cherish, but pregnancy and birth usually change women’s bodies significantly. Many look into cosmetic surgery as a solution for their newly gained excess skin and stubborn fat following pregnancy. The mommy makeover is a surgery made for this exact situation, allowing women to choose between a variety of procedures to contour and rejuvenate their bodies back to their pre-pregnancy shape. Mommy makeovers typically consist of a tummy tuck, breast surgery, liposuction, and a labiaplasty, but other procedures may be added.
As the mommy makeover includes a variety of procedures that can be chosen by the patient and tailored to their goals, there are several key points to keep in mind when preparing for them. Here are some of the steps that can be taken before your mommy makeover procedure to ensure a safe, successful procedure that gives you the results you’re dreaming of.
Preparation steps for a mommy makeover
A medical evaluation or testing may be done
During your consultation, your plastic surgeon may perform a medical evaluation or some type of testing to make sure your body is in a healthy enough condition to perform a mommy makeover. It is a complicated surgery consisting of different types of procedures, so the surgeon must ensure that it is safe to perform these on you. A patient’s safety is always the priority.
You may need to take specific medications or adjust your current ones
Your surgeon should also analyze the medications you are taking to ensure none of them will disturb your surgery process. Specific medications can affect your ability to undergo surgery and negatively impact your recovery. On the other hand, you may be given new medications either in preparation for surgery or during recovery to relieve pain.
Avoid taking supplements that can increase bleeding
Certain supplements you may take regularly can cause worse bleeding during and/or after your procedure. These include, but are not limited to, aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements. Your surgeon will ask you about any supplements you take regularly at your consultation to make sure you don’t need to pause the use of any of them leading up to surgery.
Be in good health
Women often develop conditions such as type two diabetes post-pregnancy. These conditions can make for a risky surgery and recovery, so be sure to be aware of any conditions you may have and be able to properly manage them. If your surgeon sees too much risk with your condition to perform a mommy makeover, they will be certain to lay out any alternatives for you. If you want a clean bill of health to have a mommy makeover, you will need to quit smoking at least three weeks before surgery.
Be at a healthy weight that you can maintain long-term
The mommy makeover is not a weight loss procedure, but rather a body contouring procedure. It is meant to help tighten loose skin after weight loss. You will need to lose most of your baby weight before your consultation. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) recommends being no more than 25 pounds over your goal weight before looking into a mommy makeover. To reach your goal weight before surgery, try eating nutritious foods with protein, exercising regularly, and drinking plenty of water.
Budget properly
The mommy makeover includes multiple procedures, so it is more expensive than most other cosmetic procedures. Mommy makeovers can range anywhere between $10,000 to $20,000, depending on which individual treatments you opt into and where the practice is located.
What To Be Aware Of Before Getting A Mommy Makeover
As you research and consider getting a mommy makeover to rejuvenate your body post-pregnancy and get rid of excess skin, there are some important points to be aware of:
Follow-up procedures may be performed on an outpatient basis
As the mommy makeover consists of multiple procedures at once, some follow-up procedures may be necessary on an outpatient basis to ensure your safety and best results. For example, if you combine two complicated procedures such as a tummy tuck with a Brazilian butt lift (BBL), you may need a follow-up procedure.
For long-lasting results, you’ll want to wait until you’re done having children
To retain the best results possible for the longest time possible, wait until after having all of your children before having a mommy makeover. If you have more children after a mommy makeover, the pregnancy will stretch the skin on your abdomen and breasts. This stretching can undo the results achieved from your mommy makeover surgeries. Although revisions are possible in this case, they will add further expense and the inconvenience of another recovery period. Complications such as scarring are more likely with revision surgeries than initial ones. You should wait until at least six months after having your last child before getting a mommy makeover.
The recovery period is lengthy
The recovery period for a mommy makeover is not short or easy. If you decide to get a tummy tuck as part of your surgery, that procedure alone has a long recovery period, and you’ll be healing for two to three months. During this period, you will be on bed rest for the first two weeks, and you will not be able to lift over 25 pounds. If you have children you carry regularly you will have to hire someone for childcare during your recovery period. For the best support, furnish your bed with plenty of extra cushions. Your head and feet will most likely need to be elevated directly after surgery.
You’ll need someone by your side during the first few weeks of recovery
During the first few weeks of your recovery after a mommy makeover, basic everyday tasks will not be feasible. You’ll need someone by your side to help you perform tasks that require you to move around, as too much movement can put pressure on your incisions and cause pain. Necessities such as snacks, water, and medications should be within reach of your bed.
Summary: Preparation is Key
If you are well prepared ahead of the procedure and have this performed by a surgeon, such as Dr Liland, with plenty of expertise and skills, then the mommy makeover can be a life-changing surgery with little risk of serious complications. If you follow the instructions given to you ahead of your surgery to achieve the best results safely, you will feel confident and impressed with your results following recovery.