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What should you expect after a mommy makeover?

After pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding, many women are looking for ways to return their body to a pre-baby appearance. Having children can take a toll on women’s bodies, leaving them with unwanted sagging or deflated breasts, excess skin, pockets of fat on their tummy, and reduced skin elasticity.

A mommy makeover is the name for a customized combination of procedures that our surgeons tailor to your body. This mommy makeover can restore your body to your pre-baby silhouette, resulting in a smoother and more toned body shape, lifted breasts, and tighter skin.

While this surgery is a great option for many women, it’s natural to be concerned about the mommy makeover recovery. We will cover what to expect after a mommy makeover so that you can be as prepared as possible and take steps to ensure that your mommy makeover recovery is as smooth as possible.

Surgeries included in a mommy makeover

A mommy makeover is a customized surgery which often includes more than one of the following procedures, so your recovery depends a lot on what procedures you are having performed. Common mommy makeover options are:

  • Breast augmentation. This procedure increases the size of the breasts with breast implants. It is good for women who feel as though their breasts look ‘deflated’ after pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  • Breast reduction. A breast reduction is sometimes part of a mommy makeover for women who want to decrease the size of their breasts. In many cases, a breast reduction is combined with a breast lift.
  • Breast lift. A breast lift can be performed in conjunction with a breast augmentation or breast reduction, or by itself. A breast lift is a common component in a mommy makeover since many women experience some sagging in their breasts after pregnancy, weight loss, or breastfeeding.
  • Tummy tuck. A tummy tuck is very common in a mommy makeover because pregnancy tends to leave women with excess skin in their abdominal area. A tummy tuck removes this extra skin providing a tighter, leaner body shape.
  • Targeted fat reduction. Often women ask us to reduce select areas of fat during a mommy makeover, and this can be achieved with our less invasive liposuction options or non-surgical body contouring. Fat can be reduced in the tummy area, hips, back, thighs, or other parts of the body.

Recovery after a mommy makeover

It is not possible to say exactly how long the recovery process is following a mommy makeover because everyone is different. A primary factor in your recovery will be which procedures your mommy makeover includes. Having more than one procedure at once will generally lengthen your recovery time somewhat. In addition, each person heals and recovers at a different rate. However, we can give you a general guide for what to expect during your mommy makeover recovery process.

Most patients have up to 2 weeks of their initial phase of mommy makeover recovery which involves swelling, bruising, and some discomfort. After that you can expect a few months where you are able to move more easily and most of the bruising is gone. During this intermediate phase you will still have some swelling. The final phase of recovery is the longest, but also the easiest. This final phase is where the remainder of your swelling will dissipate so that you can see your true results. This phase can take months, and even up to a year or more for the last of the tummy tuck swelling to be gone. If you have less invasive procedures, your recovery will generally be substantially quicker.

What to expect the day of a mommy makeover

During your mommy makeover you will not feel any pain and will not be aware of your surroundings. After surgery we will wake you up and you can expect to feel groggy while the anesthesia wears off. When you’re ready to go home you will need a friend or family member to drive you, and ideally spend at least the first night with you. You will have bandages, and in some cases drains as well. We will give you pain medicine when appropriate, to get you through the initial phase of your mommy makeover recovery.

What to expect the first week after a mommy makeover

The first week after your surgery you should plan to rest as much as possible. This is not a week where you’ll want to be working, running errands, or doing housework. No matter which procedures are involved in your customized mommy makeover, you can expect to have swelling, bruising, and some trouble moving around. We’ll ask you to take short, slow walks often to aid in the healing process.

Compression garments during a mommy makeover recovery

In most cases we do ask our mommy makeover patients to wear compression garments. These help reduce swelling and keep needed structure during the healing process. Whether you wear compression garments will depend on what procedures make up your personal mommy makeover.

Time off work during a mommy makeover recovery

The length of time you’ll need to take off work depends on 2 primary factors. The first factor is what procedures you have done. For instance, someone who has a full tummy tuck as part of their mommy makeover will generally need substantially more time off work than someone who has a non-invasive tummy-slimming treatment. Additionally, your type of job will have a large effect on how much time you need off. In general you can expect to take 1-2 weeks off of work if you have a sedentary job, and up to a month off of work if you have a more strenuous job. Some patients find they are able to return to work more quickly if their job offers a light-duty transition.

Dos and Don’ts for a mommy makeover recovery

DO have help around the house. In many cases you will not be able to reach over your head to take plates out of a cupboard, or move around enough to cook meals during the first 2 weeks after surgery.

DO prepare your house ahead of time for your recovery. Having healthy, prepared meals in your freezer is a great way to make sure you stay nourished while not putting effort into cooking during recovery.

DO wear clothes that are comfortable and easy to take off. Shirts that do not go over your head may be easiest.

DO set up a recovery area before your surgery. Make sure this is an area you can rest in comfortably with access to a phone, phone charger, water, thermometer, your medications, and anything else that will make you comfortable.

DO take pain medicine when needed, but try to taper and stop using any strong pain medicine as soon as you feel able to.

DO NOT lift during the first part of your recovery from a mommy makeover. This includes anything heavy like a small child, kitty litter, or groceries.

DO NOT rush back into exercising. Walks are an excellent first step towards moving after your mommy makeover, but you should expect to be substantially healed before you undertake more strenuous exercise like jogging or lifting weights.

DO NOT expect to see your final results right away. You will have swelling and bruising that will mask your new body shape. Please be patient with yourself and your mommy makeover recovery.

If you are hoping to reverse the toll that pregnancy took on your body, a mommy makeover can be a great option. Our expert surgeons are able to customize a set of procedures that can help tone, tighten, firm, and smooth your figure. If you have any questions about what to expect during the mommy makeover recovery process or how we can help you reach your goals, please contact us.

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