Whether it’s at your weekly new moms meet-up or discovered online in one of your rare moments of downtime, no doubt you’re familiar with the concept of a Mommy Makeover. A favorite of celebrities, the almost-head-to-toe cosmetic rejuvenation has gained major traction for its ability to help women get their post-baby bodies back.
But what is a Mommy Makeover surgery, exactly? And what does a Mommy Makeover include?
There’s so much to learn about this customizable, confidence-restoring combination procedure, which our highly credentialed, board-certified Viva Eve plastic surgeons specialize in and perform in our state-of-the-art, AAAASF (American Association of the Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities) certified facility.
Read on for everything you need to know before a Mommy Makeover.
The Total Package: All The Procedures Mommy Makeovers Can Include
Every woman experiences different body changes after pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, and may opt for only a few – or even just one — of these procedures. But to open your eyes to the full scope of what’s available, here’s a comprehensive list.
- Breast Lift: Also known as a mastopexy, a breast lift seeks to elevate tissue that’s headed south due to nursing and pregnancy-related weight gain. Projection and volume are restored, enhancing balance and proportion.
- Breast Augmentation: Achieved via implants or fat transfer, augmentation can restore what breastfeeding has taken away – or even create a whole new look you’ve never had before. Our team will work you on the ideal breast size and shape to complement your post-baby body.
- Liposuction: Bye bye stubborn fat pockets! Envision a sleeker silhouette, courtesy of this highly popular body contouring procedure, which literally sucks out excess fat via a slim cannula.
- Tummy Tuck: When even grueling workouts and strict calorie restriction don’t move the needle on belly flab, a tummy tuck (aka abdominoplasty) may be in order. Excess fat is removed, stretch marks are smoothed and a more attractive midsection emerges.
- Diastasis Recti Repair: A very common condition that’s especially prevalent in moms over 35 and those who have twins or triplets, diastasis recti is a separation of the muscles along the midsection of the stomach. Once a diagnosis of diastasis recti has been made, our surgeon can stitch those muscles back together through a diastasis recti repair, eliminating that “pooch” undermining your self-confidence.
Customizing Your Ideal Post-Baby Body
Now that some of your basic questions have been answered, namely “what is a Mommy Makeover surgery” and “what does a Mommy Makeover include,” it’s important to know that you can tailor this procedure to your exact specifications.
In fact, shaping your Mommy Makeover to your body, your needs and your goals is precisely what Viva Eve excels at. In fact, it dovetails perfectly with Viva Eve’s personalized approach to women’s healthcare.
Because of pregnancy weight gain and nursing, most women contemplating a Mommy Makeover are primarily concerned with reversing the postpartum effects on their stomachs and busts. That’s why procedures targeting those areas, including liposuction, tummy tuck, breast augmentation and / or breast lift are some of the most popular items on the Mommy Makeover menu.
After your consultation with our plastic surgery team, you might either decide to address multiple body zones or hone-in on one. Whichever path you choose, a better body after baby awaits.
Ideal Candidates For A Mommy Makeover
Both brand new moms and moms who have recently given birth are candidates for Mommy Makeover.
There’s just one catch: they should be sure they’re finished having children before they book surgery. Literally the last thing you want to have happen is a reversal of the results of your Mommy Makeover, which is a very real possibility if you go through the pregnancy, childbirth and nursing cycle all over again.
In particular, tummy tucks, which are among the most popular Mommy Makeover procedures, should only be performed once. So if there’s a chance you may want to have another child at some point, think long and hard before booking a tummy tuck.
Other positive check marks in the “ideal candidate” column:
Prospective surgery patients should be…
- Non-smokers
- Currently at their ideal weight, a number they can comfortably and easily maintain over their lifetime through exercise and a sound diet
- In good overall health, with no metabolic issues such as high blood pressure or diabetes
As with any surgery – but especially with a multi-procedure endeavor like a Mommy Makeover – the better shape you’re in, the better your chances for a speedy, complication-free recovery and excellent results.
At Viva Eve, Combination Plastic Surgery Is Safe & Smart
The beauty of the Mommy Makeover is that any combination of procedures can be bundled together in one outpatient surgical session.
That’s important for a few huge reasons. One, it means you’ll only be under general anesthesia once. Two, it means you’ll only be in recovery once.
Here’s why each of those benefits is so key, especially to a new mother.
While general anesthesia, administered by a certified anesthesia provider and closely monitored throughout your surgery, is largely deemed safe for most individuals in good health, it isn’t without risk. Therefore, over the course of your lifetime, it’s smart to try to limit the number of times you’re fully “put under.”
Is sedation with local anesthesia an option with a Mommy Makeover? Yes, but only if you’re having a single procedure, such as liposuction. With a full Mommy Makeover, which can take up to five hours in some cases, general anesthesia is a must.
The single recovery period mentioned earlier is another big benefit of a Mommy Makeover. Just think: you’ll only need to enlist the help of your family member, partner or friends to pitch-in with childcare and managing the household day-to-day for a few weeks. tops. And only having to deal with post-op soreness and lack of mobility once is also a major plus.
A Little Bit More About The Recovery Process
Of course, no discussion about everything you need to know before a Mommy Makeover would be complete without a deeper dive into the recovery process.
The length of time you’ll be down for the count is somewhat linked to how many procedures you opt for, but the general timeline is one to two weeks of feeling sore, bruised and not up for much beyond laying on your couch catching up on Netflix.
Actually, you won’t be couch-bound the entire time, because you’ll need to get up and walk short distances from time to time to boost circulation and ensure adequate blood flow to all your extremities.
After roughly two weeks, you’ll be able to drive and resume many of your everyday activities. By six weeks post-op, a return to exercise is totally do-able, although it might take a while before you really feel like going all-out.
So that’s what you’ll feel like after surgery, but what about what you’ll look like after your Mommy Makeover? That’s where patience and a long-term outlook might need to come into play.
Shortly after surgery, you’ll be able to see that body changes have taken place. But in order to get the full picture, all the post-op swelling will need to subside. That could take six months, or a full year in some cases.
It might be smart to think of your Mommy Makeover as a gift that just keeps giving. Yes, it could take up to 12 months before the “new you” fully emerges. But throughout that post-op year, your newfound self-confidence will flourish.
