Mommy Makeover
Motherhood can be one of the most rewarding phases of life, but for some women, a struggle with unwanted bodily changes from pregnancy and breastfeeding can be disheartening and a blow to their self-esteem. During pregnancy, as your baby grows, your skin stretches, your midsection and thighs swell with supplemental pockets of fat, and your abdominal muscles stretch and separate.
Key Points
Some women are blessed with the genetics to bounce back into shape on their own postpartum, but for many, no amount of diet and exercise can eliminate the excess skin, tissue and stretchmarks that linger after pregnancy. It is not uncommon for women to lose all the pounds they gained while pregnant, but still keep the “love handles,” ripples and bumps they never had before. These side effects of pregnancy can stick with a woman for years after childbirth, and possibly the rest of her life.
Additionally, the responsibilities of motherhood take away much of our free time for exercise, and our children’s desire for “kid food” can make healthy eating for ourselves a challenge.
These issues can be exacerbated with age and each additional birth, as well as the changing demographics of pregnancy. An article in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, reports, “Statistics reflect that pregnancies are occurring at a later age, multiple births are becoming more common, and a sizeable population — with a keen interest in nutrition, fitness, and a continued desire to retain a youthful figure — is aging. Consequently, postpartum reshaping is a priority for many women, enough so that the phrase ‘mommy makeover’ has entered the vernacular.”
Read this: Lose Weight Like This After Pregnancy While Breastfeeding
What is a Mommy Makeover?
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the goal of a mommy makeover is to restore the shape and appearance of a woman’s body after childbearing. The term does not refer to a specific procedure; it is a customized combination of body contouring procedures performed during the same surgery to restore or improve the areas of a woman’s body that are most negatively impacted by pregnancy.
As the abdomen and breasts experience the most change brought on by motherhood, most mommy makeovers include at least a breast augmentation, breast lift or breast reduction, along with a tummy tuck. From there, a mommy makeover can be supplemented by any combination of buttock augmentation, buttock lift, thigh lift, arm lift, neck lift, liposuction, skin rejuvenation or other body contouring procedures. Some women even opt for facial rejuvenation as well.
Since a mommy makeover is usually a “package deal” comprised of several surgical procedures done at the same time, a major benefit is that the patient only endures one recovery period, which is critical for busy moms. Additionally, a mommy makeover is more cost-effective than multiple, individual surgeries because it only requires one surgical center stay, one surgeon and medical team, and one dosage of medicine. Of course, the cost will vary depending on how many different surgical procedures are performed, as well as where they are performed and who performs them.
In recent years, the mommy makeover has continually gained popularity, and mothers dissatisfied with their post-pregnancy bodies are turning to plastic surgery now more than ever. The ASPS reports that 62 percent of mothers surveyed say they would consider plastic surgery to restore their pre-baby bodies.
When’s the Right Time for a Mommy Makeover?
There is no actual “right time” to have a mommy makeover because this type of combination approach to body restoration would be appropriate for women both young and mature. It is important that you choose a time, however, when you will have someone to care for your needs as you recover from the operation, and to help with childcare if your children are young. Healing from major surgery, particularly one that addresses multiple areas of the body, takes rest and recuperation, usually over a period of several weeks.
There are times that are less than ideal for a mommy makeover. Before you schedule your surgery, for instance, you should be sure that you are finished having babies. Another pregnancy will just diminish any benefits you achieve from your surgery by stretching the treated skin of your breasts and abdomen and reproducing the pockets of fat that may have been removed. Of course, additional surgeries are possible, but this just adds expense, inconvenience and discomfort, as well as additional scarring, counteracting the benefits of the original mommy makeover. And any surgery is a stressor on the body, so it is best to keep them to a minimum when possible.
Additionally, since the breasts often change again after cessation of breastfeeding, you should hold off on the surgery until you are finished breastfeeding and your breasts stabilize in shape and size to ensure best results. Also, during recovery, it is important that incisions are protected
