5 Things You Need To Know About Mommy Makeover Surgery

Few plastic surgery procedures are as transformative as a Mommy Makeover, which provides surgeons with the opportunity to address multiple aesthetic concerns in a single procedure. Increasingly popular with women who want to reverse the physical toll of pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding, a Mommy Makeover typically combines a breast lift with or without implants and a tummy tuck. In Atlanta, our board-certified plastic surgeons have the expertise needed to perform these complex procedures.

If you’re considering Mommy Makeover surgery, you should be fully aware of what it involves and have realistic expectations, not only about the procedure itself but also the recovery process. Mommy Makeovers aren’t cookie-cutter operations and not all patients are good candidates for a surgery that combines multiple procedures. Here are 5 things you should know about the Mommy Makeover:

1. It’s a Customized Procedure: A Mommy Makeover is as unique as each patient. It’s a procedure that surgeons customize based on your specific needs, lifestyle, and anatomy. Some of the factors involved in creating a surgical plan include a patient’s age, if she recently had a child, if she’s going through menopause, and whether she breastfed her child or children. A patient may have sagging breasts that have also lost volume, so she may opt to combine a lift with breast augmentation. Or a patient could opt to include nonsurgical vaginal rejuvenation as part of a Mommy Makeover. Discuss the options with your surgeon at your consultation.
2. Timing Is Important: Some women want to schedule their Mommy Makeovers soon after having a baby. Others postpone the procedure for years. Each person’s circumstances are different and the choice to undergo any cosmetic surgery is highly personal. Some things to keep in mind regarding the timing of your surgery: Wait until you’re finished having children. (You can get pregnant after a Mommy Makeover, but it’s likely that the results will be compromised.) Postpone surgery for at least 6 months after having a baby or 6 months after you’ve weaned a child. (Your body needs time to fully heal after pregnancy, and breasts continue changing for months after you stop breastfeeding.) Remember that you won’t be able to lift infants or toddlers for about 2 weeks after the procedure. (This can be emotionally trying for mothers.)
3. Have a Reliable Support System: You’ll need more rest than you expect after having a Mommy Makeover, and you’ll need to count on friends or family to help out with child care, meal prep, running errands, and housework during your recovery. Having a few people involved lightens the load on any one person and usually works well.
4. Be at a Comfortable, Sustainable Weight: The body contouring procedures typically included in a Mommy Makeover, such as a tummy tuck and liposuction, are not weight loss procedures. A tummy tuck removes excess abdominal skin and repairs abdominal muscles, while liposuction removes pockets of fat. It’s important that patients maintain a fairly stable weight to realize the benefits of a Mommy Makeover.
5. It’s OK To Do Something for Yourself: Many mothers are used to putting their families’ needs ahead of their own. It goes against their habits to ask for help or take time for themselves—which is what a Mommy Makeover requires. The decision is one each person needs to make for herself, but it’s useful to remember that there’s nothing wrong with feeling good about yourself—and your appearance.

Discussing your options with a board-certified plastic surgeon is the first step. You can request a consultation with one of our surgeons at Plastic Surgery Center of the South using the online form or by calling (770) 421-1242 to schedule an appointment.