What’s The Best Time For A Mommy Makeover?
Many mothers know that pregnancy and childbirth can greatly alter a woman’s body. During pregnancy, the abdomen stretches to accommodate the growing fetus, while the breasts become engorged with milk in preparation for potential breastfeeding. These changes can leave a woman with post-childbirth issues including loose breast and abdomen, loss of breast volume and shape, drooping of the breasts, stretch marks, and spider/varicose veins.
Despite regular exercise and a healthy diet after pregnancy, many women find these changes difficult, if not impossible, to reverse without surgical intervention.
The desire of many women to return their bodies back to pre-pregnancy form has dramatically increased interest in plastic surgery in the Austin area and in the United States at large. This popularity has led to increased use of the term ‘Mommy Makeover’, which is simply a combination of two or more popular plastic surgery procedures such as breast augmentation, breast lift, liposuction, abdominoplasty, and vaginal rejuvenation. Additionally, there are some great non-surgical procedures that can also benefit such as vein removal.
Many questions I commonly get from patients considering a mommy makeover procedure are related to the ideal timing for the procedure, and what can be done before surgery to maximize the chances of a successful outcome. I have found these three guidelines to be helpful in guiding a majority of my patients:
1. Maintain your “weight goal”
One of the most important issues to consider before undergoing a mommy makeover is to wait until you reach and maintain your pre-pregnancy weight. I recommend waiting until after you’ve sustained your weight goal for approximately six months. Weight stabilization is a useful guide because it indicates that your body is mostly recovered from the stresses of pregnancy and childbirth.
2. After breast-feeding stops
I recommend that patients considering mommy makeover procedures (particularly breast procedures such as breast augmentation with implants or fat transfer, breast lift) wait until after they’ve stopped breast-feeding for at least 6 months. Waiting for this duration allows the breasts to stabilize in shape and size. This allows for a much more accurate assessment during surgical planning.
3. Once you’re done having children
The ideal time for a mommy makeover is once the patient has completed childbearing. Some of the procedures, such as breast augmentation, are commonly performed in women before they have had any children. Other procedures, such as a tummy tuck procedure, is best deferred until after a woman has completed all her pregnancies.
Interested in mommy makeover procedures? Contact us today to learn more about both surgical and non-surgical options!
A united group of skin care specialists from Westlake Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery, Austin's leader in Dermatology and Plastic Surgery. Articles posted under WD staff are authored through combined contributions from our entire team, including Plastic Surgeons, Dermatologists, Aestheticians, Physician Assistants, Aesthetic Nurses, and Patient Coordinators.
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Great content! It’s really important to remember that the timing for a mommy makeover can vary for each individual. So while this post is a good guide, each patient is unique and faces different circumstances. Thank you for sharing this.