You have probably heard the term “Mommy Makeover” on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and TV. Have you wondered what a “Mommy Makeover” really means? The term is used to describe improving the appearance of the abdomen and breasts after pregnancy and weight loss through cosmetic surgery.
"Mommy Makeovers" explained
As a baby increases in size during pregnancy, we can see that it causes a women's abdominal skin to stretch, but it also causes the abdominal muscles underneath the skin to stretch. This stretching can create a space between the abdominal muscles called diastasis recti. There are some exercises that can help bring the muscles closer together, but only surgery can only completely fix diastasis recti. This surgery is called an abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck. A tummy tuck consists of removing the stretched skin, tightening the space between the abdominal muscles (fixing diastasis recti) and creating a new belly button. Many times, liposuction will also be used to help contour the sides of the abdomen.
Changes to the breasts also occur during pregnancy and after breastfeeding. The skin envelope in the breasts gets stretched out, and the breasts can sag and become droopy. Some women may notice an increase in breast tissue, and other women may notice a decrease in breast tissue after pregnancy and breast feeding. Options for improving the appearance of the breasts include a breast lift, placement of a breast implants, using your own tissue to improve volume with fat grafting or an autoaugmentation, or a combination of these procedures.
Many times, both the abdominoplasty and breast procedures can be performed at the same time. In addition, no hospital stay is needed - you can go home the same day! Winter is a great time to have these procedures as it will give you plenty of time to recuperate before your spring and summer vacations.
As a fellow mom (who has had two children!), I completely understand how pregnancy and breastfeeding can change your body. If you have been frustrated with the changes in your body after pregnancy and breastfeeding, you can schedule a consultation to discuss the options that are right for you. The consultation process can seem scary and daunting, but both myself and my team will do everything to make the process as stress free and easy as possible!
As moms, we sacrifice so much for our families, now is the time to do something for yourself!