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5 Signs You Might Be Ready For A Mommy Makeover

For many women, the blessings of pregnancy and motherhood are accompanied by undesired physical changes that can’t be reversed with diet and exercise. The breasts change dramatically during pregnancy and breastfeeding, often growing and shrinking, which can lead to sagging. The growth of the belly and the weight gain that accompanies pregnancy can result in loose abdominal skin and muscles, and pockets of fat. For many mothers, these changes lead to frustration and low self-esteem, especially in intimate situations.


Super Charge Your Confidence with a Mommy Makeover

If you find yourself in this situation, a mommy makeover can help you reclaim your confidence.


What is a mommy makeover? The phrase, which has gained popularity in recent years, refers to a combination of cosmetic procedures designed to address the problem areas caused by pregnancy. While it will be customized to each woman’s needs, a mommy makeover can include these popular procedures:

Who is a Good Candidate for a Mommy Makeover?

If you’re thinking about revitalizing your body after pregnancy but are unsure if it’s right for you, consider these 5 criteria of good mommy makeover candidates.

Your body has fully healed from pregnancy, your child is weaned and you’re done having children

Pregnancy and childbirth are incredibly taxing on a woman’s body. By most estimates, it takes 6 months or more for your body to return to normal. In addition to the physical changes that occur during pregnancy, your body gets depleted from nursing.


A woman’s hormones during breastfeeding can also cause more physical changes, so it’s recommended to not schedule a mommy maker until your child has been weaned for at least six months.

 

If you have reached this point, your body is likely ready for a mommy makeover. Of course, another pregnancy could impact or even undo the results of these procedures, so it’s important to wait until you’re sure you’re done having children to proceed. This could mean your youngest child is potty training or already in college.

Your baby was delivered via C-section

A C-section can leave some women with a long scar that remain noticeable for some time.


One part of a mommy makeover, a tummy tuck, can help tighten the abdominal muscles and skin while also improving the scarring.

You’re close to your ideal weight

It’s important to be realistic about the results of a mommy makeover; the closer you are to your goal weight the better your results will be. While a tummy tuck and liposuction can slim your body, these procedures are not intended to remove all excess weight.


You are a good candidate for a mommy makeover if you are close to your ideal weight and feel like it’s a weight you can maintain after surgery. If you have reached your goal weight but still struggle with fat deposits that seem immune to diet and exercise alone, liposuction could be an important part of your makeover.


Plus, Morpheus 8 is a non-invasive technique that is great for pregnancy stretch marks.

You have a support system in place

The demands of childcare are intense; no one knows that better than moms. Following surgery, several weeks rest will be necessary so a support system is vital. Not only do cosmetic procedures require post-surgical care and time for healing, many women experience an emotional rollercoaster following surgery.


Good mommy makeover candidates have a partner, family member or friend to help with physical and emotional care.

Your self-image has declined and it’s time to do something special for you

If you look at yourself and can’t see anything but sagging breasts and a flabby tummy, the procedures in a mommy makeover could help restore your confidence and boost your self-worth.


If your declining self-image has impacted your intimate relationship, it can also work to help restore that spark.


Given the difficulties of the past year and all the selfless acts you’ve done as a mother to help your children through a global pandemic, perhaps it’s time to do something focused solely on you.

How to Prepare for a Mommy Makeover

Once you’ve decided that a mommy makeover is right for you, preparation is key.

  • Take steps to ensure you are physically and mentally healthy enough for surgery. In preparation for your surgery, take stock of your physical and emotional health to ensure you are prepared. Ideal candidates enjoy good overall health, do not smoke and have no risk factors. It’s important to share your complete medical history with your doctor including depression, heart disease, diabetes and other serious issues.
  • Share your list of medications and supplements, and prepare to stop taking certain ones. Even if a supplement or daily aspirin seems harmless, be sure to share a full list of the medications you take prior to surgery. Some can interfere with anesthesia or complicate techniques, while others, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and NSAIDs, can increase blood flow which increases bleeding.
  • Stop smoking. Smoking restricts blood flow and can increase the chances of stroke and heart complications during surgery. Smoking is also related to poor wound healing. The sooner you can stop, the better. We advise our patients to avoid all nicotine products including vaping, gums, patches, chewing tobacco and second hand smoke for at least four weeks prior to surgery and four weeks following surgery.
  • Visit the pharmacy before surgery. Your surgeon will prescribe medication to manage your pain following surgery. Fill these prescriptions ahead of time to limit stress.
  • Understand the costs. When first researching a mommy makeover, a common question is how much will it cost. The cost will depend on the number and type of procedures in your plan. This will be defined through an in-depth consultation with your doctor. Once a plan has been created, your costs can be defined. The cost of a mommy makeover can range from $3,500-$15,000 with average cost around $8,800.

How long will it take to recover from a mommy makeover?

Recover time will vary based on what procedures you have done. For some of the more invasive procedures, recovering from a mommy makeover often takes a few weeks. During this time, your activities should be restricted in order to aid healing. For example, bending over, lifting children or performing many household chores should be avoided. Recovering takes a lot of energy, so it’s best to have a comfortable space in your home to which you can retreat when you need to rest.

There are also a number of non-invasive techniques that can provide desired results for the right patient, such as Coolsculpting, Morpheus8, and BodyTite that reduce recovery time and enable a faster return to normal daily activities. Many of these techniques, along with localized liposuction, labiaplasty, and a mini tummy tuck, do not require general anesthesia and can be performed with local sedation and laughing gas (nitrous oxide).


Procedures that do require general anesthesia are done as outpatient at our accredited surgical center and are managed by a board-certified anesthesiologist with Northeast Georgia Medical Center admission capabilities. While rarely needed, it’s another level of confidence we bring to patients.


If you are a good candidate for a mommy makeover and are ready to take the first step, contact our office in Gainesville (and coming soon Braselton) to schedule a consultation. One of our plastic surgeons will walk you through the options, answer all your questions and help you decide on the best path forward.

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