In our society, for some of us, our self esteem is often directly tied to our body image. When we look good, we feel more confident! If a woman feels fit, healthy, and sexy, she will be happier, more positive, and more energetic as a result. Unfortunately, as amazing as motherhood can be, pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding can all have lasting physical, mental, and emotional effects. The physical effects especially may not resolve with time, even if a woman loses weight or exercises regularly.

Plastic Surgery Group of Memphis is proud to offer the Mommy Makeover for women who have experienced sagging breasts, abdominal overhang, and stubborn fat deposits as a result of pregnancy, breastfeeding, or both. This personalized combination of procedures can include liposuction, a tummy tuck, a breast lift, or breast augmentation. If you have had trouble adjusting to your post-baby body, the Mommy Makeover could be the perfect solution! Before discussing the makeover itself in more detail, let us take a look at how pregnancy and breastfeeding can change a woman’s body.

Changes to the breasts

Many women experience changes to the size and shape of their breasts during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and again after weaning.  These changes can be slight or they may be dramatic. Hormones, genetics, and weight gain or loss will also play a part in how much your breasts will grow and change.

After the birth of a child, your breasts may grow even larger as your milk supply increases. Sometimes swelling and breast engorgement occur, and although this is temporary, your breasts are likely to remain slightly larger than normal as long as they are producing breast milk. 

Once you are no longer exclusively breastfeeding, or as you begin the weaning process, your breasts will change yet again. As your baby nurses less often, your milk supply will slowly decrease, leaving your breasts feeling less full. Once weaning has been achieved, it could take six months or more for your breasts to return to their pre-pregnancy state, if they do at all. It is not unusual for these breast changes to be permanent. Your breasts may remain larger, or they may seem smaller and softer. They may have stretch marks and seem saggy. These are all normal changes that can occur, but they can also leave you missing of the fullness your breasts once had.

A Mommy Makeover may include a breast augmentation, a mastopexy (breast lift), a combination mastopexy with augmentation, or a breast reduction (with lift included.) Plastic Surgery Group of Memphis has a team of experienced surgeons who will work with your natural figure to achieve a beautiful result that is similar to, or improves on, your pre-pregnancy shape.

Changes to the tummy, hips, and thighs

After having children, you may find that you no longer have the abdominal tightness you enjoyed before. During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles are stretched and separated to accommodate your growing baby. These muscles sometimes never completely return to their original position. Compounding this is the loose skin that can occur as a result of the stretching that occurs in your belly over the course of a pregnancy. Stubborn fat deposits that you cannot seem to shift with diet or exercise may develop in the tummy, thighs, hips, or sides of the torso, leading to obvious “love handles” or a “muffin top.”

A Mommy Makeover often includes a full or mini abdominoplasty, commonly known as a tummy tuck, with or without liposuction. The best candidates for these procedures—and the ones who get the best results—are women who are at their baseline weight, do not plan on having any more children, and are committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle going forward.

The Mommy Makeover procedure

The Mommy Makeover from Plastic Surgery Group of Memphis is an outpatient procedure performed under general anesthesia. It will usually take between four and six hours to complete. Our team will normally begin your Mommy Makeover with an abdominoplasty. One of our experienced plastic surgeons will make a horizontal incision across the pubic line from hip to hip, and then remove the excess fatty tissue. If you have opted for liposuction, it will be implemented at this point to sculpt and contour your abdomen, waist, and hips. Once the unwanted tissue has been excised, the belly button will be recreated if needed, then repositioned before the incision is sutured.

The breast reduction or breast augmentation will be performed next. For breast augmentation, we will use the most appropriate type, size, and shape implant for you. The surgeon will begin by making an incision in the crease of the breast to create a pocket for the implant. Once the implant has been placed, the incision will be stitched. For breast reductions, an incision will be made around your nipple, then downward on the breast, in a keyhole shape. The excess skin, tissue, and fat will be removed, and your nipple relocated before the incisions are closed. If a breast lift is being performed, it will happen at this time as well.

While the Mommy Makeover is normally performed as one procedure, it may be split into multiple operations, depending on your preference and the amount of operating time involved.

Recovering from a Mommy Makeover

Following your surgery, gauze or bandages will be applied to your incisions. An elastic bandage or support bra will help to minimize swelling and support the breasts, while a compression garment may be used to control swelling in the abdomen and waist.

You will be given specific instructions for your recovery that will include information such as:

• how to care for your surgical sites following surgery
• medications to aid in healing and to reduce the risk of infection
• specific concerns to be on the look out for
• when to follow up with your plastic surgeon

Healing will continue for several weeks as the swelling decreases. As it does, you will be able to see the shape of your breasts, abdomen, and waist improve. The final results of your Mommy Makeover may not be apparent for several months after surgery. Over time, implants will settle and scar lines will improve. You should expect the full recovery times to vary by patient, but most patients return to normal activity in four to six weeks.

Explore the Mommy Makeover with Plastic Surgery Group of Memphis

If pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding have left you reeling at the state of your post-baby body, find yourself with a Mommy Makeover from the Plastic Surgery Group of Memphis! From your initial consultation to your post-treatment care, our team of experienced plastic surgeons provide the latest techniques and cutting-edge equipment to ensure less scarring, less downtime, and more effective and lasting results. Get in touch with us today to find your way back to the body you love!