Recovering from a Mommy Makeover
Becoming a mom doesn’t only change your life, it also changes your body. For every woman that is perfectly happy to accept their new shape and/or size, there is another who reaches a point where they are looking to regain their pre-pregnancy appearance. Unfortunately, undoing the effects of pregnancy and birth is far from easy. For this reason, an increasing number of women are now turning to a Mommy Makeover to restore their confidence in their appearance
Some of the most common procedures included in a Mommy Makeover include:
Breast augmentation (enlargement)
Breast lift
Liposuction
Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)
A Mommy Makeover is the name given to a number of different cosmetic procedures that are combined into a single surgery so that the patient can achieve a more complete transformation in a much more convenient way. Rather than several pre-ops, several surgeries on different areas of the body, and several recoveries, they only need to go through one of each. This is particularly beneficial for busy moms who may find it difficult to take time away from their children in order to undergo surgery and the necessary recovery period. In fact, it is this single recovery period that is one of the main attractions of busy moms considering a Mommy Makeover procedure.
Here’s what else you need to know about recovering from a Mommy Makeover.
Post-Surgical Discomfort
Discomfort is to be expected after any sort of surgical procedure and a Mommy Makeover is no exception. The location and severity of your discomfort will vary depending on which procedures you have chosen to have, and how well you can usually manage pain. While some patients may only need over-the-counter medications, others will require stronger relief in the first few days or weeks following their surgery. Pain relief will be something that you can discuss with your doctor. It is important to take all pain medications as directed, irrespective of the type that they are. Doing so will help ensure that you aren’t suffering unnecessarily – something which can actually hamper your recovery.
No Smoking
Your surgeon will have also spoken to you about the importance of not smoking in the run up to and immediately after your Mommy Makeover. Stopping smoking during this time is crucial as not only does tobacco use increase your risk of complications occurring during and after your procedures, but it can also significantly slow down the rate at which you will heal. This is because smoking constricts the flow of oxygenated blood around the body. Your surgeon will advise you to quit for at least 6 weeks before and after your Mommy Makeover and you should do everything that you can to stick to this instruction.
Post-Surgical Care
Your surgical team will give you very specific instructions on the best way to look after any wounds that you have, which will depend on which procedures you have undergone, and these should be followed precisely to reduce your risk of complications. If you have any concerns you shouldn’t hesitate to speak to your surgical team immediately.
How Long Does it Take to Recover From a Mommy Makeover?
Every Mommy Makeover is tailored to the individual needs of each patient. As a result, the expected recovery time can vary depending on how many individual procedures you have undergone, which procedures they were, and how effectively your body can heal following the surgeries. The more closely you adhere to your surgeon’s advice regarding the post-surgical period, the more quickly you should be able to heal and the lower your risk of complications will be.
In most instances, you can expect your recovery to fall into a timeline similar to that stated below:
Within 24 hours of your surgery – you should be up and walking around, albeit slowly. This will improve your rate of healing as it boosts circulation which sends oxygenated blood to the surgical sites. It also reduces your risk of experiencing a blood clot.
Within 2 to 3 weeks of your surgery – you should be able to return to a sedentary job or full-time parenting.
Within 8 to 12 weeks of your surgery – you should be able to participate in most physical activities unless otherwise advised by your surgeon.
Within 4 to 6 months of your surgery – all traces of swelling from your surgeries should have subsided and you will see the final result of your Mommy Makeover.
For more information about recovering from a Mommy Makeover, please get in touch with our discreet and knowledgeable cosmetic surgery team in Metairie, LA.
