What is a Mommy Makeover?

December 13, 2013

Having kids is a truly life changing experience. For most women, it’s not just sleep patterns and day-to-day schedules that get completely disrupted – pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding can all cause drastic changes to a woman’s body. It’s an amazing testament to the incredible things a mother’s body is capable of doing in order to support the life of her child. At the same time, some women who have finished breastfeeding and moved on to the next phase of their lives want to return to (or improve upon) their pre-pregnancy figure. It’s a sensitive and personal decision. For those who are interested, I recommend a Mommy Makeover.

A mommy makeover is a series of procedures that are combined and performed during one single operation. The general goals tend to be breast enhancement and body contouring, though what’s great about this surgery is that it is completely customized to the needs of each individual patient. The most common procedures included in a mommy makeover are breast lifts, tummy tucks, and liposuction. The idea is to utilize procedures that directly address the most common effects of birthing and breastfeeding, which are weight gain and skin stretching in the abdomen, and loss of firmness and shape in the breasts. Some women may also opt to have breast augmentation, while those who have given birth via Caesarean section might also include scar revision. The set of procedures is perfectly tailored to your body and your goals.

So why perform everything all at once? The fact is there are a lot of benefits to performing the procedures together. Everything happens in one visit and that’s ideal for a lot of busy moms who simply don’t have the time to co-ordinate multiple appointments over several months. Recovery times are combined, which reduces overall healing time, and I’ve yet to meet a mom with young kids who has a lot of opportunities to be off her feet for prolonged periods of time. Best of all, results that look toned, youthful, and natural happen all at the same time, and this helps to give that exciting, revitalizing feeling that comes with a makeover.

In the end, there are some women who move forward from childbirth who find that diet and exercise just don’t cut it when it comes to improving the lost firmness and skin stretching they have experienced. They work hard and give so much for their families. They are women who delight in their children but not the physical aftereffects of pregnancy. A mommy makeover is a great way for them to take some time for themselves, to regain their self-esteem and bring their body back into line with their self-image.

• posted by Dr. Frank Lista, MD, FRCSC