Once you’ve decided to pursue a mommy makeover procedure, mommy makeover preparation begins with your consultation appointment. At a consultation, you’ll meet in person with your plastic surgeon and get to know the ins and outs of mommy makeover procedures.
Your surgeon will want to hear about your goals, hopes, and dreams for the procedure. But they’ll also need to make sure you’re a good candidate. This means performing a physical examination in-office, going over any current medications you’re taking, reviewing any medical conditions you may have, and reviewing your medical history in general.
Any questions and concerns can also be brought up at your appointment. Feel free to be open with your surgeon about your worries, ask questions about mommy makeover cost and financing, discuss your potential for mommy makeover scars, and don’t hold back any concerning thoughts you may have about getting cosmetic surgery.
It’s perfectly normal to be anxious as you move toward your operation. If you’ve chosen a personable and qualified plastic surgeon such as Dr. Rice, they’ll know just how to reassure you and help build your confidence as you approach surgery.
Prepping for Mommy Makeover Surgery
Once you’ve been cleared to undergo a mommy makeover and you have a surgery date set, your own surgical preparations should be made.
After all, the surgery itself is the “easy” part in many ways. You’ll be entirely in the hands of your surgeon during this time. Prior to surgery and after surgery, however, taking care of yourself will be your responsibility.
Prep Tips Before Your Mommy Makeover Procedure
In the weeks prior to your surgery, make sure to do the following:
Change any medications necessary.
Your surgeon will tell you if you need to stop or alter any of the prescription medications you are taking — most importantly, blood thinning medications.
Continue exercising.
Staying fit and active is important before your tummy tuck surgery, breast procedure, and whatever other plastic surgery procedures you plan to undergo with your mommy makeover.
You’ll need to stop exercising for a period during your recovery (except for short walks when your surgeon says it’s okay), so do as much as you can pre-surgery to build up your strength.
Eat a well-balanced diet.
Just like exercising, it’s important to keep your strength up by eating a healthy diet as well. Focus on protein, especially. This will help you maintain a healthy body weight and can also be a great solution for improving muscle tone.
Prepare your home for recovery.
At home, make sure you have a space set up for you to spend a lot of your mommy makeover recovery time in. We recommend setting aside a couch or easy chair where you can sit comfortably for substantial periods. Of course, you’ll want to get up frequently to increase blood flow.
Have everything at-hand, including bottled water, snacks, your phone or computer, chargers, remotes, books, headphones, tissues, lip balm, lotion, and any other items you’ll need.
Set someone up to take you home after surgery.
Finally, you must have a close friend or relative who can be at the hospital or surgical procedures facility when you get out of surgery and who can drive you home afterward.
Tips for Mommy Makeover Surgery Recovery
After surgery, be sure to do the following:
Follow your surgeon’s guidelines.
You’ll receive postoperative instructions, and you must follow these closely to ensure a safe and successful mommy makeover recovery period. Your instructions will include details about how to wash and care for your incisions, how to sleep (positioning etc.), bathroom tips (how to avoid constipation etc.), eating guidelines, followup appointment dates, and more.
Get lots of rest and relaxation.
Don’t try to do too much. Mommy makeover is major surgery, and you’ll need to get plenty of rest and good sleep as often as possible.
Stay in contact with your surgeon.
Included in your postoperative guidelines, you’ll get a list of potential complication signs to watch out for (intense pain, uneven pain or swelling, high fever, etc.). Review these carefully, and don’t hesitate to contact your surgeon’s office if you have doubts about how your incisions are healing. Your surgeon should be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have.
Why Get a Mommy Makeover?
Most women get mommy makeover procedures after they’re done having kids because they’ve been experiencing some negative side effects from pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. This may include, but is not limited to:
- Sagging breasts
- Loss of volume in the breasts
- Asymmetrical breasts
- Enlarged areolae
- Excess skin on the stomach and elsewhere
- Stretch marks on the stomach, breasts, and elsewhere
- Wrinkled, loose skin on the stomach, breasts, and elsewhere
- Stubborn fat deposits
- Changes in overall body composition (going from a pear shape to an apple shape, for example)
Why Is It Called a Mommy Makeover?
The term “mommy makeover” is really just a marketing term used to describe a series of individual procedures that can be combined into one surgery for a woman who wants her “pre-baby body” back. For this reason, mommy makeovers should be performed on women who are done having children.
Of course, you don’t actually have to be a mother to get a mommy makeover surgery, and you don’t have to be a woman either. As stated above, the surgery is really just a combination of primary cosmetic procedures, all of which aim to improve your comfort and appearance in the ways you want. A typical mommy makeover surgical procedure might include a tummy tuck, breast surgery (breast lift and/or breast augmentation (breast implants), liposuction, and possibly labiaplasty.
FAQ: Mommy Makeover Preparations & More
What is the ideal weight for a mommy makeover?
There is no ideal weight for a mommy makeover. Every patient is different, and different plastic surgeons have different parameters for what they consider safe. Most patients should be at or near a healthy weight for their sex, height, age, and body frame, but plus size mommy makeovers are possible.
Will mommy makeover scars go away?
You can look up mommy makeover before and after galleries from your surgeon if you would like to see how mommy makeover scars typically look once healed. While these will never fully disappear, for the most part, they should fade and flatten out nicely over time.
Some things you can do to encourage scar minimization include: staying out of the sun (especially right after surgery), staying hydrated, keeping the area well-moisturized, using lymphatic massage (if okay with your surgeon), using silicone scar sheets or topical ointments, and, of course, choosing the right surgeon! A well-qualified and experienced surgeon will place your incisions as discreetly as possible.
Call Today to Arrange a Consultation Appointment
If you have additional questions about preparation for mommy makeover surgery, please contact our office to schedule a mommy makeover consultation appointment with experienced board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Dahlia Rice. She is ready to guide you toward the best surgical outcomes possible. We look forward to talking with you.
