The mommy makeover is a tailored combination of surgery designed to create a more youthful look after pregnancy. While each patient’s needs are unique, common procedures in a mommy makeover include liposuction, tummy tuck and breast augmentation.

Although pregnancy is worth the effort, some of the physical and anatomical changes associated with pregnancy are not quite as desirable. Under the effects of hormonal changes, the pregnant female body undergoes fat redistribution, as well as initial stretching, and then involution of the lactating breasts. This tends to leave many women with unexpected fat deposits and loss of breast fullness. Even heavy exercise post-partum fails to budge these genetically determined fat storage sites.  Fortunately, many solutions for rebuilding your pre-baby body are available. Since each woman’s body is different, a full mommy makeover is not necessary for every patient.

Many women find that no matter how dedicated they are to a healthy diet and exercise program, they cannot seem to loose their baby pooch. During pregnancy women can experience skin and muscle laxity, leaving many with undesirable sagging skin on the lower part of the abdomen. The only way to remedy this condition is by undergoing a procedure known as an abdominoplasty, more commonly referred to as a tummy tuck. Several tummy tuck options are available depending on the degree of sagging and muscle laxity. A standard tummy tuck is performed when an incision is made from hip to hip below the bikini line, excess skin is removed, the muscles are tightened down the center of the abdomen and the incision is sutured. A new belly button is then created. Dr. Smiley is highly specialized in high lateral tension tummy tucks, which also incorporates tightening of the muscles on the side of the abdomen. This brings in the sides of the mid-section, resulting in a more toned result. The same basic principles apply to both methods. If you are experiencing bothersome sagging skin between the naval and the pubic area, then a mini tummy tuck may be the best choice for you. This procedure requires less downtime and a shorter scar because less skin is removed and muscles are not tightened. An incision only about half the size of a standard tummy tuck is required. Excess skin is removed and the incision is sutured, resulting in a flatter more flattering mid-section. Like a standard tummy tuck, liposuction may also be used to enhance the contours of the abdomen.

Breast enhancement procedures are common after pregnancy for one of two reasons. Pregnancy and breast feeding can take a toll on breasts, drastically reducing their size and volume. This often causes the breasts to sag. Some women chose to undergo a breast lift and augmentation to restore the appearance of breasts prior to pregnancy, while others grow quite fond of the larger breasts during this time and opt for post pregnancy breast augmentation. Several options are available for breast lift procedures depending on the degree of sagging. Learn more about options for Breast Lift Surgery. FDA approved silicone and saline breast implants are available for breast augmentation procedures. In addition to the four different incision sites one can select (areola, arm pit, under the fold, umbilical), patients who undergo a tummy tuck at the same time may also opt to have their implants inserted using the incision made between the hips.

It is advised to wait a minimum of 6 months after giving birth before undergoing a mommy makeover or any other type of plastic surgery procedure. California law also requires medical clearance for all patients prior to undergoing any cosmetic procedure to ensure safety and optimal recovery. It is important to remember that you will be unable to lift children or any heavy objects for about 2-3 weeks.If you are look to have more children in upcoming years, it is advised that you wait to undergo your Mommy Makeover until you are finished having children. Although it is possible to maintain a post-mommy makeover body after having additional children, your body may still experience significant changes including the post-pregnancy pooch or sagging breasts.