Pregnancy, childbirth and all the activity in those first several months after welcoming a new baby into your home are an exciting time in any mother’s life. And it’s no less true whether it’s your first child or your fourth.
Your body, however, goes through a good deal of stress during pregnancy and childbirth, not to mention a rollercoaster of hormonal changes. When you add to that all the postpartum demands–breastfeeding, diaper changings, more visitors at your home and much less sleep to deal with it all–it’s easy to understand that you may not feel like your old pre-baby self. If a healthy diet and exercise don’t seem to be doing enough to get you back to your pre-baby body, you may want to consider a Mommy Makeover.
What Are Mommy Makeovers?
Given a reasonable amount of time, many women will find their bodies return to their pre-pregnancy contours. Some, however, may struggle with stubborn areas of fat or sagging, loose skin that no amount of exercise or diet can fix. Mommy Makeovers are empowering surgical procedures performed by board certified plastic surgeons that help women get back, not only a semblance of their pre-pregnancy bodies, but also new found confidence and self esteem.
What Are Common Mommy Makeover Procedures?
A mommy makeover is a name for a set of procedures that are performed at the same time in order to address parts of the body that have changed due to pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. The chosen procedures can be customized to target your unique desires and can include surgeries like a Brazilian butt lift, thigh lift, arm lift, or liposuction. The three most common procedures performed during a mommy makeover are tummy tucks, breast procedures, and labiaplasty.
Tummy Tucks
During pregnancy, a mom-to-be’s abdominal area naturally expands to accommodate the growing baby. Not only does the skin stretch, but also the pair of muscles in the center of her abdomen weaken and separate to give the baby added room. As a result, even when new mothers get back to their pre-pregnancy weight may find they have a nagging, extra bit of skin, or “pooch” around their midsection. A tummy tuck involves making an incision to both remove excess skin and fat and tighten those damaged muscles. Muscle tightening, or “fascial plication” as it’s known in the medical profession, can have long-lasting improvements in low back pain, urinary incontinence, posture, and core strength.
Breast Lifts and/or Augmentations
Breastfeeding offers many benefits to the health of new babies. It’s good for mom’s too as it has been found to help with weight loss, and, of course, bonding with baby. However, the constant expansion and contraction of a mother’s breasts due to milk engorgment can cause the breasts to become flattened, misshaped or to sag. When their babies are weened, some women may choose to have their breasts lifted or augmented to their former cup size to restore their youthful appearance. A breast lift can be combined with a implant, even a very small modest implant, so help restore lost upper pole fullness.
Labiaplasty
Pregnancy and pushing a baby out into the world can also cause the labia to become stretched in some mothers. The change in size and appearance of the labia may cause a lack of confidence and sometimes makes ordinary exercise and sex an uncomfortable experience. A labiaplasty removes the excess skin to enhance the appearance and hygiene of the labia.
Ready to Schedule a Consultation?
You’re a great Mom, but isn’t it time now to give yourself a little pampering? Getting back your pre-pregnancy body is a great way to build back that self esteem.
If you’ve decided this is your last baby and it’s been at least six months since giving birth, call Charlottesville Plastic Surgery or fill out our online contact form to schedule a consultation with our founder, double board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Rhett Willis, or any one of our caring surgical team. At Charlottesville Plastic Surgery, we pride ourselves on being the premiere private plastic surgery practice in Charlottesville, Virginia. We’ll take your concerns to heart and put together a personalized Mommy Makeover that will have you walking away just loving your new body. Call us today!
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