Pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding are some of the most incredible and inspiring experiences a woman can undertake. However, they can also create many considerable physical changes that no amount of rigorous dieting and strenuous exercises can restore. Some of these changes, like excess skin, fat deposits, sagging breasts, or stretched abdominal muscles, can leave you feeling less than your best.
Motherhood is a demanding job that sometimes goes unappreciated. And no matter how much you love and adore your children and cherish those memories, a part of you may always long for the return of your pre-baby body. Don’t let the physical toll that pregnancy and breastfeeding have had on your body make it more difficult.
If you’ve exhausted yourself trying to restore the changes in your body but aren’t getting the results you want and deserve, it might be time to look for a new solution. A Mommy Makeover can help lessen the impact of those changes and help you restore your self-image and self-confidence.
To achieve amazing results that restore your pre-pregnancy body, you need to choose a knowledgeable, compassionate provider for your mommy makeover. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Meredith Vandegrift can help you discover how to achieve your aesthetic goals and renew your self-image.
Vandegrift Plastic Surgery is located in Huntington, NY, and we proudly serve patients from all over Long Island and New York City. Contact us today or call (631) 935-0303 to schedule your Mommy Makeover consultation today!
What Exactly Is a Mommy Makeover?
The phrase “Mommy Makeover” is a broad term that refers to a combination of popular aesthetic procedures that aim to restore the body’s appearance following pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. Patients select multiple procedures to reshape the breasts, abdomen, and feminine areas. This process can be started shortly after pregnancy or many years later.
Typically, a mommy makeover consists of several body rejuvenating procedures that are performed together. By combining surgeries, patients have only one recovery period, which is typically shorter than if each procedure were performed separately.
Mommy makeovers are often performed after a patient has finished childbearing and breastfeeding to ensure prolonged results. The procedure aims to rejuvenate pregnancy-related changes, including:
- Sagging breasts
- Lost breast volume
- Loose skin around the waist
- Excess skin and pockets of redundant fat
- Redistributed weight around the abdomen
- Diastasis recti—separated abdominal muscles
- Stretch marks
- Overall shape and tone
- Restore better body contour proportions
With each patient, Dr. Vandegrift works to develop a unique plan that best aligns with their concerns and goals. It should be noted that not every mommy makeover can be performed in one session.
Mommy makeover body rejuvenation procedures may include:
Do I Have to Be a Mother to Have a Mommy Makeover?
Fortunately, regardless of its name, being a mom is not a requirement to be eligible for a mommy makeover. Many of the changes that occur in the body due to pregnancy aren’t only caused by pregnancy. Concerns like sagging breasts, stretch marks, or stubborn fat deposits can arise due to hormonal changes, age, significant weight fluctuations, lifestyle choices, or genetics. Restoring your contours can help boost your self-image and renew your confidence.
Dr. Vandegrift recommends that Long Island mommy makeover candidates should:
- Live an overall healthy lifestyle
- Be non-smokers or willing to quit at least 4 weeks prior to their procedure and after
- Be finished with childbearing and breastfeeding
- Have no conditions that impair healing
- Have realistic expectations for their procedures
- Understand the surgical risks
As mommy makeover procedures are intended for body contouring purposes rather than weight loss, Dr. Vandegrift recommends patients are close to their ideal, stable weight for at least six months prior to their procedures.
What Procedures Are Offered in a Mommy Makeover?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding can create permanent changes to the body’s structures and underlying tissues. The purpose of mommy makeover procedures is to transform those changes to restore and enhance your body’s appearance.
Tummy Tuck
Following pregnancy, abdominal changes are quite common. During pregnancy, the abdomen must expand rapidly to accommodate a growing baby, which stretches the skin and supportive muscles. Unfortunately, diet and exercise may not be enough to restore the tummy to a tight, flat appearance.
Tummy tucks, also known medically as an abdominoplasty, aim to remove stretched skin and stubborn fat from the abdominal area. It can also tighten the paired abdominal muscles to restore the core and repair pregnancy-related damage to the abdominal wall. Dr. Vandegrift specializes in drainless tummy tucks—a type of abdominoplasty that eliminates uncomfortable post-surgical drains and speeds recovery.
Liposuction
After pregnancy or other hormonal changes, many women struggle with stubborn fat. In these cases, Dr. Vandegrift performs liposuction to remove small pockets of fat from areas like the waist, hips, and thighs.. While not a weight loss treatment, liposuction reshapes and contours the body to eliminate trouble spots and create a more sculpted figure.
Breast Surgery
With a variety of breast procedures, Dr. Vandegrift can help restore a perky, full, and lifted breast appearance to help you reclaim your more youthful figure. Dr. Vandegrift may recommend a breast procedure as part of your mommy makeover, including:
- Breast Lift | Breast Lift with Implants
- Breast Augmentation
- Breast Reduction
Labiaplasty
Pregnancy and childbirth can change the size and shape of the labia, which can cause discomfort during activities like exercise or sexual intercourse. Labiaplasty is a surgical procedure to restore the delicate tissues of the labia to increase post-pregnancy comfort in the most intimate feminine areas. As part of a mommy makeover procedure, labiaplasty can reshape stretched-out labia or resize naturally enlarged labia.
How Should You Prepare for a Mommy Makeover?
Preparing yourself for any plastic surgery involves factors like adjusting your diet, quitting smoking, or getting enough rest. During the time before your mommy makeover, you also need to focus on preparing your household, arranging childcare, and scheduling time off work.
Mommy makeovers ideally should be performed only after you have finishing childbearing and breastfeeding to ensure the longevity of your results. As pregnancy can potentially reverse your mommy makeover results, you should be certain you no longer want to have any more pregnancies.
Here are a few other factors to consider in determining the right time for your mommy makeover.
- Give Your Body Time to Heal—As giving birth can be one of the most difficult events the human body can endure, make sure you have had enough time for your body to fully heal. There are many physical changes that occur throughout pregnancy, and for some women, returning to normal after childbirth can take a year and a half.
- Goal Weight—You don’t need to be at your pre-baby weight for your mommy makeover to provide amazing results; however, you should be at a stable, sustainable weight close to it. If you aren’t as close to your goal weight as you’d like, you may not be satisfied with your results.
- Finish Breastfeeding—There are many hormonal and physical changes associated with breastfeeding. As such, you should wait at least six months after you’ve stopped breastfeeding to consider a mommy makeover to correct any breast concerns.
- Time to Recover—A mommy makeover is a major surgery, and as such, you should plan your procedures during a period when you will have plenty of time to devote to healing yourself. Most women need two to three weeks off work for healing.
- Nourish Your Body—Prior to your mommy makeover, you will need to maintain a healthy, high-protein, low-sodium diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. During this time, you should also consider preparing meals that can be frozen and easily prepared during your recovery. If you don’t want to spend extra time in the kitchen, you might consider signing up for a food delivery service.
- Stop Smoking or Vaping—Smoking, vaping, or using any other nicotine products is prohibited for four weeks prior to and following your procedure. As well as being bad for your health, smoking and nicotine can negatively impact the body’s ability to heal, potentially affecting your recovery and results.
- Review Your Medications—During your consultation, Dr. Vandegrift will review your current medications and provide instructions on how to proceed. Most prescription medications should be continued. However, you will need to stop taking most herbal supplements and over-the-counter medications containing aspirin or other NSAIDs, as they can encourage bleeding.
- Ask for Assistance—Following your procedure, you will need physical assistance doing normal, everyday tasks, especially if you have small children. It’s important to have support and assistance from a trusted partner, family member, or friend to help care for you during your recovery. You will need help taking care of yourself, your family and children, pets, household chores, or preparing meals. Asking for help ahead of time can ensure you’re not worrying about anything other than your recovery.
- Emotional Support—Any surgery (even one you’re excited about) can be scary. You shouldn’t have to face your fears about surgery and recovery alone. Let your family and friends know your concerns and goals and tell them how they can offer support to you during this journey.
- Maintain Reasonable Expectations—Keep in mind that your optimal results are only going to come after you take time to properly heal. Practice patience as you give yourself plenty of recuperation time, and your results will reveal themselves gradually. Remember that you’re worth the wait.
How Do You Maintain Mommy Makeover Results?
While your body will heal quickly after your mommy makeover procedures, you will still need time off from work and your normal daily activities. Typically, patients take two to three weeks off from work following a mommy makeover. You’ll likely experience tenderness, bruising, and swelling during your recovery.
Your specific recovery will depend on several factors, including your age, the procedures included in your mommy makeover, and how well you follow Dr. Vandegrift’s post-procedural instructions. You’ll need to avoid exercise and heavy lifting, including lifting a toddler or small child, for at least six to eight weeks following surgery.
While a mommy makeover will not negatively affect your ability to have future pregnancies, pregnancy can cause many changes that can negatively impact your mommy makeover results. Dr. Vandegrift recommends waiting until you are certain that you are no longer planning future pregnancies to schedule your procedure.
Ensure the sustainability of your mommy makeover results by maintaining your stable weight through your continued healthy diet and exercise routine.
Schedule Your Mommy Makeover Consultation in Long Island Today!
Motherhood is one of the most rewarding yet demanding jobs we undertake. For some women, the physical toll of pregnancy and breastfeeding may leave you feeling uncomfortable in your own skin. These changes do not need to be permanent! You deserve to feel confident; reward yourself with a restorative or figure-enhancing mommy makeover, and enjoy your family with an improved self image.
Choosing Dr. Vandegrift for Your Long Island, NY Mommy Makeover
For a successful mommy makeover, patients need to feel heard and acknowledged. Board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Meredith Vandegrift combines exceptional surgical skills with a deep desire for patient happiness. During your mommy makeover journey, Dr. Vandegrift serves as your partner, listening to your needs and preparing tailored plans to help you achieve your best results.
Dr. Vandegrift specializes in breast and body rejuvenation procedures and offers a full complement of cosmetic, reconstructive, and spa procedures. With a focus on keeping your appearance looking naturally beautiful and youthful, Dr. Vandegrift provides a comprehensive approach to each patient to help you look and feel your absolute best. Dr. Vandegrift will take the time to ensure you fully understand each component of your mommy makeover procedure so that you know what to expect throughout the surgical process. Reclaim your appearance and your more youthful figure by partnering with one of Long Island’s female mommy makeover surgeons! Contact us today or call (631) 935-0303 to learn more!