Your body changes throughout life, especially when you become pregnant and deliver a child. Pregnancy often leaves behind visible scars, stretch marks, and drooping skin. However, it can also cause changes that are a little less visible. These may include a slowed metabolism, weakness of the abdominal wall, and widening of the vagina.
These symptoms are all normal and necessary side effects of bringing children into the world. But they can devastate your self-esteem and leave you wondering if you can regain your pre-pregnancy body. Thankfully, you can with a Mommy Makeover.
What’s Included in a Mommy Makeover?
The primary goal of this treatment package is to improve the areas most moms feel self-conscious about. Though each makeover for moms generally includes the same types of treatments, one procedure is not identical to another. A Mommy Makeover typically includes:
Your provider can create an individualized care plan based on your individual concerns and appearance goals. Therefore, your treatment can be customized to be just as unique as you are.
How to Prepare for Your Recovery
Here are a few things you can do to make your recovery period as smooth and relaxing as possible:
- Create a comfortable recovery space with cozy essentials like pillows, books, and blankets.
- Have plenty of comfortable, loose-fitting clothing washed and ready for use.
- Gather wound care supplies, medications, and any other supplies your surgeon recommends.
- Pre-cook and refrigerate or freeze meals so you don’t have to do a lot of cooking while you recover.
Don’t forget to arrange for help while you recover. Ask a friend or family member to help you make appointments, do household tasks, and care for your children.
What’s the Typical Mommy Makeover Recovery Timeline?
The actual Mommy Makeover procedure only takes a few hours of your time. It’s your post-operative recovery that requires the most time and patience. It’s natural to wonder, “What is the recovery time for a Mommy Makeover?” You may also wonder how soon you’ll see the final results of your procedure.
Remember, different bodies may recover from surgery at different rates. Some may recover faster than others, and that’s OK. However, having a general idea of what most people can expect after their procedure can be helpful. Here’s a Mommy Makeover recovery week-by-week timeline to help you know what to expect after your treatment.
Week 1: Initial Recovery Period
The first week after a Mommy Makeover is the most challenging part of recovery. During this week, you will likely feel pain and exhaustion. Your body has undergone drastic changes and is now trying to heal. Your focus during week one should be to rest and relax. Try not to get up for anything other than bathroom breaks and short walks around the house. You just want to keep your blood and lymph in motion without straining yourself. Wear your abdominal binder as instructed to facilitate healing.
It’s wise to arrange for others to step in and help with your regular chores this week. You might enlist your partner, a family member, or a friend to clean your house, make meals, and take care of other mundane tasks during this time. Don’t feel alarmed if you feel like you can’t stand up straight for the first week. Walking slightly hunched over after getting all that cosmetic work done is normal. As your body recovers, you’ll slowly be able to regain your everyday posture.
Week 2: Improved Mobility
Once you reach week two of your Mommy Makeover recovery, you have something to celebrate! You’ve made it through the most difficult, grueling part of your recovery process. Many people can slowly decrease their pain medication intake during this week. You should also be able to drive yourself around, and you may even be able to get back to work. If you have a physically strenuous job, you’ll probably want to wait another week or two before going back in.
Week 3: Increased Energy and Activity
Many people feel increased energy during week three. Others may still feel exhausted and swollen. It’s important not to compare yourself to others because everyone heals at their own pace. You may be able to increase your physical activity during this week slowly, but your body isn’t yet ready for strenuous exercises.
Working out during this stage of your Mommy Makeover recovery could set you back a week or two in your recovery process. Before initiating any major increases in physical activity, be sure to get the green light from your provider. They’ll let you know if your body is sufficiently healed to handle strenuous activities or if you should wait a little longer.
Week 4: Progress Monitoring and Decreased Swelling
Depending on how well you’re healing, you may not need to wear your abdominal binder during the fourth week. Any swelling and bruising should be mostly gone by this point. As your swelling subsides, you’ll have a clearer picture of how your new breasts really look. You will most likely be able to fit into your pre-surgery clothing by now, which can be a very exciting thing!
You’ll need to attend any follow-up visits scheduled for these first few weeks during your Mommy Makeover recovery. They’re crucial for assessing how well you’re recovering and to make post-operative care adjustments as needed.
Weeks 5 and 6: Light Exercise and Visible Results
By weeks five and six, you can begin a light exercise regimen. Just avoid weightlifting and intense workouts until at least week eight. You should be able to see the results of your Mommy Makeover even more clearly by now, which can be extremely motivating.
Your incisions should be fully closed at this point, and you don’t need to apply steri-strip tape to them any longer. Continue using scar cream as directed by your surgeon. Staying hydrated and following a healthy eating plan can further facilitate your Mommy Makeover recovery process.
What Other Factors Can Influence Recovery Times?
The above timeline is what most people can expect during their week-to-week recovery from their makeover. However, no two people are exactly the same. Your recovery time for Mommy Makeover could be a little different from what’s outlined here. It could be longer or shorter than the phases outlined above. Pre-existing conditions, individual healing times, and adherence to post-procedure instructions can all impact your recovery.
Remember to be patient with your body while it heals from your procedures. Keep in mind that by treating your body kindly now, you can help it heal faster. Pushing your body beyond its limits early on will only make the recovery process longer and more painful. It could also interfere with your results and could even lead to post-operative complications. Always check with your surgeon before adding physical activity to your daily routine. Depending on how well you’re healing, they may clear you for physical activity or instruct you to wait a bit longer.
Tips to Speed Up Your Mommy Makeover Recovery
Looking for ways to speed up your recovery? Try these tips:
- Get Plenty of Rest: You should aim for at least 7 hours of sleep each night while you recover.
- Take Gentle Walks: When your surgeon clears you for gentle exercise, take short walks throughout the day. This will reduce your risk of clotting and improve your circulation.
- Sleep With Your Upper Body Elevated: Sleeping with your torso elevated can promote healing by reducing swelling.
- Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water will help your body eliminate toxins and recover faster.
- Avoid Alcohol and Smoking: Alcohol and cigarette smoke can impede your body’s natural recovery processes.
- Eat a Healthy Diet: Your body needs nutrients from healthy foods to recover well after surgery.
- Attend Follow-Up Appointments: These are crucial for monitoring your progress and addressing setbacks.
Tips for Maintaining Mommy Makeover Results
After your Mommy Makeover recovery, it’s crucial to take steps to maintain your results. If you slip into unhealthy habits, your results may not last very long at all. Here are a few things you can do to keep your body looking slim and youthful for as long as possible:
- Maintain a regular exercise schedule. Ideally, your exercise routine should include cardiovascular and weight training exercises.
- Eat a nutritious diet. Try to consume various colorful, whole foods to ensure you’re giving your body the nutrients it needs to thrive.
- Prioritize your sleep. People who consistently get sufficient sleep tend to maintain a healthy weight easily.
- Kick stress to the curb. Do whatever you can to decrease your stress levels or learn to manage stress more effectively. Consider learning how to meditate or try incorporating Yoga into your regular weekly relaxation practices.
In addition to these tips, consider joining an online group for Mommy Makeover recovery patients. There, you can find support, fitness tips, and healthy living advice from other women on the same body makeover journey you’re on.
Schedule Your Mommy Makeover with Dr. FeelGood
Advanced Body Sculpting of New England is proud to offer Mommy Makeovers in Fall River, MA, with expert surgeon Dr. Mark X Lowney. We love transforming bodies and helping moms feel like themselves again. Our mommy surgeries can address some of the most common body issues stemming from pregnancy, labor, and delivery. These may include increased fat deposits, stretching of the skin, drooping breasts, and stretch marks. Through a series of cosmetic procedures, we aim to correct these issues and prove that any mom can look even better than she did before having babies. Schedule your consultation by calling our Fall River location at (877) 577-5476.