You love being a mum. From the moment you found out you were pregnant, you couldn’t stop smiling!
But now you’ve delivered your little bundle of joy, the reality has hit. Sleepless nights, days where you don’t shower and that ever-nagging feeling of being tired – so tired!
And then there’s the things people didn’t tell you about being pregnant and breastfeeding. Like the way your stomach has excessive, sagging skin and the way your breasts have lost all shape and size.
You eat healthy food and have a daily exercise routine but your body shape is not changing. And now you’ve completed your family, you’ve started to wonder how you can get your pre-baby figure back.
Don’t stress though, you can get your figure back with mummy makeover surgery.
What is a mummy makeover?
After pregnancy, many women find that despite their best efforts with dieting and exercise their body doesn’t return to an acceptable state. Pregnancy and breastfeeding can result in parts of their bodies engorging, stretching or deflating.
Mummy makeover surgery can reverse and repair some of these effects in one operation. Due to advances in anaesthetic and surgical techniques, several procedures can be performed at the same time.
Mummy makeover surgical procedures can include:
- A tummy tuck
- Breast augmentation
- Breast lift
- Breast reduction
- Liposuction
- Labiaplasty
- Brazilian butt lift
In some cases, non-surgical treatments including dermal fillers and Botox can also be used to reduce the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles on the face.
Who gets mummy makeover surgery?
Mummy makeover surgery may be appropriate for you if you want to:
- Boost your self-esteem and self-confidence
- Reduce the signs of age, stress, and fatigue in your face
- Have larger and more shapelier breasts
- Restore the volume of your breasts after pregnancy and breast feeding
- Have a flatter and tighter abdomen
- Improve your body proportion
- Look better in tight fitting, revealing clothes and swimwear.
The best candidates for mummy makeover surgery are in good health with an appropriate weight. It is important to note that because more than one procedure is performed during a mummy makeover, the surgery is often long.
Before you have a mummy makeover, most Cosmetic Surgeons will recommend that you allow your body to heal for at least 3 to 6 months after delivery. You also need to have stopped breastfeeding.
It may be best to delay mummy makeover surgery until you have finished having children. No Cosmetic Surgeon can guarantee that the results of mummy makeover surgery will be retained with additional pregnancies
What benefits will I get from a mummy makeover?
Women who have had mummy makeover surgery report emotional, physical, and psychological benefits. While many women regularly exercise and adopt a healthy diet after their pregnancy, this may not be enough to get rid of the sagging, excess skin and loosened abdominal muscles.
After pregnancy and giving birth, it is common for many women to experience psychological effects about their body. These can include:
- Loss of sexual drive
- Feelings of embarrassment, especially when in front of their partner and undressing
- Depression and lack of motivation
- Relationship problems
- Social withdrawal
- Loss of confidence
- Lack of desire to maintain appearance
Mummy makeover surgery should not be relied upon to improve your self-esteem and confidence. However, women who have had mummy makeover surgery have reported positive side effects including:
- Less embarrassment about their bodies
- Improved confidence at being able to wear the clothes they really want to wear.
What operations are performed during mummy makeover surgery?
The operations you have during mummy makeover surgery will depend on your individual needs and requirements. Mummy makeover surgery can include:
- Tummy tuck operations
- Breast augmentation
- Breast reduction
- Breast lift
- Liposculpture
- Labiaplasty
- Brazilian Butt Lift
Mummy makeover – tummy tuck
Tummy tuck surgery (also called abdominoplasty) permanently removes any loose skin and can restore firmness to your stomach. An incision is made at the pubic bone (your scar, once healed, will be concealed by bathing suits and underwear) through which your Cosmetic Surgeon will tighten up the muscles.
There are a variety of tummy tuck procedures your Cosmetic Surgeon will consider including:
- Standard abdominoplasty
- Fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty
- Mini abdominoplasty
- Lower body lift or belt lipectomy
- Endoscopic abdominoplasty
Mummy makeover – breast enhancement
After pregnancy and breast-feeding, many women find that their breasts lose tissue or sag. Breasts can be augmented with implants and/or a breast lift. These procedures will restore the size and shape of the breasts while making them fuller.
Mummy makeover – stretch mark removal
During pregnancy the weight gain and weight loss you experience can result in your skin stretching more rapidly than normal. This rapid stretching results in the collagen breaking down and weakening.
During pregnancy stretch marks typically develop on the breasts, thighs, stomach, hips and butt.
If your stretch marks are below your belly button, your Cosmetic Surgeon will be able to cut them out. If they are above your belly button, they can be repositioned further down your abdomen.
Laser skin resurfacing can help reduce stretch marks but will not eliminate them.
What is the recovery process after mummy makeover surgery?
Your recovery after mummy makeover surgery requires extensive downtime. During the few weeks, you’ll need help with childcare including bathing, getting your child into the car and highchairs.
It is important to note that the time it takes to recover from mummy makeover surgery will vary greatly among individuals. Your recovery time will depend on the extent of your surgeries and your physical health. Some people can return to non-strenuous work within two to three weeks of surgery. In many cases, normal activities can be resumed after several weeks.
Your surgeon will give you post operative instructions that will include:
- How to take care of your drains,
- The type of compression garments you will need to wear,
- Pain medication, and
- The types of activities you need to avoid.
While most of the swelling will be gone after several weeks, it may take a few months before all swelling subsides. Once the swelling has subsided you will be able to see the final result of your mummy makeover surgery.
Are there any risks or complications with having a mummy makeover?
Mummy makeover surgery has inherent risks that should be discussed in advance with your Cosmetic Surgeon. These risks and complications include:
- Infection,
- Bleeding,
- Hematoma,
- Scarring,
- Capsular contraction
- Implant rupture
- Reaction to anaesthesia
- Fluid forming under the skin forming a seroma
You can read more about the risks and complications of mummy makeover surgery here.
Need help getting your pre-baby body back? Mummy makeover surgery can help.
Thanks to advancements in cosmetic surgery, it is easier than ever to improve your aesthetic concerns after you have had your children. As a mother, you naturally take care of everyone around you. Taking care of yourself with a mummy makeover can help reverse some of the effects of pregnancy and breastfeeding.
It’s important to note that mummy makeover surgery isn’t a replacement for a healthy diet or regular exercise. Mummy makeover surgery is not a weight loss solution.
While this surgery is usually safe and effective, complications can occur. It’s important to consider your options carefully and have realistic expectations about the mummy makeover results. Knowing about the risks and complications of mummy makeover surgery is vital.
We suggest you make a shortlist and consult with a few Cosmetic Surgeons. You can find the best Australian Mummy Makeover Cosmetic Surgeons here.