Pregnancy and childbirth take their toll on the whole body—but perhaps no place is quite as affected as the stomach area. Many women find that as their body recovers, their so-called pregnancy belly persists. A Mommy Makeover can help restore a woman’s body to her pre-pregnancy shape. Focusing on commonly affected areas, a Mommy Makeover includes a Tummy Tuck to help flatten and tighten the abdominal area.
Important factors to consider:
Ideal Weight
“In my experience, you will most likely lose the rest of your baby weight after the tummy tuck.” |
Dr. Castor says, “I usually tell patients to wait until they have lost most or all of their pregnancy weight” as “weight loss will maximize the results”. He recommends “getting within 10 to 15 pounds of your goal weight before having a tummy tuck”. Although being patient can be difficult, “waiting will ensure a longer lasting result”.
Weight Loss After Tummy Tuck
Encouraging to most women, of a Tummy Tuck, Dr. Castor says, “I do find that a lot of patients will lose more weight after the tummy tuck surgery since they are more motivated and find it easier to exercise”. Post Mommy Makeover, many women are able to lose that last 5 to 10 pounds”. However, Dr. Castor warns of “losing too much weight afterwards” as it “would most likely leave you with loose skin again”.
Tummy Tuck immediately following C-section
Many expecting mothers are curious as to whether they are able to undergo a Tummy Tuck immediately following a C-section. Dr. Castor is adamant in that “a tummy tuck should never be performed right after a C-section”.
Both a C-section and a Tummy Tuck are major surgical operations—by performing them back-to-back, you risk complications such as “increased blood loss and the increased chance of having blood clots”. A Tummy Tuck also requires significant downtime to enable recovery. As a new mother, you will need to be able to care for your newborn.
Following childbirth of any form, your muscles and skin will be substantially stretched. As the body recovers, both your muscles and skin will significantly recede naturally. Dr. Castor advises that “your body needs around a year to heal enough to be safe”.
Pregnancy After a Tummy Tuck
Patients commonly ask as to what happens if they are to become pregnant after their Tummy Tuck. While “most women have a Tummy Tuck once they are done having children”, Dr. Castor reassures his patients that “life changes and accidents can result in another pregnancy. The good news is there is no harm to mother or baby in getting pregnant after a tummy tuck”.
Although not harmful, pregnancy after a Tummy Tuck is not recommended. As Dr. Castor says, “the bad news is that the tummy tuck may have to be redone if there is a lot of weight gain or loose skin or muscle after the pregnancy”. He further explains that “the abdominal muscles which are pulled back together in a tummy tuck, may stretch apart if you [have] another baby”. Also, the resulting “weight gain may cause additional stretch marks and loose skin on the abdomen”. Thus, Dr. Castor “recommends that women be done having kids before investing the money in having a tummy tuck”.
At Artisan Aesthetics, we understand that a Mommy Makeover can be an amazingly rewarding to mothers. As part of a Mommy Makeover, a Tummy Tuck creates a beautifully restored core. We are excited to work with you! Please schedule a consultation to see how a Mommy Makeover and Tummy Tuck can help you regain your svelte, pre-pregnancy body.
