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Celebrate Mother's Day with a Mummy Makeover

Women are truly awesome! Being able to create a human being inside your body is truly a blessing. For nine months whilst pregnant our bodies stretch and organs shift to make way for the baby that is growing inside of us. During this process the changes in our bodies can sometimes become permanent, stretch marks, excess belly skin and less pert breasts from breast feeding are a beautiful reminder of what our bodies achieved during the pregnancy process, but can leave us desiring the bodies we loved previous to the pregnancy process.

Remember, there’s no rush

Young pregnant mother sitting on bed holding her tummy

It takes time to return to our pre-pregnancy bodies and this time period can be different for every woman. You should never put pressure on yourself to lose weight quickly and consult with your GP or Health Visitor to get the all clear before resuming exercise. It is not advised that you diet whilst breast feeding, so enjoy this period being relaxed about your appearance whilst you have it with your new baby.

What is a Mummy Makeover?

Over the last 10 years we have seen the introduction of the ‘Mummy Makeover’ a term mostly used to describe women who have been through pregnancy and regardless of diet and exercise have been unable to feel comfortable in their post pregnancy body due to sagging skin in areas such as the breasts or stomach that can not be fixed with exercise alone. These women then look to cosmetic surgery to help fix the areas they’re unhappy with.

Hormonal changes can also impact our bodies causing changes to our skin and hair. A ‘Mummy Makeover’ might be just one cosmetic procedure or
a combination of different procedures.

What cosmetic surgery procedures are usually considered for a Mummy Makeover?

Breast Surgery

During pregnancy our breast size increases to accommodate the milk we will produce to feed the baby once it has been born. During this time your breasts may feel heavy and uncomfortable so it is advisable to have a good maternity/nursing bra. Other changes that might be visible during your pregnancy are the changes in your nipple colour which is caused by hormonal changes and you may find that they have become darker in colour. Once you have finished breast feeding, your breasts may decrease in size or you might be left with with sagging skin and breasts that are not as perky as they once were.

If they have decreased in size; you could consider Breast Augmentation surgery where an implant is placed into the breast to increase their size. When the breasts decrease in size quickly they can leave your breast looking like ‘balls in socks’ and when this happens you might need a Breast Uplift procedure. If you have very
little breast tissue left you may also need an implant with this procedure to achieve the desired look.

If they have increased in sized; Sometimes during pregnancy a woman’s breast dramatically increase in size and stay that size post breast feeding. Very large breasts can cause discomfort in the back area and in these cases a Breast Reduction surgery where excess skin is surgically removed might be required.

Before / After comparison of Breast Augmentation

Excess skin or stubborn areas of fat

During the pregnancy process our stomach areas can be left with stretch marks and excess skin. You may also have had a caesarean section birth process and this can sometimes cause issues with your stomach area and skin laxity due to cutting through the stomach muscles in order to reach the baby. In some cases, it won’t matter how many sit ups you do, you will not be able to achieve your pre-pregnancy stomach.

Tummy Tuck Surgery

Tummy Tuck surgery is a plastic surgery procedure that removes loose skin and excessive fat from the lower abdomen, as well as tightening the abdominal muscles for improved contour, tone and function of the abdomen.

Pregnant woman with bad stretch marks

Tummy Tuck surgery usually requires carefully positioned incisions to allow the removal of excess skin and fat deposits, in order to minimise scarring and provide you with as tight and flat a stomach as possible. The scar is discretely placed as low as possible below your hip line, and there will also be a fine scar around the rim of the belly button. Although the scar is visible within the first few weeks, it fades quickly so that it’s hardly visible. In addition to a flatter stomach, if you have developed stretch marks during pregnancy and they are within the area of skin being surgically removed during the procedure they will also be removed along with the skin.

Things to consider before you opt for Tummy Tuck surgery:

  • It is best to postpone surgery until you plan no more children and
    your weight is stable.
  • It might not involve the removal of all your stretch marks as they
    may be out of the area of the skin being removed.
  • You may need additional support at home for at least a couple of
    weeks after surgery, especially if you have small children.
Before & After comparison of Tummy Tuck surgery

Liposuction

This involves re-shaping and contouring your body. The hormonal changes that come with pregnancy and lactation cause women’s bodies to store excess fat, particularly in the abdomen, thighs and buttocks. It is important to note that Liposuction is not a weight loss tool, and is best done close to your ideal weight and fitness. It is often performed in conjunction with other cosmetic surgeries to improve body contour such as Tummy Tuck or cosmetic Breast Augmentation.

Breast and tummy reshaping procedures can often be performed together, to reduce the overall recovery time and achieve dramatic changes under one general anaesthetic.

Bella Vou's surgical team, Amir, Rohit & Sue

After a thorough discussion at your consultation to discuss your goals, desires and expectations, our expert medical team can recommend a post-pregnancy treatment plan that is tailored specifically for you.

Medically reviewed by

Amir Nakhdjevan Profile

Amir Nakhdjevani

Last Updated: February 22, 2018

Published On: February 22, 2018

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