Giving birth to children and raising them can be among the best experiences of a woman's life, but the effects those pregnancies leave on her body can be among some of the most depressing experiences she can have. Pregnancy hormones combined with all the stretching of the skin and the results of breastfeeding can leave a woman feeling pretty saggy, loose, and blue. Fortunately today, a package of cosmetic surgeries called the "Mommy Makeover" can help women restore their pre-baby figures.

What pregnancy does to a woman's body

Some women are lucky; their skin seems to be as elastic as a rubber band. Their bodies just seem to spring back into shape after giving birth. Most, however, are not so blessed. Stomachs once stretched to the size of basketballs are left with sagging, loose skin folds. Breasts over-filled with milk for growing babies are left limp and shapeless after weaning takes place. And pregnancy weight gain can leave a woman with stubborn pockets of fat around her stomach, hips, upper arms, and thighs. And as if that all weren't enough, the stresses and time constraints of raising children and going back to work, in some cases leave little time for exercise and carefully planned dieting.

How a Mommy Makeover Can Fix It

A 'mommy makeover' includes several plastic procedures performed all at once by a professionally trained surgeon. These include:

-Breast Enhancement/Reduction/Lift

Breast augmentation procedures involve a small incision under the breasts or around the nipple. Synthetic implants are placed inside the breast tissue and the incisions are closed up. There are lots of breast implant sizing options available as well. A breast lift involves excising extra, sagging skin and lifting the breasts up to a more appealing position. In some cases, women may be left with overly-large breasts after pregnancy. This can be corrected by pulling out some of the fatty tissue during a breast reduction procedure.

-Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck can get rid of all that unsightly rolls of loose skin left over from a pregnancy. (And if a breast enhancement takes place at the same time, cosmetic surgeons can sometimes use the same incision for both procedures). The surgeon typically makes an incision around the hips and pubic bone. Excess skin is removed, and the stomach muscles are strengthened. Then the skin is pulled tight and the belly button is repositioned if necessary and the incision line is sutured closed again. The result is a firmer, tighter abdomen.

-Thigh/Buttock Lift

Pregnancy weight gain often accumulates in the hips, buttocks, and thighs, leaving ugly stretch marks, and loose, flabby skin after weight loss. A thigh or buttock lift can solve this problem. The plastic surgeon makes an incision around the public bone or thigh, then removes excess skin from the thighs and sews the skin closed. The buttocks and thighs are left tighter and firmer and shapelier.

-Liposuction

Sometimes just getting rid of pregnancy fat is the challenge. A little bit of liposuction in problem areas can erase those diet and exercise resistant fat deposits. Liposuction involves the use of a tiny vacuum-like tube called a cannula that loosens and sucks out unwanted fat. This works best on those who are healthy and in generally good physical condition.

The cosmetic surgery 'Mommy Makeover' is a great way for moms done having kids to reclaim their bodies and feel young, beautiful and confident again after the effects of pregnancy.