What effect does pregnancy have on a woman's body?
Pregnancy causes weight gain in the abdominal area both from the baby itself, but also from fatty deposits which the body makes during pregnancy. All of this weight contained in the lower abdominal area causes the skin and muscles to expand and stretch. The results are often many issues, including; fatty areas which cannot be removed through diet and exercise alone, hanging skin, stretch marks, and issues having to do with the abdominal wall muscles themselves.
One of the biggest reasons women choose to have a tummy tuck performed is due to the stretching and bulging of the muscles of the abdominal wall itself. This muscle budging can cause the abdomen to protrude outward and appear to be fat even when no excess fat is present in the area. Unfortunately, there simply is no exercise which can rectify the problem; the only solution is to have a procedure performed to fix the bulging and stretching muscles.
Just as with the issue of bulging abdominal muscles, the only way to remove the sagging abdominal skin from pregnancy is through a tummy tuck. Simple liposuction can deal with fatty deposits, but nothing other than an abdominoplasty can remove the sagging skin. The good news however, is that a tummy tuck will remove the lower abdominal skin where most stretch marks occur. This means that post-operation they will be gone as a nice byproduct of the surgery.
When is the best time to have a tummy tuck if you are a mother?
If you are a mom who is interested in a flatter stomach, like you had before your children were born, the best time to have abdominoplasty performed is clearly when you are finished having all of your children. By waiting until you have had all of your children, you can ensure that the effects of your surgery will be long lasting.
Can I have one if I have had a C-section surgery in the past?
If your children were born through C-section you are indeed still a good candidate for a tummy tuck. Interestingly enough, you will likely find the abdominoplasty will be less painful than your C-section surgery was and your recovery will likely be faster as well.
Is it dangerous to get pregnant after a tummy tuck?
It is not dangerous to you or your child if you get pregnant after having a tummy tuck. However, the pregnancy can reverse all of the changes made by your abdominoplasty and cause you to need another one following the birth of your child.
Because having a tummy tuck can be a fairly expensive surgery to have, and it is generally not covered by medical insurance, most women choose to wait until they are done having children to have their abdominoplasty performed. By waiting until after pregnancy, you can ensure that your stomach will stay flat and tight throughout your older years.
Mini Tummy Tuck Before And
Having a mommy-makeover is growing in popularity with more new mothers getting back their pre-pregnancy bodies. Celebrity moms are the ones who started the craze by getting back into top shape in a few months after their delivery.
One reason for the increasing popularity is that times have changed. Being a mother today is a lot different than the moms from the "Leave it to Beaver" era. Yes, your kids are priority one, but your life doesn't revolve around them. They are not your sole reason for being.
You work hard and play hard, and you want to look good doing it. Of course, just having the choices that advancements in plastic surgery give you mean you don't have to settle for your post-baby body. So, just what are moms doing and why?
First of all, the term, "mommy-makeover", refers to several cosmetic procedures, typically a tummy tuck, breast reduction or implants, breast lift and liposuction. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, members have seen an increase of about 12% in mommy-makeover procedures.
Multiple pregnancies mean that your stomach has been stretched and shrunk and stretched, and at some point, it doesn't bounce back to normal. All of this stretching compromises the elasticity of the skin. As you age, your abdominal skin further loses elasticity.
As a result, the tummy tuck is probably the most popular mommy-makeover procedure. Your surgeon removes excess skin and tightens the abdominal muscles, which have also been weakened during pregnancy.
But, the stomach is not the only area that grows with baby. The breasts also grow and the skin is stretched. After the birth and nursing, two things happen - your breasts either stay huge or they shrink back to smaller than ever. Post-nursing, they may also lose elasticity and sag a lot. In this case, breast reduction or implants, may be in order. A breast lift often goes along with both of these procedures because the skin has been stretched beyond repait.
You may also find it difficult to lose your post-baby fat. Not everyone has a celebrity trainer or chef to make sure they get back to their pre-baby body in a month. Liposuction can 'spot reduce' the fat that gathered while you were eating for two. The stomach, thighs, waist (love handles) and buttocks are areas that fat tends to gather during pregnancy.
If you decide to have a mommy-makeover, make sure you do your research. Verify your surgeon's credentials and make sure he is board certified in plastic surgery. Decide which procedures you want and clearly discuss your expectations with your surgeon.
Most importantly, give yourself time to recuperate from the birth, because, depending on the extent of your surgeries, you'll be out of commission for a while. You don't want your mommy-makeover to get in the way of being a mother.