Your Journey to Post-Pregnancy Perfection
If you feel overjoyed about being a mother but less enthused about the toll pregnancy has taken on your body; don’t feel embarrassed. There are ways to correct the areas of the body that are affected by pregnancy — through diet, exercise, surgical intervention or a combination of the three. Since pregnancy affects more than one area of the body, Naperville female plastic surgeon Dr. Tripti Burt offers mommy makeover surgery.
A mommy makeover is a custom-tailored procedure that addresses multiple areas of the body to reverse the effects of pregnancy. Most of the time mommy makeover focuses on reducing baby weight and restoring the size and shape of the breasts.
Are You a Candidate for Mommy Makeover?
To undergo mommy makeover, you should be in good health and have reasonable expectations of what the surgery can and cannot accomplish. If you plan on having more children, Dr. Burt may recommend that you postpone your mommy makeover. It is best to wait about six months after you have given birth to think about this procedure.
Before & After Photos
Explore our before and after gallery to witness the remarkable transformations that have left our clients feeling more confident and beautiful than ever. From subtle enhancements to dramatic makeovers, our gallery showcases the artistry of transformation.
Mommy Makeover Surgery
A mommy makeover treats those areas of the body that have changed the most during pregnancy. Most women choose to combine breast surgery with an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), while others also want to eliminate fat deposits from the back, thighs and buttocks. Breast surgery could encompass the placement of implants, a breast lift or even a breast reduction, depending on your particular needs.
- Tummy tuck is often included in a mommy makeover treatment plan because pregnancy can drastically affect your midsection, stretching out the muscles and skin and leaving you with a pregnancy “pooch.” Tummy tuck surgery tightens the abdominal wall, removes excess fat and skin and tightens the remaining skin. Sometimes it can improve the appearance of stretch marks, too.
- Liposuction can slim areas of the body that gained weight with pregnancy: the thighs, lower back and buttocks. Buttock enhancement (i.e., Brazilian butt lift) can transform a behind from flat and saggy to curvy and perky using a transfer of your own fatty tissue.
Dr. Burt will help you identify the areas that need to be improved. Mommy makeover surgery is always performed under general anesthesia at an accredited medical center. The procedure may last up to several hours depending on how invasive it is, and on your individual treatment plan.
What to Expect During Recovery
Your face will be bandaged and the incisions will be dressed. During recovery, you should rest quietly at home, keeping the head elevated and taking the prescribed medications to prevent infection or pain. Dr. Will can advise you when it is best to remove the bandages/stitches and when to resume everyday activities. Facelift risks, although rare, include infection, unfavorable scarring, excessive bleeding, anesthesia-related complications and injury to the facial nerves.
Benefits of Facelift
An expertly performed facelift will address the signs of aging and help you enjoy a younger, fresher appearance. Your facelift treatment plan will be customized to your specific concerns and can accomplish the following:
- Repair loose skin: loose, sagging skin will be removed, and the remaining skin will be re-draped over the facial structures. Although the skin will look smoother and tighter, Dr. Will avoids putting too much tension on the skin, which can cause a pulled or “windblown-”looking result.
- Tighten facial muscles/tissues: weakened muscles and the underlying facial structures (known as the superficial musculo-aponeurotic system or SMAS) will be tightened and lifted into a better configuration.
- Improve facial contours: the cheeks and lower eyelids will look smoother, and the lower face (i.e., jawline, neck) will have better definition and contours. Prominent jowls or fatty skin on the neck can be treated, as well.
Dr. Burt will help you identify the areas that need to be improved. Mommy makeover surgery is always performed under general anesthesia at an accredited medical center. The procedure may last up to several hours depending on how invasive it is, and on your individual treatment plan.
What to Expect During Recovery
The recovery from mommy makeover surgery depends on the procedures that were performed. If you have had breast surgery and a tummy tuck, you will most likely need to wear special garments (an abdominal binder and a surgical bra) for several weeks following surgery.
You should rest at home for several days and wait for Dr. Burt to approve your return to work. You will need to refrain from strenuous exercise and heavy lifting, including lifting your children. Dr. Burt will provide you with specific instructions on how to care for yourself in the first days and weeks after surgery.
If you would like to learn more about mommy makeover surgery with Dr. Burt, please contact her practice at (815) 267-0231 in Plainfield.
Possible Mommy Makeover Combinations
Breast Lift + Tummy Tuck
One of the most common mommy makeover combinations addresses saggy, deflated breasts, as well as surplus fat and skin in the abdominal area. Breast lift restores the breasts to a more youthful position on the chest wall, and tummy tuck eliminates excess skin and fat, and repairs weakened/separated abdominal muscles.
Breast Augmentation + Tummy Tuck
Although not as common, some women want more breast volume after pregnancy/nursing but don’t necessarily need a lift. Breast augmentation with implants provides more shape and volume to small breasts. It can be combined with tummy tuck surgery to produce a firmer and flatter stomach.
Breast Augmentation + Breast Lift + Tummy Tuck
Some women choose to combine breast lift with the placement of implants, for bigger and perkier looking breasts. The combination breast operation is coupled with tummy tuck to address pregnancy-related issues in the abdomen.
Breast Surgery + Tummy Tuck + Liposuction
This is the most comprehensive of all mommy makeover combinations. Breast surgery (breast augmentation and/or breast lift) and tummy tuck can be combined with liposuction to fine-tune any areas of surplus fat (e.g., on the buttocks, hips, inner/outer thighs, upper arms) that don’t respond to diet or exercise after pregnancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s common to have questions about mommy makeover. You can trust Dr. Will to give you a thorough and thoughtful answer to your queries.
The most frequently asked questions about mommy makeover include the following:
Every mommy makeover is different. Your mommy makeover will be tailored to your unique needs and goals. Dr. Burt will recommend treatments that address the areas of your body that have sustained pregnancy-related changes. Your mommy makeover could include any combination of the following:
- Breast augmentation
- Breast lift
- Tummy tuck
- Liposuction
Some mommy makeovers are performed on the same day, and others are staged out into several operations, allowing you time to recover in between procedures. There are advantages to either approach that will be discussed with you during consultation. For example, combining procedures into one operation requires only one round of anesthesia (which is less risky than multiple rounds of anesthesia). But, recovering from a longer operation could be more challenging.
The timing of your mommy makeover is important. In general, you should allow your body to heal from childbirth, arrive at a stable post-baby weight and not plan to have any more children. Future pregnancies and weight fluctuation could affect the outcome of your mommy makeovers.
During your initial recovery, you won’t be able to bend, lift or perform any strenuous activity. You will need to rest in bed or on the couch as much as possible for one to two weeks after surgery. You will also need help with childcare, chores and cooking. After two weeks, it is likely you can return to a sedentary desk job, light housekeeping and driving, but your activities will still be somewhat limited. You can return to strenuous activity and exercise after approximately four to six weeks.
Our team will closely monitor you during recovery to check your healing progress and advise when you can return to work, exercise, housekeeping and other daily tasks.