How to Prepare for a Mommy Makeover: Your Checklist to Maximize Success

A traditional mommy makeover often includes the combination of liposuction, tummy tuck surgery, and breast surgery.

Knowing how to properly prepare for such a procedure can help ensure that you are in optimal health before getting any treatments done.

Key Takeaways How To Prepare For A Mommy Makeover

• Quitting nicotine, limiting alcohol use and avoiding certain medications are vital steps to prepare for a mommy makeover.
• Losing the baby weight beforehand can help improve overall health and wellness prior to surgery.
• Before undergoing a mommy makeover, it is important to arrange childcare, fill prescriptions, clear your schedule, and plan ahead with meals so that you have support during recovery.
• Setting up a safe and comfortable recovery zone at home will aid in providing peace of mind while healing properly from surgical procedure.

A Step By Step Guide For Mommy Makeover Surgery

Before a mommy makeover, it is important to get in shape by losing the baby weight, stopping smoking and limiting alcohol consumption. Various medications need to be avoided and prescriptions should also be filled. Plus, ensure you have childcare for post surgery and set up a recovery zone in your home.

Lose the Baby Weight

Losing the baby weight is an important part of preparing for a mommy makeover. Women should wait at least six months after giving birth before undergoing this procedure. This gives the body time to settle into its postpartum shape and helps ensure that the results look natural and in proportion with other parts of the body.

Quit Nicotine Use

Quitting nicotine before a mommy makeover is for optimal results. Nicotine use, whether through smoking or vaping, restricts the body’s ability to heal, and increases the risk of postoperative complications such as infection or blood clotting.

Nicotine affects circulation which can reduce the visibility of surgical incisions and delay healing time. It is important to quit using all forms of nicotine at least one month prior to surgery to ensure that the body has ample time to recover from its effects.

Limit Alcohol

Limiting alcohol is a must when preparing for any kind of surgery, including a mommy makeover. Alcohol acts as a diuretic, which can directly lead to increased urination and dehydration in the body and could potentially cause complications during the procedure.

It is recommended that patients avoid consuming alcoholic beverages at least two weeks before undergoing a mommy makeover surgery.

Avoid Certain Medications

Blood thinning medications like aspirin, ibuprofen, anti-inflammatory and herbal supplements like Ginkgo Biloba should be avoided at least one week before surgery due to the risks associated with potential excess bleeding during and after the procedure.

Phentermine, HCG, and other diet medications need to be stopped two weeks before for anesthesia safety. These medications carry an increased risk of complications when combined with anesthesia use.

Fill Your Prescriptions

Before undergoing a mommy makeover, it’s important to fill the prescriptions your doctor has written for you. You will need these medications while you are recovering from surgery and may include antibiotics, pain relievers, sleeping aids, and laxatives.

These medications play an important role in helping with clear recovery and reducing risk of infections after surgery. All post surgery medication instructions must be adhered too including taking the antibiotics until all of them have been taken as directed, or completing full dosages if prescribed a certain number of days.

Set Up Childcare

When preparing for a full mommy makeover recovery afterwards, arrange childcare so that you can have reliable support during the mommy makeover recovery after process. Depending on the procedures involved in your individual case, some mothers might need assistance with household tasks as they recover from their mommy makeover.

Make Sure You Have a Ride

Arranging for a ride home after a mommy makeover surgery is for a successful recovery. Driving yourself or trying to get public transportation can be dangerous during this time as your body is still adjusting to the change, and won’t be able to handle the strain of driving until you’re at least two weeks post-op, depending on the procedure.

Set Up Your Recovery Zone

Have a comfortable space to recuperate in. Creating an easy to access and comfortable area can help you heal properly and feel more relaxed during the healing period.

Key elements when setting up your recovery zone include ensuring easy accessibility to items, such as snacks, water bottles, medications, toiletries and other necessities.

Set Aside Time for Recovery

It is recommended to dedicate time for recovery after these plastic surgery procedures. The average recovery period for breast procedure is about 6 weeks, but it may take up to 6 months in some cases, depending on the extent of abdominal and breast surgery that were required for the procedure.

Tummy tuck tends to have a longer healing process, usually lasting two or three months until all swelling has completely subsided. It is important to set aside this time frame so you can rest and recover properly without any external pressures or obligations.

Also have in mind that taking care of yourself during this period plays an integral role in ensuring successful results. This means that you should avoid strenuous activities, wear comfortable clothing, follow your doctor’s instructions closely such as medications, attend post-op appointments as well as avoid sun exposure which will reduce inflammation quicker and minimize potential complications.

Follow a Healthy Diet

Following a healthy diet is an important part of getting ready for a mommy makeover. Eating the right foods and maintaining hydration can protect you from weight gain that could complicate your surgery, speed up healing time, and provide vital nutrients for recovery.

Things to Know Before You Schedule Your Mommy Makeover

You should know all of the facts before scheduling your first mommy makeover consultation with a doctor, such as knowing your ideal weight goal.

Good Nutrition is Key

When preparing for a mommy makeover, promoting good nutrition is paramount. Eating healthy and exercising before undergoing the procedure are important steps toward optimizing results.

A whole foods based diet with plenty of high quality nutrients can help keep you strong and energized during your recovery period. Protein rich foods such as eggs, almonds, chicken breast, cottage cheese, and lean beef should be included in the diet to promote muscle growth and tissue regeneration post operatively.

Along with these protein sources, it is equally important to incorporate fruits and vegetables into one’s daily intake of food, which will provide micronutrients required to ensure optimal healing after the operation itself has been completed.

Consultation With an Experienced Plastic Surgeon

Consultation with an expert surgeon is crucial, ensuring proper understanding of what procedures will take place and expectations afterward on how help could be provided throughout recovery time post surgery when necessary.

When preparing for a mommy makeover, it is important to communicate openly with your surgeon about your goals and expectations. Openly discussing any questions or concerns with your surgeon is key in ensuring they can provide the necessary information and support throughout the process.

Pre operative Physical Exams

It is also important for patients to undergo a pre operative physical exam prior to going under the knife, so doctors can assess their health overall and ensure there are no major risk factors present before beginning the mommy makeover journey.

Follow Post Operative Instructions

It is imperative to follow post operative instructions provided by the plastic surgeon to ensure proper healing and minimize complications from a mommy makeover surgery. Doing so will help reduce recovery time and lower the risk of infection or other adverse outcomes.

Failure to follow pre-op instructions have been linked with certain complications either on short or long term basis including increased bleeding during procedure, deep vein thrombosis or DVT, hematoma formation and scarring issues. Following instructions and taking the necessary prescription medications are extremely important for successful results of mommy makeovers.

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Prepare For A Mommy Makeover

1. What is a Mommy Makeover?

A mommy makeover refers to a combination of cosmetic surgery procedures designed to help restore the body following pregnancy and childbirth.

2. What are the Steps Involved in Preparing for a Mommy Makeover?

The process for preparing for a mommy makeover will vary depending on the specific type of surgical procedure one wishes to undergo but it’s important that patients refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol at least 4 weeks prior, while also maintaining good health practices.

3. Can I still get a Mommy Makeover If I Had a C-Section or Hysterectomy?

Yes, definitely. A previous cesarean section or hysterectomy does not affect the results of a mommy makeover at all.

4. What Procedures are Typically Included in a Mommy Makeover?

Most patients opt for the three most popular surgeries when choosing to undergo a mommy makeover, breast augmentation, breast lift, and liposuction.

5. What Benefits Come With Undergoing This Surgery?

Beyond an improved physical appearance, there is overwhelming evidence showing that those who choose women feel enough to go under the knife experience dramatic personal satisfaction with regard to treating sagging skin and losing a few pounds. This increases self confidence levels after successful completion of their operations.

Conclusion and Summary of How to Prepare for a Mommy Makeover: Your Checklist to Maximize Success

The goal of any mommy makeover is to restore your pre-pregnancy shape and enhance it. Such cosmetic procedures do require a good amount of preparation prior to the surgery itself.

Being at or near your ideal weight goal can provide optimal results with any mommy makeover procedure. Preparing for the surgery also means avoiding certain medications that thin the blood, setting aside time for recovery, as well as organizing help from family members for childcare and household chores.

Last but not least, prepare yourself psychologically. Every patient should have realistic expectations with regard to this type of procedure since it cannot yield miraculous results within one day or even two weeks after the procedure.

Proper preparation requires discipline, so stick to your pre-operative instructions and enjoy all benefits you will inevitably reap.

Please note that this article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Before making any changes to your treatments, please consult with your healthcare provider to discuss the appropriateness and safety of such changes.

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About the Author

Dr. Brandon Richland, MD is a respected Board Certified Licensed Plastic Surgeon in Orange County / Southern California specializing in cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries.

Driven by his passion for medicine, Dr. Richland obtained his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the prestigious program at Saint Louis University (SLU) School of Medicine in 2013. His exceptional skills were recognized when he received the McGraw Hill / Lange Medical Student Academic Achievement Award, and graduated top of his class with Honors. For his undergraduate degree, he attended University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and graduated with Honors in 2009.

To further enhance his surgical expertise, Dr. Richland completed his Residency in Plastic Surgery at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) from 2013 to 2019 earning the Academic Achievement Award twice during this period. A total of 14 years in dedicated schooling and medical residency.

Dr. Richland is actively involved with healthcare and medical societies, as a Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, and the California Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Contact Dr. Richland today by visiting RichlandMD.com, scheduling a cosmetic consultation, or by calling 949-867-4496 directly.

Cover Image Credit: Anatoliygleb / 123RF.com (Licensed). Photo Illustration by: Dr. Brandon Richland, MD.