Pregnancy and childbirth is a momentous occasion for all mothers! During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the anatomy and physiology of the body changes, leading to alterations to the external physique. These changes may persist even if mothers have a healthy diet, do regular exercise and return to their pre-pregnancy weight. These changes may preclude certain fashion styles that may have been possible before pregnancy. Many women seek to reverse these changes to restore their youthful pre-pregnancy femininity and form.
Multiple different anatomical areas are affected, and the severity may be varied. These include:
Hormonal changes during pregnancy result in fluid retention and weight gain. Generalized swelling occurs in the breasts, abdomen, arms and thighs. The skin stretches to accommodate the increase in volume of the underlying tissues, and relaxes and thins out with time, leading to skin laxity.
The presentation and severity of post-pregnancy changes may vary widely between different individuals, and mummy makeovers are tailored to the individual’s presentation and expectations. Mummy makeovers aim to restore the pre-pregnancy femininity and form and restore confidence to the individual, while keeping the scars inconspicuous. These surgeries aim to help the mother to revert to fashion styles that were possible before pregnancy.
Mummy makeovers are most effective following completion of the family, and at least 3 months following childbirth to allow pregnancy-related physiological changes to normalize. Allowing sufficient time for skin shrinkage allows more accurate assessment of the amount of skin that needs to be removed and/or tightened.
It is certainly possible to get pregnant and breastfeed again following mummy makeovers. In some cases, mothers may require minor touch up procedures following childbirth, usually to remove excess skin.
The postoperative medications are usually safe even if breastfeeding, these usually consist of simple analgesia and antibiotics. Mothers who wish to take additional precaution may continue to express their milk and discard it for the first few days postoperatively.
It is possible to perform multiple contouring procedures of different anatomical regions at the same sitting to attain maximal improvement with a single recovery period.
Post-pregnancy breast procedures aim to restore breasts that are symmetrical, proportionate in size and occupying an optimal position on the chest wall. This usually involves alteration of the breast size and removal of excess skin. The following are commonly performed breast procedures:
Post-pregnancy abdominal procedures aim to remove excess skin and fat, repair hernias and tighten the abdominal muscles (rectus divarication repair) to restore an aesthetic abdominal contour. The following are commonly performed abdominal procedures:
Post-pregnancy limb procedures aim to remove excess skin and fat while minimizing scars and keeping scars to inconspicuous locations. The following are commonly performed limb contouring procedures: