How Soon After Having Children Can I Undergo a Mommy Makeover?
Dr. Filiberto Rodriguez is a top Cosmetic Surgeon with offices in Edinburg and Brownsville in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) in South Texas. With a passion for the field and an unwavering commitment to his specialty, Dr. Filiberto Rodriguez is an expert in changing the lives of his patients for the better. Through their designated... more
The short answer is that I typically recommend that a woman wait at least 3 months after the birth of her baby or when she stops breastfeeding before coming in for a Mommy Makeover or breast augmentation consult. There are four important aspects that help define the answer to this question:
- How long does it take for the uterus to return back to its pre-pregnancy size?
- How long does it take for the breasts to lose their fullness from pregnancy and breastfeeding?
- When do the bleeding and blood clot risks return to normal after pregnancy?
- Do I plan to have another pregnancy and do I have enough help at home to help take care of my baby during my surgery and the first few weeks after?
During pregnancy, the uterus grows tremendously as the baby grows. At the time of delivery, the uterus extends up into the upper abdomen and lower chest. This is what causes the lower ribs to flare during pregnancy. The enlarged uterus, combined with the elevated bleeding risks associated with pregnancy, is why it is not possible to perform a true tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) immediately after birth. After two weeks, the uterus returns down to a mere 11 ounces and is again located entirely within your pelvis. By about four weeks, it should be close to its pre-pregnancy weight of 3.5 ounces or less. This process is called the involution of the uterus.
During pregnancy the breasts also become engorged. This engorgement is of the breast tissue in preparation for breastfeeding. Even if you decide not to breastfeed, it still can take up to three months for the breast to lose this engorgement. Similarly, it is not possible to fully determine the new baseline of your breasts until at least 3 months after you stop breastfeeding. This is important because we need to determine how much (if any) breast ptosis (droop) will result after the pregnancy or breastfeeding, and also to determine what size breast implant will be necessary if any, and whether or not a breast lift will be needed.
Lastly, there is an increased risk for blood clot complications during pregnancy, which remains elevated the first few months after delivery. Proceeding with an elective Mommy Makeover surgery with a tummy tuck and breast augmentation should be delayed until the risk of blood clots is minimized. For these reasons, I typically recommend that a woman wait at least 3 months after the birth of her baby or when she stops breastfeeding before coming in for a Mommy Makeover or breast augmentation consult.
Obviously, if you are planning to have another baby, I would recommend that you postpone your tummy tuck and Mommy Makeover until you are finished having babies since a pregnancy after a tummy tuck will typically ruin the tummy tuck results. Also, even though my patients have a quick recovery after their tummy tuck and Mommy Makeover surgeries (usually walking the day after their surgery and typically returning to office work 2 weeks later), it is a good idea to have some help around the house the first few weeks after your surgery.
