Parents juggling school lunches, carpool, bake sales, and extracurricular activities is nothing unusual. Attending all of the normal duties of parenthood can get more than a little difficult for the mother who has scheduled a mommy makeover. According to polls, many mommy makeover patients have children under the age of 5, many of them only 1 or 2 years old. While the process can go smoothly for these women, they may face particular challenges that women of older children do not. Here, we discuss what these are and how to breeze through them.
Extended Recovery
One of the prominent benefits of a mommy makeover is that there is only one recovery period. However, patients quickly come to realize that they will need a little more rest for a little longer when they combine plastic surgery procedures. For example, if you were to have breast augmentation, you may be ready to resume a fair amount of your normal activities after 10 to 14 days. Mommy makeovers typically involve two or more procedures. Abdominoplasty is usually one of them. The combination of breast and body techniques could increase overall recovery time by another 2 weeks.
Does every mommy makeover patient require a full month to recover from her procedure? No. But, it is not rare. Recovery time may depend on several factors. Is a full tummy tuck performed or a mini tuck? Is liposuction performed in the abdominal area or someplace else? Is breast augmentation involved? If so, what is the placement and size of implants? These are just a few of the details of treatment that can influence how long it takes before Mom is back to her usual M.O.
How to Get By
Typical mommy makeover restrictions include abstaining from sexual intercourse and strenuous exercise for 2 to 3 weeks. Patients must refrain from swimming and taking baths for a few weeks and, at first, may need help showering and washing hair. Additionally, lifting is limited. This and the inability to run and climb and chase children and play is where recovery can start to get stressful.
Mommy makeover patients are encouraged to remind themselves as often as needed that their “break from life” is only temporary. While they are recovering, they can rely on beloved friends and family to assist them with child duties. Until 100% recovered, Mom can read bedtime stories, color, sing favorite songs or make up new ones. She can cook easy meals after a few days and can sit close with her children to hear about their day.
There’s no doubt that, for busy moms, mommy makeover recovery can be challenging. It is one of those things in life that is only temporary, though, and improved with a carefully curated care team. If you’re ready to explore your mommy makeover journey, we’d love to be a part of your team. Contact us at 636-535-2933 or online to schedule your consultation at our St. Peters, MO office.
