Mommy Makeover - Frequently Asked Questions

MOMMY MAKEOVER

Your body will experience many different changes throughout your life. One of your body’s most significant changes occurs during pregnancy and after childbirth and nursing. These changes can dramatically alter not only your figure but also your self-confidence. Areas like your breasts and abdomen may develop stretch marks, stubborn fat, and loose skin that exercise and diet just can’t correct.

Dr. Alton Ingram and the staff at Ingram Cosmetic Surgery understand how difficult it can be for  you to face these issues while also trying to work and take care of your family. We can help you reclaim your pre-pregnancy body and to look and you’re your best with a mommy makeover.

WHAT IS A MOMMY MAKEOVER?

Simply put, a mommy makeover is surgery that involves more than one procedure to target the areas where you need some help after having children – usually your breasts, waist, and abdomen. Mommy makeovers include procedures such as breast augmentation, breast lift, tummy tuck,  and liposuction. Mommy makeovers mean different things to different women, but what they have in common is that they help you reclaim firm, full breasts, a tighter tummy, and a narrower waist – a mommy makeover will you to regain and redefine the contours your body before pregnancy.

Since “mommy makeover” is just a general term which encompasses lots of different operations, you may want to consider some of the above procedures even if you have never had children. Your breasts may be less full and firm, and your tummy and waist may be looser and rounder than years ago, but you may have undergone the changes described above due to weight loss or simply to normal aging. If so, you likely can benefit from the same breast, abdominal, and body contouring procedures that constitute a “mommy makeover.”

 WHAT WILL I GET OUT OF A MOMMY MAKEOVER?

Everyone’s mommy makeover is different, because every woman’s body is different. During your consultation with Dr. Ingram, you will tell him exactly what changes you want to make to your body, and he will translate your goals into a specific surgical plan.

The problem area that drives the most women crazy after having children is their lower abdomen. A mini tummy tuck or a full abdominoplasty is usually the best treatment for these problem areas because they treat your loose skin, excess fat, and stretched muscles. But if your skin is still tight, you may only want liposuction of your lower abdomen and waist. Up top, you may just want to regain the breast volume you had during pregnancy or while breast feeding, and breast implants may be perfect for you. But if you want to raise your nipples or to reduce the size of your breasts, you may do better with a breast lift or a breast reduction. After you tell Dr. Ingram what changes you want, he will work with you to ensure that you get the best result possible.

By combining multiple procedures into one day of surgery, you only have to factor in one recovery period.  This is appealing for women trying to raise a family and for working mothers with limited time off after maternity leave.

Not only does a mommy makeover save you time, it saves you money.  The cost of combining more than one procedure into one session of anesthesia and one OR day is much lower than several days of surgery.  Plus, working mothers need only take off work once instead of having to take off for multiple recovery periods.

HOW SOON AFTER CHILDBIRTH CAN I HAVE A MOMMY MAKEOVER?

Just like everything related to your pregnancy, your baby, and your Nashville Mommy Makeover, the answer to this question depends on YOU! The most important consideration in when a mommy makeover is right for you is making sure that you’ve had plenty of time to bond with your baby and that you aren’t going to be overwhelmed by adding one more.

If you had a completely uncomplicated pregnancy, aren’t nursing, and only want a little liposuction of your tummy and waist, you may be ready for your mommy makeover just a few months after giving birth. If you had any complications during your pregnancy, if you’re nursing, or if you want more involved surgery but don’t have a lot of help at home, you probably should wait a while longer.

During your mommy makeover consultation with Dr. Ingram, you will let him know how your pregnancy went, what your usual state of health is, how you’re feeling, how much help you have at home, and exactly what changes in your body due to pregnancy and nursing you want your mommy makeover to address.

After discussing all of this, you and Dr. Ingram will work together to tailor your surgical plan to your health, home life, and cosmetic goals. Ideally you should wait one year after giving birth to consider a cosmetic surgery.  Also, since swings in breast volume after nursing can be unpredictable, you should also consider waiting 6 months after you finish breast feeding if you’re considering a breast surgery as part of your makeover.

WHAT WILL MY RECOVERY BE LIKE AFTER MY MOMMY MAKEOVER?

Your recovery period depends on the procedures you want performed and on how quickly your body naturally heals. Just like with everything else pregnancy-related, everyone's Mommy Makeover experience is different!

For instance, if you’re getting saline implants in front of your muscle and a few areas of liposuction, your recovery will be much quicker than if you’re getting a full tummy tuck and a breast lift.  Either way, you will want to make sure you have help around your house for at least a few days, as holding a toddler or wrangling children may be uncomfortable and certainly won’t help your body to heal from surgery. Depending on what operations you’ve decided will help you the most, Dr. Ingram and his staff will go over with you exactly how you need to prepare for your big day.

Dr. Ingram proudly provides advanced cosmetic surgery techniques as part of his mommy makeover to help women in Nashville achieve beautiful results