Post-Partum Plastic Surgery

If your post-baby body has you contemplating surgery, here’s what you should know about the procedures most often chosen by moms

Post-Baby Plastic Surgery

• The most common procedures moms choose are breast augmentations and tummy tucks.
• Most surgeons recommend waiting until you've finished having children before going for a tummy tuck or breast reduction.
• It can take six weeks to fully recover from these types of surgery.
• Wait at least nine months after weaning before undergoing any breast procedures to ensure there is no milk left in your ducts.
• Most women who undergo breast augmentation can breastfeed if they have another child, but women who have breast reductions have more difficulty.

 f you're having trouble accepting your post-baby body and are considering a major "mommy makeover," here's what you should know about the plastic surgery procedures most often chosen by moms:

 

1. Breast Augmentation

Many women complain that their breasts are smaller or look saggy from breastfeeding. Breast augmentation is probably the most common post-baby procedure, says Dr. Sean Brian Rice, a plastic surgeon in Toronto.

What it is: A surgeon makes small incisions in the skin and places breast implants under the skin and tissue of the breasts. The incisions can be made in the creases of the breasts, in a circle around the nipples and areolas, or in the armpits.

There are several different types of implants available–most are filled with either a form of silicone gel or saline (saltwater) solution. Today's silicone gel implants are nothing like the ones that caused problems a few years ago, Dr. Rice says. Today, the gel implants are much safer and are designed to mimic real breast tissue.
 
What to expect: The surgery takes about 45 minutes under general anesthetic and can be done on an outpatient basis. Many plastic surgeons have operating rooms in their offices and you can usually go home the same day.

Dr. Rice says you can expect to be back at work within a week, although you should avoid heavy lifting for about two weeks. You can resume physical activity in two to four weeks.

Special considerations: The majority of women who undergo breast augmentation surgery can breastfeed again if they have another child. However, Dr. Rice recommends waiting at least nine months to a year after weaning before undergoing the procedure.

Cost: $6,500 to $8,000

2. Tummy Tuck

Stretch marks, stretched out muscles and flabby abdomens make tummy tucks tempting to many moms. "What happens with childbearing is that the ligament stretches and doesn't come back," says Dr. Rice. "You can do sit ups until the cows come home, but you're still going to have a pot belly."

What it is: Skin and fat are removed from the top of the pubic hairline to the top of the belly button and abdominal muscles are tightened. Everything from the belly button down is discarded, and everything above the belly button gets pulled down to the pubic hair line. (Any stretch marks that were below the belly button disappear, but any that were above the belly button reappear down around the public hairline.)

What to expect: Most tummy tucks are done under general anesthetic on an outpatient basis, although your surgeon may perform the procedure in a hospital rather than a clinic.

You can expect to be off work for at least a week, with no heavy lifting for at least two weeks. A full recovery usually takes about six weeks.

Special considerations: Permanent, non-dissolving stitches are used to put your abs back in position. Recent studies show that the muscle will stay in place even if you have another pregnancy, although the skin will stretch out again and you may need to return for a second procedure. Dr. Rice recommends waiting until you know you're finished having children before undergoing a tummy tuck.

Cost: $7,000 to $10,000

3.  Breast Reduction

For every woman who's upset that her breasts disappeared after breastfeeding, there's probably another who found that the larger breasts never went away. Heavy, sagging breasts can cause neck, shoulder and back pain, as well as headaches–many women turn to breast reduction to reduce the volume of their breasts.

What it is: Fat, tissue and skin are removed through incisions, then the breasts are reshaped. The type and direction of incisions may depend on the size of your breasts, or the amount of reduction desired. In some cases, the surgeon may remove your nipple and areola and change its size before reattaching it further up on the breast.

What to expect: The procedure can take at least an hour and a half, under general anesthetic. You can usually go home the same day, although you can expect to be in bed for a few days afterward.

Plan to take up to two weeks off work, and avoid doing any physical activity or heavy lifting for at least three weeks. It will take about six weeks to fully recover.

Special considerations: Dr. Rice recommends waiting at least nine months to one year after weaning before having a breast reduction. Also, if your nipples are removed and the areolas resized, you may lose some nipple sensitivity.

It is also more difficult to breastfeed after a breast reduction–Dr. Rice says that although you may be able to produce milk, you may only have a limited capacity. He recommends not undergoing the procedure until after having children if you want to breastfeed.

Cost: Covered under some provincial health plans in Canada; approximately $7,000 to $9,000 in the United States.

4. Liposuction

Some women complain of sagging arms, love handles and extra fat on the sides of their breasts under their armpits after they've had children. Liposuction removes excess fat and can also be done in conjunction with a tummy tuck or breast reduction.

What it is: Liposuction uses suction to remove fatty deposits from traditional trouble spots, such as the abdomen, thighs and upper arms. The surgeon uses suction through a stainless steel tube called a cannula to break up and remove fatty tissue.

Dr. Rice also uses a new method of laser liposuction called SmartLipo. A handheld laser is inserted through a small incision and the laser beam appears beneath the skin as a dim red light that is visible to the surgeon, allowing him to locate and remove fatty deposits. The laser wand is waved like a fan back and forth beneath the skin, where it eliminates the fat cells it comes in contact with.

What to expect: Most liposuction procedures take about 45 minutes and can be performed under local anesthetic.

Special considerations: Liposuction works best for someone in good overall physical condition and close to her ideal weight who simply wants to slim and sculpt specific areas. Dr. Rice does not recommed it for patients hoping to lose large amounts of weight with a single procedure.

Cost: Starts at approximately $4,000, with an additional $2,000 for each extra area of the body.