Pregnancy and childbirth cause many different changes to your body. While these may be expected, what many women are not prepared for are the differences in their shape that can remain, months and even years after their child was born. Unsurprisingly, one of the areas most affected is the abdomen, which stretches to accompany your growing baby. This puts a great deal of strain on the muscles and skin, and many women will develop stretch marks where their skin is pulled beyond its usual capabilities. It’s also possible for the stomach muscles to become separated – a condition known as divarication. If this happens, surgery is usually the only way to repair them.

 

Unfortunately, once you have given birth there is no guarantee that your body will return back to how it was before. In fact, the majority of mothers find that even if they get back to the weight that they were before they gave birth, the skin on their stomach and their abdominal muscles never quite return to their pre-baby appearance. If you’ve finished having a family, you may be considering surgery, and more specifically a tummy tuck, to help restore your confidence in your shape.  

 

What is a Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries amongst women, as well as people who have lost lots of weight. The procedure involves using surgery to repair and tighten the abdominal muscles, pulling the overlying skin so that it closely adheres to the contours of the abdomen, creating a flatter and more streamlined appearance. Any excess skin is cut away and discarded, completing the surgery. A tummy tuck is performed under general anesthetic, meaning that you won’t be awake or aware during the procedure. It’s important to be aware that it can take around 6-8 weeks or more to recover fully from a tummy tuck, and so patients need to prepare for several months where their day-to-day activities will be limited.

 

How Soon After Pregnancy Can I Get a Tummy Tuck?

It’s understandable to want to get your pre-pregnancy shape back as soon as possible but rushing into a tummy tuck too soon isn’t advisable. Even if you feel like you are fit, healthy, and ready for surgery, there may be internal healing that still needs to take place that you aren’t aware of. Undergoing surgery when you aren’t fully healed could increase your risk of complications and make it much harder for you to recover.

 

The recovery from your tummy tuck is another important consideration, particularly since you won’t be able to do any heavy lifting for at least 6 weeks following surgery. This includes lifting your baby! You need to make sure that you have someone who is able to take on caring for your children while you rest and recuperate, and we know this can be tricky when your baby is still very young. You won’t be able to breastfeed for some time after having the anesthetic, or while taking pain relief which you will need after your surgery, nor will you be able to rest your baby on your stomach while you breastfeed.

 

Finally, it’s crucial to have decided that you are finished having children before undergoing your tummy tuck procedure. Any subsequent pregnancies will undo the effects of your surgery and likely leave you with sagging skin and lax abdominal muscles again!

 

To learn more about getting a tummy tuck after giving birth, contact LoTempio in New York, NY at 347-434-8600 to schedule a consultation today!