How Long Should I Wait to Get a Tummy Tuck After Giving Birth?
Posted September 03, 2014 in Mommy Makeover, Tummy Tuck Surgery
Even if you take great care of yourself during pregnancy, the stretching that can happen to your belly is inevitable. Getting a Mommy Makeover might seem a little extreme, or even a Tummy Tuck, however this may be the only solution when even diet and exercise fail to give you back that flat belly that you once had. Other women don’t mind the sacrifice of losing their girlish figure in exchange for their new bundles of joy, but certain medical conditions can leave an unshapely stomach even for those who try to work off their stretched out tummies.
One common condition is known as diastasis recti, which can make your stomach appear puffy or “bowed out”. This can make even a marathon runner look four months pregnant long after the baby turns into a toddler.
How soon is too soon to get a tummy tuck after having a baby?
While most doctors will tell you not to get a tummy tuck right away, especially if you plan on having any more children, they may not tell you when it is safe to seek professional cosmetic help. Your flat tummy does not have to be tightened immediately, and it might be best to wait at least a year until your body does go back down to its “normal” post-baby state. It will take time to eliminate the bloating, and it cannot hurt to try the exercise and diet of course, but for those women who prefer to take the easy route, getting a tummy tuck is ideal.
Bear in mind that a tummy tuck does involve more healing time than other procedures. You may be down for between ten days to two weeks, depending on your body type and natural recovery process. A traditional tummy tuck involves a horizontal cut between the pubic bone and navel, which may be more convenient for those women who experienced a C-section operation for the birth of their child. Just like pulling taffy, the flap of skin is then stretched and tightened, while the excess belly flab is removed.
Instead of a full blown tummy tuck, some women may opt for a “mini” tuck, which focuses more on the excess belly fat just below the navel area. Some might call this their baby “pooch”. In medical terms, this is known as a lipoabdominoplasty. The healing time may be faster under these circumstances because the belly button is not moved, whereas a comprehensive tummy tuck may require a new hole in that vicinity. Tummy tucks can also be rather painful, so another common misconception for many moms who experience this cosmetic procedure is that it might be equal to or less painful than delivering the baby, when in fact it can be more so.
To answer the question of “How long to wait after giving birth should I get a tummy tuck?” there is no definitive answer; however most qualified plastic surgeons would recommend waiting until an ideal weight has been achieved, which can be anywhere between six months to a year. And if you do plan on having any more children, even if there is an off-chance of it happening, then definitely wait until your child-bearing days are over. Otherwise, you may have to go through the tummy tuck procedure again someday.