February 09, 2010 | Blog
2 minute read
Makeovers for Mom
Breast Lifts, Augmentation, Tummy Tucks & More
*originally posted in Long Island Press
Everybody knows children are wonderful. But nothing is said in their birth announcements about the physical cost to their moms for bringing these bundles of joy into the world. The toll can sometimes be stretched and distorted breasts, bulging stomachs, weight gain on the hips: yes, those dreaded saddlebags and thicker thighs. And the damage is not all on the outside. While the uterus is usually about the size of an orange, a baby stretches it against the abdominal wall. As the baby grows and forces the uterus against the inside of the muscle wall of the abdomen, the so-called “six pack muscles” get stretched apart and elongate, resulting in a bulge of the lower tummy that even diet and exercise can’t fix.
Once that happens, only surgery can bring the muscles back together again. Moreover, the breasts grow and get larger during breast feeding. After that, the breasts typically decrease, often to a size smaller than before the pregnancy. The result can be stretch marks and hanging breasts. Repeated pregnancies can multiply the damage. But all too often, the toll on the mother’s body is often considered just part and parcel of being a modern mom.
However, no pun intended, many women are no longer taking it lying down. Instead, they are seeing cosmetic plastic surgeons for what I call Mommy Makeovers. Nowadays, many women establish their career track before they tackle the mommy track. These women often return to work shortly after childbirth, and they want to be confident about their appearance.
Commonly requested procedures include tummy tucks and liposuction as well as breast lifts, with or without implants, to fill out sagging breasts. One of the benefits of having extra fat and skin surgically removed is that fewer fat cells need less insulin, blood sugar is more even, and the appetite may be smaller.
After a woman decides her childbearing days are over, it’s important that she wait four to six months after pregnancy to have plastic surgery. New moms should have time to bond with their newborns.
You might imagine that the trend is for thrilled husbands to spring for their wife’s surgical makeover. But most times, it’s the moms themselves who are the most thrilled.