5 Popular Cosmetic Surgeries for Women Who Have Kids

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Motherhood comes with a lot of changes. Mothers have different priorities, their social lives may be a lot tamer, and they have way less free time. Those aren’t the only differences, though; there are also physical changes. Between pregnancy hormones, weight gain, and the fact that she’s grown a fully developed baby in her uterus, a mom could experience all kinds of outward changes that leave her feeling less connected to her body. Of course, it’s usually possible for women to bounce back after pregnancy – to a degree, anyway.

Fortunately, loose skin, drooping breasts, or a vagina that just isn’t the same anymore can all be addressed through plastic surgery. A mommy makeover is always a popular choice, and it can actually be personalized and expanded to meet the aesthetic goals of each woman. The mommy makeover essentials are a tummy tuck, breast augmentation, and liposuction, but there can also be additional procedures, such as a vaginoplasty or a lower body lift. Then again, a mom may only want one of these procedures. At any rate, it’s pretty clear that some cosmetic procedures are very popular among mothers; let’s take a closer look at the top five.

Tummy Tuck

As one of the most invasive procedures on this list, you can bet that a tummy tuck offers the results to justify all the recovery time.

One of the most noticeable changes to a woman’s body after giving birth is to her abdominal area. Even if there are minimal stretch marks, it’s common for there to be loose skin and some extra fat. The muscles of the abdominal wall may also be separated; a tummy tuck can repair that too, if needed.

There are actually multiple types of tummy tuck, all of which depend on the extent of the loose skin. The two types that moms usually get post-pregnancy are either the full tummy tuck, or the mini tummy tuck. There’s a horizontal scar left by the surgery, which is usually easy to conceal beneath underwear or even a bikini. Recover is usually pretty intense, with most doctors recommending two weeks minimum before you even think about going back to work.

Breast Lift or Augmentation

The abdominal area may have a lot of loose skin and stretch marks after pregnancy, but the breasts can undergo some pretty dramatic changes of their own – and not always for the better. Between pregnancy hormones, weight fluctuations, and breastfeeding, the breasts can grow and then shrink in a relatively short time span; this often results in a deflated, drooping appearance.

A breast lift doesn’t significantly alter the size of the breasts; it just changes their orientation on the chest wall. Excess skin is taken from the lower part of the breasts, which makes them more perky and firm.

A breast augmentation also has the goal of perky, full breasts, but it involves implants. If a woman has lost weight post-pregnancy to the point where her breasts lack volume, she and her plastic surgeon might decide that an augmentation is the way to go.

Liposuction

Contrary to popular belief, liposuction isn’t the key to instant weight loss. Well, technically it is, but recipients of the procedure don’t actually lose that much weight. Instead, fat stores are strategically removed in order to sculpt the woman’s existing curves.

If a woman is planning on getting liposuction to restore her pre-pregnancy body, she can’t just waltz into the clinic and conquer her baby weight with liposuction; that’s asking way too much of the procedure. A woman’s body keeps changing after giving birth, especially if she’s trying to lose the weight she gained while pregnant. To ensure that the results of liposuction actually stick, it’s important to wait on getting the procedure until the physical changes have more or less stopped. Besides, this can be quite a drastic surgery, with a fairly long recovery time. It only makes sense to be smart about how you use it, rather than using it as a substitute for a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Lower Body Lift

Think of this as a tummy tuck for the lower body. It’s the exact same concept: address loose skin and stretch marks by removing extra skin, leaving small incisions that are easily hidden. It’s generally used to target the thighs and buttocks, and (depending on the extent) requires about the same recovery time as a tummy tuck, together with similar aftercare. You can expect compression garments and minimal movement, as well as being out of commission for at least two weeks.

This is actually popular among women with multiple children, as it usually takes more than one pregnancy to cause noticeable changes in the thighs and buttocks. Plus, this type of procedure is used when a woman has excess loose skin, not just a derriere that isn’t as toned as it used to be; that can take a lot longer to develop compared to the abdomen.

Vaginal Rejuvenation

This is more than just a spa day for the vagina; it’s actually a blanket term that describes more than one procedure. It could be a vaginoplasty, a labiaplasty, or a vulvoplasty.

A vaginoplasty is the only one of these that’s used to repair the vagina, which is why it’s common among mothers. If their vagina tore at all during childbirth, a vaginoplasty can be used to restore the original size and depth of the vagina.

A labiaplasty addresses the inner or outer labia; they could be increased or reduced in size, or reshaped to fit the woman’s desired form.

A vulvoplasty is used to reshape the outer part of the vagina, and is generally used for aesthetic reasons rather than to repair pregnancy-related changes.

The takeaway

Just because pregnancy changed your physical appearance doesn’t mean you’ll never see your pre-pregnancy body again; it’s just that you might need a bit more help than what diet and exercise can provide. With the help of a skilled plastic surgeon and some solid planning, your beauty goals might be closer than you think!