Published by Dr MIguel Fernadez Calderón: 22/06/2023
When the shape of your body is affected after pregnancy, and you do not feel comfortable with the way your abdomen looks, it is very likely that you have thought about the abdominoplasty after pregnancy as a solution to regain your previous appearance. If this is your case, read on, here we explain when to do it and how it affects breastfeeding.
Pre-abdominoplasty considerations after pregnancy
Abdominoplasty is a surgery that removes excess fat and hanging skin from the abdomen, a condition that is very common in women after pregnancy, due to weight gain, separation of the abdominal muscles and stretching of the skin when the belly grows.
After having your baby, there are some considerations you should take into account before deciding to have a tummy tuck in Madrid Spain.
Whether or not you are breastfeeding
During lactation, your hormone levels are altered and these hormonal changes can affect body weight and recovery, should you undergo a surgical procedure.
In addition, medications used during surgery and for recovery can reach the baby through breast milk and put the baby at risk.
Because of the above, the recommendation is to wait three months after stopping breastfeeding so that your body and weight can stabilize and recovery is quicker and easier.
Many women who want to undergo a tummy tuck also hope to improve the shape of their breasts by having a mommy makeover. And for this it is necessary to wait until you finish breastfeeding your baby and give your breasts time to have their final shape, and then make the decision regarding breast surgery.
Stabilized weight
Pregnancy produces both internal and external changes in a woman's body, so it is important to wait for the body to return to normal, regardless of whether the delivery was natural or by cesarean section. Remember that during pregnancy, women gain weight, retain fluids and store fat tissue.
Even after childbirth, a woman's weight may fluctuate. And that is why we say that it is necessary to wait until the weight stabilizes, that you have a stable weight and hormones are balanced, before deciding to have a tummy tuck.
Getting to an appropriate weight may take a different amount of time for each person, but you may need more than six months after delivery.
Undergoing abdominoplasty requires that the patient has achieved a weight close to the ideal, because if not, if you gain weight after surgery the fat will form again, and if you lose weight the skin will be again with flaccidity.
No plans for future pregnancies
This point has nothing to do with the possibility or ability of a woman to have more children. Rather, when you become pregnant again, after a tummy tuck, you will gain weight, your skin will stretch, the connection of the abdominal muscles will also stretch. With all that, the results of the surgery will be compromised.
An abdominoplasty involves risks, since it is a major surgery. In addition to costly and with a complex recovery the first few days. So undergo all this and achieve the figure of your dreams, and then lose it is not the best option.
If you were to become pregnant, you must be clear that this does not mean a risk for your health nor will it affect your baby, it simply has to do with the possibility of losing the results. Also, it is very likely that after maternity you will want to have another tummy tuck surgery, with all that this means.
Rectus diastasis diastasis evaluation
The surgeon must perform an evaluation of the level of separation of the abdominal muscles (diastasis recti), a condition that frequently occurs after pregnancy, and that thanks to abdominoplasty it is possible to correct.
General health status
Verifying the patient's current state of health is essential before deciding to undergo surgery. To have an abdominoplasty after pregnancy is necessary to have good general health, and not have habits such as smoking, because this can affect the recovery and increases the risk of complications arising from surgery.
Choice of abdominoplasty type
According to the patient's current condition and expectations of the results, the surgeon will indicate whether a full abdominoplasty or a mini abdominoplasty is required.
When to have abdominoplasty after pregnancy?
Generally speaking, it could be said that the body fully recovers from pregnancy after six months to a year. between six months and a year. By this time your body will have healed, your weight will have stabilized, and your hormone levels will have normalized. And at this point, you can already go to the surgeon for a first appointment.
In the case of continuing breastfeeding, the recommendation is the one we gave you previously, in which it is better to wait at least three months after stopping breastfeeding your child for abdominoplasty after pregnancy.
After pregnancy it is normal to feel uncomfortable with the way our body looks, and therefore feel anxious about wanting to regain our figure. But do not despair, it is preferable to wait patiently, the necessary months to be sure that you are ready for surgery, and that it is the right time for the results to be the best.
If you think you need an abdominoplasty, but still have doubts about the procedure you can ask for an evaluation with our specialists. In the consultation you will have a physical examination to verify that this surgery is right for you and if you can achieve realistic results.
What preparation do you need for a tummy tuck?
Adequate preparation before surgery has a great influence on recovery and results, hence the importance of taking care to do it correctly.
The steps prior to undergoing a tummy tuck after pregnancy involve:
- Do not smoke, as this affects healing and tissue repair. As well as, it increases the probabilities of infection.
- Take care of organizing the postoperative period, so that you have someone to support you in taking care of your baby and yourself. Because remember that the first weeks of the postoperative period require attention and support so as not to make unnecessary efforts. Therefore, it will be difficult for you to walk and you will not be able to carry your baby.
- Make sure you are at or very close to your ideal weight.
Abdominoplasty Surgical Process
Surgical technique and types of approach
The process of a tummy tuck after pregnancy begins with a horizontal incision along the lower abdomen, and depending on the type of tummy tuck (mini or full) the size of the cut varies; being small in the mini, and hip to hip in the full tummy tuck.
Next, the abdominal muscles are repaired and excess skin is removed to improve the firmness of the abdomen. The navel is then repositioned and the incisions are closed.
Duration of surgery and anesthesia
In an abdominoplasty, general anesthesia is usually used. And depending on the type of technique, the time may vary. In a full tummy tuck can last between two and four hours, while a mini tummy tuck can last one or two hours.
Hospitalization and discharge
The patient will require a hospital stay of one to three days, depending on the type of abdominoplasty. After discharge the patient requires several weeks for optimal recovery.
There are several aspects to consider about tummy tuck surgery after pregnancy, such as when to do it and how it affects breastfeeding. You must remember that tummy tuck surgery is not designed for weight loss. And the candidates are those who are close to their ideal weight, but have hanging skin and excess fat in that area.
