Mommy Makeover

Breast volume can change once a baby is involved, with breasts growing and shrinking—and sometimes ending up different sizes—as hormones fluctuate. This is because a soon-to-be-mom’s body begins to prepare for the coming baby by growing and developing milk-producing cells. At around six to eight weeks into your pregnancy, you can expect your breasts to begin to get noticeably larger. And larger. Once the milk ducts are no longer needed, your breasts will start to reduce in volume, but for some reason, not all breasts “remember” their original size. They may end up smaller than they were before or appear obviously asymmetrical. Dr. Iteld uses various breast augmentation techniques to restore volume and symmetry with implants or fat transfer during a Mommy Makeover.

If milk production and the wear and tear (and pull) caused by a nursing baby lead to sagging, a breast lift can result in a perkier look. Many women find that gravity tugging down on newly heavy breasts causes their skin to stretch, allowing their full breasts to droop and causing their nipples to point toward their deflated belly—an often-unwelcome reminder of the reason for the change. Breasts that have expanded and then shrunk back down may also sag due to the relatively rapid change in size, which doesn’t give skin enough time to accommodate the change. Older moms whose skin has lost elasticity over time often want a lift as part of their Mommy Makeover.

Some women watch their breasts get bigger throughout their pregnancy, and then … nothing. Their breasts stay large. They may go down a little in size after the baby stops nursing, but breasts can stay uncomfortably big. A breast reduction can be included in a Mommy Makeover to bring them back down to a more manageable and comfortable size. This procedure often involves reducing or repositioning enlarged or out-of-place nipples and the surrounding areolae. Yes, babies can do a number on your body—in ways you might never have imagined.

Even if baby weight leaves with the baby, a little bit may linger as a reminder of the extra pounds caused by pregnancy. Liposuction in a Mommy Makeover can remove isolated pockets of fat cells, including love handles, a double chin, and a slight belly bulge—all of which are known for resisting diets and exercise. It would be great if we could devote dedicated work-out sessions and meager meals to specific features (“The calories from my salad that I’m burning with this cycling mean my hips will definitely get smaller!”), but that’s unfortunately not possible. Surgical fat reduction as part of a Mommy Makeover is the next best thing. Note that there are also nonsurgical fat-reduction options, including CoolSculpting^®, which freezes unwanted fat cells without the need for surgery.

Not only does a Mommy Makeover that includes a tummy tuck address the stretched-out skin and stubborn fat that tend to plague experienced moms, but it can also repair abdominal muscle tissue that stretched out to make room for a growing fetus. The abdominal wall has several functions, including holding everything in the area in place and preventing it from bulging forward into a noticeable “pooch.” Growing babies, however, have a tendency to push the abdominal muscles apart, causing a condition known as “diastasis recti.” Repairing the tissue that keeps a sixpack a sixpack (whether you can see it or not) strengthens and restores this wall so it can continue to hold back the bulge.

Let’s be honest: After you push a baby through your most intimate area, it may not recover the way you’d like. Your labia may change in size or shape, becoming more visible (and taking yoga pants away as a fashion choice) and creating discomfort where there wasn’t discomfort before (bicycling and sex: neither should be unpleasant due to chafing). Women’s health can be improved with a labiaplasty or other vaginal rejuvenation technique included in a Mommy Makeover.