Kids change your life in more ways than one. Any woman who’s experienced pregnancy and childbirth can attest to the stretched-out skin and sagging that are evidence of nine months of growing a human being inside, and then getting that human outside. Not all changes have to be permanent, though, especially with help from a Mommy Makeover from Chicago-area plastic surgeon Lawrence Iteld, MD.
A Mommy Makeover is not a single surgical procedure, but is a “package” of procedures carefully selected to meet each patient’s unique needs. Got sagging breasts and a bulging belly? Dr. Iteld can lift and contour them in a Mommy Makeover. Dealing with stubborn fat pockets and an intimate area that feels a bit, well, stretched out? There are options for slimming and tightening in a Mommy Makeover. All of the above? It’s your body—and you should feel comfortable in it.
Procedure Spotlight
The Elements of a Mommy Makeover
If it’s changes due to childbirth, chances are good that it can be changed back. Here are Mommy Makeover components commonly performed by Dr. Iteld:
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.
Contact Us Today
Discover more about a Mommy Makeover from Chicago board-certified plastic surgeon Lawrence Iteld, MD. Send a message online or call 312.757.4505.
Procedure Spotlight
MeetLawrence Iteld, MD
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
RealSelf VERIFIED doctor
Lawrence Iteld, MD, is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and a highly regarded Chicago based plastic surgeon, receiving awards from Chicago Magazine’s Top Docs, and Castle Connolly Top Doctors®.

Lawrence Iteld, MD, is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and a highly regarded Chicago based plastic surgeon, receiving awards from Chicago Magazine’s Top Docs, and Castle Connolly Top Doctors®.
Mommy Makeover FAQs
We can’t guarantee a body that’s exactly the way it was before your uterus began accepting occupants, but we can bring more definition to your contours and lines. A Mommy Makeover is a way to rejuvenate your silhouette and signal that, while you are mom, that’s not the only thing that defines you.
Depending on the specific elements of your Mommy Makeover, recovery time and side effects will vary. In general, expect some swelling and bruising from the surgical procedures—and enjoy your results in the following weeks and months as your body heals. After all, you recovered from having a baby. You can handle this, too!
Dr. Iteld uses carefully researched methods to make a narcotics-free recovery possible for every surgery he performs. Since a Mommy Makeover is made up of a combination of those same surgeries, his method definitely still applies, which means you can avoid opioids.
If you have a body that’s been altered by childbirth, if you want to alter it back, and if you are in general good health, you may be a great candidate for these procedures. Keep in mind that no plastic surgery can cure something like post-partum depression, but making a physical change that helps you to feel better about your body can have a momentum-type effect that may even inspire you to make other beneficial changes in your life. If you feel that a Mommy Makeover will be positive for you, chances are good that you’re an ideal candidate.
Women looking to regain a pre-baby look may also want to consider a Mommy Makeover that includes nonsurgical options for their skin and face. BOTOX®, Daxxify, and dermal fillers deal more with age-related wrinkles, but we’ve yet to meet a mom who doesn’t appreciate a little help in looking less tired or stressed. On that note, Sublative® and Sublime™ are great options for restoring your skin’s radiance after a Mommy Makeover, as are Ellipse IPL and Frax 1550 from Candela Nordlys. Then, when someone comments that you’re glowing and asks if you’re pregnant, you can just smile and laugh.