"Body After Baby" Pressure Has Women Asking for Plastic Surgery During Childbirth

Melissa Rudy on 3 Jul 2012 at 5:00pm

Celebrity moms are under more pressure than ever to look like their pre-pregnant selves the same day they leave the maternity ward. Heck, People magazine has a recurring section called "Body Watch" where they feature post-baby slim downs. It's no wonder Jessica Simpson signed a $3mil deal to shed lbs with Weight Watchers barely a month after delivering.

The increasing focus on how to bounce back ASAP after pregnancy has some non-celebrity women asking the RealSelf doctors a seemingly logical question:

Can you get a tummy tuck at the same time as a C-section?

It sounds reasonable enough; if you're having a planned C-section and know you want a tummy tuck someday, why not go ahead and do both to save yourself from having to return for another surgery on the same area? But, while tummy tuck incisions are located in roughly the same place as C-section openings, this kind of simultaneous surgery is not the brightest move.

Doctors don't recommend it

The reactions of plastic surgeons asked about combining tummy tucks and C-sections range from “not really a great idea” to “ABSOLUTELY NOT.”

Plastic surgeon Dr. Christopher Pelletiere says the practice is “generally frowned upon by the medical community."

He explains that there are two main reasons for not mixing these procedures:

“The process of a C-section delivery is often a 'dirty' procedure—meaning bacteria are present that can lead to infections." Coincidentally, this is why C-section deliveries lead to longer hospital stays for moms.
“With your abdomen so distended from pregnancy, it is really hard to know how much tissue really needs to be removed and how much will bounce back on its own.”

How long should you wait?

“Once you are done healing from the C-section and have completed breast-feeding, patients should wait approximately 6 months before considering any abdominal surgery,” says Dr. B. Pat Pazmino. “This will give your body time to heal and allow your abdomen to return to its normal state before receiving its repair.”

Tummy tuck scar

In Conclusion

While the incisions are sort of the same, tummy tucks and C-sections are worlds apart, intention-wise. Most plastic surgeons agree that you should wait to tuck in your post-baby tummy until your body has adjusted—and meanwhile, enjoy your new baby! Oh, and check out these awesome moms celebrating their post-baby bodies.

Read more doctor opinions here:

Photo credit: people magazine; RealSelf users cjmarrone and Ana313

Comments (3)

demonicspawn 22 Oct 2012

I hate that how they think you can get your post baby body as soon as possible! Hormones change it can never really go back to way it was before for better or worse. I think you should embrace the wonder of birthing. Agreed this does not sound like a smart idea and I hate people magazine its all ads and body shaming, picking apart peoples bodies as if dissecting them with their eyes. That isn't right. Celebrities should make news on their accomplishments not how they look. Especially with women they are often judged very harshly by the media as opposed to men. They are more than just their skin and so is everyone else!

Sharon at RealSelf (Community Manager) 6 Jul 2012

It's a nice idea, but I can't imagine going through a tummy tuck recovery while trying to take care of a newborn.

Makenzie 10 Jul 2012

That was my thought, too, Sharon! Although I don't know what a C-section recovery is like either... my guess is not quite as long and difficult because I don't think they tamper with the muscles in the same way as a tummy tuck.