Mommy Makeover: Stories

I started my journey almost 14 years ago. I had just finished my engineering degree, and I guess through the stress and sedentary lifestyle I led I had ballooned to over 250lbs. My convocation dress was a size 22, and when I looked at the photos, I knew I had to make a change. I was always a heavy girl, and loved to eat. I started WW and lost 50lbs pretty quickly, and kept it off for quite a number of years. I thought I looked pretty good, and convinced myself that I would always weigh heavy so I settled into this weight for quite a while.

I moved to Calgary a few years later and met my future husband, who loved me at the size I was (about a 16). I started commuting for work up to Fort McMurray, and yoyo'd in weight up to 240 (damn camp food!!!), then worked my butt off to get down to 190 for our wedding, then back up to almost 270lbs during my pregnancy with my first son!!! When he was 9 months I went to see a Madonna concert and vowed not to wear a maternity outfit so I went shopping and had to buy a size 20! This was my second ureka moment! I also had more motivation this time, my son! I hated seeing photos of us together and started omitting myself in them. I hated that I didn't want to be in photos with my precious baby boy :(

I didn't return to WW but I started a simple eating routine, sort of 'eating clean' when I omitted all processed foods. I also started running, and was hooked!!!! I did my first half marathon just weeks before I got pregnant with my second son. Vowing not to let pregnancy affect my health, I only gained a modest 25lbs, and now that he is 10 months old I am at my lightest weight ever, just under 160lbs!!! (I am 5'9"). I hope to get down to between 150 and 155 before the surgery.

I booked my consult 9 months ago, and will be seeing a surgeon in Edmonton. We are currently in the moving process to Calgary, so in hind site I wish I had sought out a surgeon there but I am not willing to start this process from scratch. I hope that he is worth the drive!!! I am lucky in that we have a nanny coming as I return to work in July and I am hopeful that I will have extra help from her during my recovery. The office said he books surgery in a short time frame after the consult so I would expect to be getting it done in the fall. OMG I can't wait!!!

The surgery:

TT - The tummy tuck is a non-negotiable. I always carried weight right in front - boobs and belly. I was up to a size 40H at one point, and had a waist circumference of over 50 inches!!! Of course my legs stayed fairly slim, but they are still showing the signs of me being heavier for most of my life.

BR/BL/BA - I was also thinking I would need a BR, as I was consistently wearing a 36FF for the last few years. But with the last weight loss round, I am down to a 34D, but crinkled and saggy. So now I am thinking a lift is enough. I am afraid of flat bottomed boobs that I have seen in some after photos. I will talk to my surgeoun about it, and hopefully he makes some suggestions. I always cursed my large breasts, but as they sort of defined me I feel lost without some extra oomph there! So a BA is not out of the question. Any advice here would be greatly appreciated!!!

LIPO - I also think I MAY get some lipo of the flanks, I am a muffin top girl and find keeping my pants up a daily struggle. Again, hope my surgeoun can talk me through what will give me the best results.

I plan on taking some before photos today, so I will post some. Thanks to all the ladies before me for posting their stories. It inspires and educates all of us taking first steps before surgery!!

Kate

Before photos:

I have my consult for my MM on Monday. I am getting so excited!! We just moved so my mind has been elsewhere, but now that the dust is settling I am allowing myself to start stalking posts on here again :) I am down to 156 lbs, very surprising seeing all the stress of the move and I haven't had time to run at all! I have also decided to get a BA with a lift, lipo of the flanks, and the extended tummy tuck. My hubby loves my little bum LOL but with the weightloss even that seems saggy. I hope an extended tuck can lift the loose skin there as well. I am nervous that I won't like my surgeon - I don't have a backup option. My brother is coming to visit and will drive to my appointment with me, I am thankful as I need some support and he is pro surgery. I will update next tuesday to let you know how it went and when my surgery date it!!! YIPEE!!!

OMG - my PS just had an opening on November 27th and I took it!!! So crazy nervous and excited all at the same time. Now I better start getting ready! Any advice????

So I changed my mind when I booked my surgery. I decided less is more. I am a professional woman and I don't want to look like I have implants - so just a BL, no BA. I am a D/DD at the moment and in a bra look above average already (without a bra is a different story - can you say pancakes!?!?!). I think the BL will be sufficient for me seeing as I am starting with some extra 'meat' there and I thought if I was unhappy with the size/shape after the BL I could look at a BA later. Also, a few recent BL no aug are up on this site lately and have inspired me! I was having trouble finding photos of BL no aug previously, so all the ladies posting photos a great big THANK YOU!!
I am also not going to get lipo. I talked to my PS and he said the muffin top I have is mostly skin and he can greatly improve that just with a TT. He said I don't have any fat to suck out there. It made me feel good about my weightloss, but I had to smirk a bit as I live in this body and I thought it was fat there! But he is the expert, and with the reviews stating lipo was painful I thought I would trust him and just do the TT. I have also lost 5 more lbs! Ya me, so that area is feeling a bit better through weight loss alone. Plus I save some money and agony, BONUS!
I am getting so excited, and have renewed my obsession with before and after photos. Anyone have photos that inspired them? I have one from this site (PS provided - not many details on size before/ implant size etc) that I just love her results but she had a BA. It makes me flip flop back and forth.
Also, did anyone change there mind last minute??? What changed your mind? Were you ahppy you made the switch?

Thanks - love this site :)

7 weeks today until the big day! My PS is away until next week and I really want to chat about my BL. I am not sure if a BA is for me but I want to be sure! I am currently a D and want to stay a D - ladies with BL only - did you lose a cup size?

I CANNOT believe I will be meeting with my PS again in 3 weeks - the DAY before my surgery. I have yet to decide what I want to do with my breasts. I better get some certainty with my next consult as it is go time right after! I have a feeling I will go with an implant. I am a D cup now, but feel like I have to pour my breasts into a bra. Once he does the lift I am not sure what I will be left with??? I would ideally like to stay a D cup (my frame is large so I think any smaller and I won't feel like 'me' anymore). Implants will add another $5500 to my total bill, and DH is not concerned with that at all. I am a lucky girl! I have decided to tell my PS what I want and just trust what he recommends.

I have started getting ready for my recovery - bought some OTC meds and we will move our recliner from the basement to our upstairs family room so I can sleep in it. I have a FT live in nanny so I hope I can recover while my kids are around me all day long. I have a 4.5 year old and a 15 month old, both loud crazy very active boys. My mom will accompany me to the surgery and drive me home the day after (a 3 hour drive). I am hoping she wants to stay for a week - but not sure. She is on stress leave and she is not reliable so I am planning on having my husband take some time off to help me while the nanny can take care of the kids.

I have gained 7 lbs in the last two months, which has got me bummed. I got to my goal weight in March and had kept it off, so I can't believe I let myself slip this much. Thanksgiving (October in canada), halloween, and generally being less active has caught up with me. I have set up my treadmill and am trying to get back into the swing of running and working out. Part of me wants to be lazy and just let the PS fix those 7 lbs but I don't want to!

Anyways, I plan on adding a before bikini pic soon :( Makes me sad to see me in it, but it helps me see others that did a before/after in the same outift.

I am getting very calm about everything. I feel like I am ready. I wish the surgery was tomorrow actually, but two weeks will give me some time to get Christmas shopping done and spend some time with my kids and friends. I also have my work Christmas party 3 days before the surgery, although I can't drink. It hurt to buy a dress knowing that it probably won't fit right down the road, but I love looking nice at these things and nothing in my closet would work. It feels weird that I haven't told many people. I am really an open person, but since starting at a new office in july I don't feel like I am close enough to people at work to spill the beans. I am sure as I get closer and pepople realise I am going, I may get questions. not sure I know how to answer them at this point in time.

I really hope that the next two weeks pass quickly, and the 2 weeks following my surgery pass even quicker! Thanks to all the ladies who have shared their stories on here - you are the reason I feel calm about this :)

I am in the single digit countdown! 8 SLEEPS!!! So excited it is crazy - but it still doesn't feel real. I have wanted this for SO LONG! I can't believe it is finally happening. I can't wait to talk to my PS next Monday to really calm me and prepare me for what to expect. Going to move our recliner upstairs today for me to sleep in. I also bought a bed wedge so I can sleep in the spare room at night. Sleep will be key for me to heal - I know that is my best friend when healing.
Right now here is my wish list:
I hope my scar is low
I hope my love handles go bye bye
I cannot wait for my lower pooch to be gone
I hope my breasts are just an improved version of me
I hope that my mom doesn't flake out and leave me high and dry
I hope that my doctor keeps me off work until after Christmas :)
I hope my belly button is cute. I have NEVER had a cute belly button - it always looked sad with droppy skin/fat hanging over it
I hope I can get out of the house within a week - I will be going stir crazy!
I hope that I will be happy once this is over with!

I have been stretching and squishing my skin around on my tummy, looking at loads of before/after photos and I am SO OPTIMISTIC on what my results will be! I really do think I will love my results! With a few lbs on these last two months I have been feeling enormous and negetive on what a TT could do for me. I am not sure what changed my head space, but now I am sure I will drop a size as I have SO MUCH extra skin around my abdomen and actually the extra few lbs have actually made my face look more youthful. I have started running again trying to get the lbs off too - which in turn has given me more energy and those lovely endorphins. I have been missing those so much :) plus, the few friends I have told are being so very supportive, which has been great!

So excited!!!

I will be heading to Edmonton tomorrow for my big day on Tuesday! I am feeling quite calm and confident. I am going to miss my boys like crazy. I have been 'getting a little out of control' according to my husband since I am soaking up the rough play before I have to abstain for a while. I will pick up some groceries so the boys can survive while I am gone, and hopefully have some left for when I return Wednesday night.

Question for any ladies that travelled - was there anything that helped your long car ride home???

Today am having mixed feelings! So surreal this is going to happen in two days! I am praying everything goes well and this is worth it on the other end. My boys are so sweet today and that makes leaving even that much harder. Thanks to all the ladies before me who shared their stories! Can't wait to post my 'after' shots :)

Met with dr Edwards today and we finally settled on implants with my lift. 300cc in silicone should give me fullness without adding much size. My emotions are really varied and high; one minute feeling so excited, the next feeling so grateful that I can do this, and then at times a little scared things won't go well. I am to be at the surgical centre at 7am. I pick up my mom at 5 tonight, so that is my last detail :) catch you on the flat side tomorrow! Yippee!!!

I had my last consult on Monday where my PS and I decided on 350cc moderate profile silicon implants by Mentor. With the lift, we agreed that would give me back the youthful fullness I was looking for! I picked up my parents from the airport and settled in for a relaxing evening as my surgery was scheduled for early the next morning.

Dr. Edwards marked me (with just dots - a little different than others I have seen(, took some pre-op photos and I was on the table in no time. I was nervous about going under, but it was fine! My surgery took 3.5 hours and soon I was waking up in recovery. Little pain, but VERY sleepy. I did not want to wake up. I was on my way soon, groggy but feeling fine. I slept pretty much the whole PO day 1, and wasn't up much more for PO day 2. I got to drive home on PO day 12 and get my dressings changed. I saw a peek at my incision... wow it is super super low!

I had a shower yesterday on PO day 2. Taking my bra off was crazy painful, really the only pain I had felt so far. It took 2 tries, but I was fine with some pain meds in me. My breasts look a little odd, but I know once they settle I will be happy. Right now they are not round, riding high with tape all over them. My tummy is swollen, but I love my BB and my incision especially! No pain in my tummy really at all.

PO day 3 is today. I had a BM after many bouts of MOM and stool softener. I haven't been eating much, and slept again for most of this morning. I am trying to listen to my body and obey what she is telling me.

Next shower I will post some pics, which should be tomorrow. I go back on Tuesday for my 1 week PO to get my drains out. They are slightly annoying, but I am surviving them.

All in all, I am super happy and the recovery isn't as bad as I thought! Happy healing!

PO day 5 - Slept alot again today, but doing better. I feel I have more mobility, which makes it hard to restrict myself! My breast swelling is coming down, and my drains are discharging less and less. I get them out on Tuesday! I find it hard not to pull my left one, so the exit spot is a little sore. I am super happy again with the results so far, and can't wait for everything to settle. I also can't wait to try on some clothes once these drains are out. I have had three showers, which keeps me feeling sane - I am so glad my PS ok'd it early on. My DH is super busy at work, which has been very challenging at home. Luckily tomorrow our nanny is back so he can focus at the office rather than trying to juggle me, and the kids with work stuff.

I have my 1 week PO appointment yesterday. I loved getting my drains out, and having my nasty incision tape replaced! It was a loooong day of driving, but we survived. 15 cars in the ditch meant I couldn't sleep - my husband is a great driver but the roads were so slick and it was gusty out on the way making me nervous. Showering today was lovely without having to mess around with the drains. I also went and bought a decond bra and some spanx like pants (which I hate). I was soooo hot trying to sleep in them last night. Luckily, they at least gave me time to wash my CG and feel better. Any recommendations what else to get? My CG is short on me (I am long waisted) and it feels like it cuts into my waist. I love not having to peel off those long bike short things off to pee as well.
I still am finding it hard to do things. My mobility is much better, but I get super tired even after sitting around and doing nothing.
As for my progress - I cannot belive my results so far. I cannot believe my scars are healing so quickly. I am in awe at how my body looks. I love my BB, I love my TT incision placement, I love my boobs (although a little big, I think after the swelling is down I will be happy size wise). So worth it?? - YES!!!

I went out and bought some new 'spanx' type garments. For me, what worked best seems to be legless high pantie style girdles, with hooks in the crotch. I bought 2 flexees brand ones, one has arm straps to help it from not rolling, and the other has boning in both sides. Neither pair hurts my incision, which is great. I HATED the boy short cheap ones I bought from Walmart. They did not breath, made me super hot, and I had to drag them across my incision twice everytime I had to go to the bathroom. Ugh.
I got out of the house yesterday and today. Nothing big but felt great. I think next week I will try to get out for visits to my friends to get me out of the house again without doing anything strenuous.
So my boobs still feel ginormous. I am a little afraid that I went too big. My hubby says it isn't bad - I have always been well endowed and just recently got down to a 36D, although saggy. Most of my llife I have been a 38DD/DDD. Without my gut thought, I feel they are so noticable. I tried on some old bras in DD and they fit great. Although I am still riding high so I look like I have fakies for sure. Oh well, I guess I shouldn't stress and what will be will be. My PS said he would do max 300's but ended up doing 350cc's in surgery.
Oh, and I found a trick to sleeping (I am a side/tummy sleeper). I wedge a small pillow under one hip, then on the opposite side I put some big fluffy pillows - I kinda lean into the fluffly pillows - no pain but feels like my face/tummy is in contact with something, a feeling I have been missing. Anyways, thought I would share!

Swelling has set in :( I knew it was coming - I overdid by going to a neighbors meet and greet and eating some salty chips. I am trying to take it easy, but I am feeling human again so I need to escape my house! Today I went ot a friends for coffee, she was ecstatic to see my results and say I look way skinnier! Yippee! Tommorrow out for another visit another friend. Low key but helps keep my sanity!

I took my tape off and added new, so while I was in between I snapped some pics.

Still swollen, although I feel like I am around 70% capacity. I am trying to drink loads of water and stay away from the salt, and ice in the evenings when the swelling seems the worst. I have one pair of larger jeans, which I fit into and I added a pic in them. These are not my regular pre-surgery jeans yet :(
My right nipple had feeling right after surgery, but my left is still numb. Should I be worried??
I think next week I am going to start walking on the treadmill to try to work some of the fluid out. My best day I had with swelling I went to walmart and sauntered around.
I am sleeping great, and finally have given up my daily nap. LOL. I sneak on my side although I am not sure if I should yet.

I had a busy weekend, and I should have known that swell hell was right around the corner! My swelling is focussed right around my incision on my TT, but my breasts and above my bb also seem swollen. I have done some searching and my strategy is the follows:

1. Drink water water water. And then drink some more.
2. I bought 2 supplements; a fish oil capsule, and some drops called Traumeel which has arnica and some other stuff. It tastes awful, like a shot of hard liquor but the taste dissipates quickly in your mouth. Both are said to help reduce swelling.
3. Compression. I hate my original cg, and wish I would have bought a different one. At 3 weeks PO it feels like a waste now to invest in a new one. It is too narrow and cuts me in the waist, so I am doubling up with a spanx under it to help that.
4. Rest. Trying to rest is hard for me, especially this time of year and my hubby is busy at work and not a great chef LOL. When I try to let him fix supper, we end up with salty gross takeout, so not sure which is the lesser of those two evils??
5. Reduce salt.
6. Cold packs. I find these help a bit, but not as much as I was hoping.
7. Walking. I am trying to rest, but not sit on my butt all day. To get circulation going I am trying to get out and walk. Nothing fast, just a slow pace.

I am also finding eating well very hard. With the holidays and sitting around, I have indulged in things I haven't eaten in years!!! So maybe I have some weight on in addition to the swelling?

Any swelling strategies I missed???

I am just past my one month PO mark and I am doing great. Even did a little boxing day shopping! 4 new bikinis are in my drawer for Mexico next month :) :) BEST bathing suit shopping experience ever, even with the swelling!!!

I have started taking breaks from my spanx, and slept in a shelf bra tank last night instead of a bra. My scar therapy consists of simple paper tape as pre PS instruction. I see him on Jan 16 so I will see if he has any changes for me to do. I am dying to start exercising, but with all this shopping, I am wiped out as it is.

It looks like I am settling in on a 36DD which I wore previously and thank goodness I kept bras!!!! I can't wait to wear them again - I love pretty expensive bras and was sad when my pancakes didn't work in them anymore.

Here are a few morning pics.

Still swelling - but it is manageable. I started walking at a good pace on the treadmill, and hope I get cleared for more workouts next week :) I feel like my belly is still loose, but still alot better than it was. I think I may have needed a T incision to get full tightness in my skin, but don't think it is bad enough to have the vertical scar.

My breasts are doing great. I included a bra pic - 34F wow!!! My left still has a bit of softening and dropping to do, but my right feels perfect :) My scars are doing great. I had two small holes open after I went swimming, and I think it was from the wet tape. I have taken the tape off for a few days and did some poly and they look good again. My bb is also doing great!

Back to normal! Some minor swelling in the evenings, and back to doing everything I did before! I love my results, except for some loose skin still on the sides of mu bb, but I think that is due to my before, not the surgeons skills. My breasts are now soft and settled, and I love my profile :) Nothing much to note, other than I was so bummed at how big my legs had gotten, and now I realise that was swelling too! Don't let your mind play tricks on you and just try to be patient :) I am off to Mexico in 3 days, armed with my 4 new bikinis :) Can't wait!