“Scheduled Mini TT for July 12th - California”

I have two beautiful daughters and had two c-sections. My youngest is turning two, and I gave myself two years to get the weight off and lose the tummy. My scar is fine, but there is skin that hangs over it that I can't get rid of. I am an avid marathon/half marathon runner, but I just couldn't lose my tummy.

I went to the same doctor for a few consultations before I worked up the nerve to set the date. I am having a mini tummy tuck with lipo and no muscle repair. I am super nervous, but from what I have read on here the pain isn't as bad as a c-section!

Will be adding some before photos soon... yikes!

Updated on 26 Jun 2011:
My height is 5'5 and my weight is 145 pounds. A little over 2 weeks to go... starting to get a bit nervous. I am worried about my scar. I have seen some after pictures where the scar is just as big as a full TT.

Updated on 1 Jul 2011:
Bummed... I wanted to get my implants replaced, but my doctor suggested leaving them alone. I had three surgeries due to a bad first plastic surgeon. I guess I will have to stick with what I have. On the plus side it means I don't have to stop nursing my youngest yet! (will pump and dump after surgery). Pre-op appointment on Tuesday, July 5th. I'm getting excited. So ready to get rid of the extra skin. I hope the mini is the right choice. I keep wondering if the full would have been a better decision, but I really don't want the hip to hip scar.

Updated on 5 Jul 2011:
Went to pre-op appointment today. There's no turning back now!! All paid and ready to go.

Updated on 10 Jul 2011:
I went from nervous to excited. I can't believe it's only a few days away. The nurse called me yesterday and my surgery time is 7:30am. She said I should be going home by around 10:30am. I got my blood work done on Thursday and picked up my BOX of meds. Wow... I'm really hoping that I don't have to take all of it. I will try to post on Tuesday and update on how I feel after. I am super excited to see the new belly. We are going on a cruise the end of September and I can't wait to wear a bikini without having to tuck in my extra little belly :)

Updated on 11 Jul 2011:
Tomorrow is the big day! I can't say that I am totally nervous. A little scared, but not too bad. I will try to post tomorrow afternoon with details. My surgery time is 7:30 a.m.

Updated on 12 Jul 2011:
I'm feeling really well. Minimal pain, but already lots of swelling. I can't wait to take a shower!

Updated on 13 Jul 2011:
Day 2 post op and I'm feeling a little sore. I'm having very little pain. I get up every few hours and walk around. I am drinking a ton of water. My drain is already driving me crazy!

Updated on 14 Jul 2011:
Day 3 post op- Swollen, swollen, swollen! Oh, and very sore. I called the doctor today because I was short of breath, but they think it was because my binder was on really tight. I took it off for a while and felt much better. My skin had a reaction to the surgical tape, so it is very itchy. I can't wait to feel better. I have been shuffling around the house hunched over. Today my five year old lost her balance and landed on my belly... PAIN!

Updated on 17 Jul 2011:
I realized that a full would have been a good choice just for the removal of stretch marks. I didn't have bad ones to begin with, but I noticed some on my stomach seem more noticable now. I'm not sure how I feel about them yet. I stopped taking the pain meds yesterday. My incision and the areas they did lipo are very itchy still. My sides are very bruised. They are very tender. I feel ok now and I washed my hair last night. I can't wait to get the drain removed... hopefully Thursday! It grosses out my kids :) My two year old freaks out. I can understand because it freaks me out too! I feel like it is all the way through my incision which it might be. Either way YUCK!

Updated on 20 Jul 2011:
Day 8 post-op: I go to the doctor tomorrow for my first post-op appointment... finally! I would love to get rid of this drain, but the last two days it has been going over the 25cc limit. I am going to see how it looks tomorrow. I went on a mini vacation to the beach the last two days and I am probably going to be paying for that!

Updated on 21 Jul 2011:
I had my ten day post-op appointment today. Everything went well. My PS and I both decided to keep the drain in until Tuesday. I started draining more the last few days and he said it was from moving around more and from the lipo. They inject fluids in while doing the lipo, so that is why I'm still draining. My stomach by my scar is wrinkled. He said that it would go away in time. Glad to hear that because I was starting to worry. Overall, I am so happy with my results and has only been 10 days. I can't wait to see my stomach after the swelling is gone. He also told me that he did some muscle tightening. He wasn't going to, but he said it would give me better results.

Updated on 25 Jul 2011:
I am a teacher and I had to start work today. I felt ok, but it was the most activity I have done since the surgery.

Updated on 25 Jul 2011:
All was going well and I thought I would probably get my drain out tomorrow... then, my 2 year old fell in the pool (I was right there) and I jumped in after her! She is perfectly fine, but my stomach... not so much! My drain is now bright red compared to the very yellowish almost clear that it was for the last few days. Luckily I have a follow up appointment already set for tomorrow afternoon so I guess I will learn my fate then. I dislike (I have moved away from hate) my drain and now that I am back to work I find it very hard to hide. I am still very swollen through my stomach. My sides are not, so I look great from the front and 8 weeks pregnant from the side view :) Hopefully the swelling will go down soon. I read on someones post that they wake up skinny and go to sleep swollen. That is exactly how I feel. I guess that means we are both doing too much during the day, but all of you know that mommies don't slow down!

Updated on 26 Jul 2011:
2 week post op- The drain is OUT! YAY... it felt like a worm wiggling through my body when he removed it. Very gross and creepy, but it was quick and painless. I am still very swollen. He did some muscle repair and it kind of looks like I have a mini butt in front :) I hope it is just really swollen and that goes away or I'm going to be very upset. I'm sure it will be fine. I can't wait to wear normal clothes. I have had to wear very baggy clothes when I leave the house so that I can hide the drain. It kind of defeats the purpose of a tummy tuck :) I want to wear tighter clothes that show off my new body!

Updated on 29 Jul 2011:
I am hoping that the swelling goes down soon! I have a little bit of skin hanging over the incision. I am frustrated with that. I see pictures on here and others don't really have that problem. My PS told me that it would go down. I guess I am just being impatient, but it is a bit frustrating after the money spent to get rid of that problem in the first place!

Updated on 4 Aug 2011:
I'm going to have to call the doctor first thing in the morning. My scar is very red on both sides, but not in the middle. It started oozing out stuff. I think that I needed to leave my drain in a little longer. I feel very puffy above both sides of the scar, but not at all in the middle. Weird and frustrating.

Updated on 7 Aug 2011:
I went to the doctor on Friday afternoon and luckily the problem was that the tape was blistering my skin. I did not have to have any fluids drained. I just have to change from the tape to bandaids. He told me that I don't have any excess fluid and not to worry about the swelling. Easier said than done, but he is the professional :) My stomach looks a lot better in the mornings. I am dying to work out again. I asked when I could start running again and it sounds like it's going to be a while. I can walk around the block, but that's it. I miss the gym and I really miss running.