Tummy Tuck Part 1: So happy! 8 weeks post op - Maryland

I'm excited and looking forward to having one more TT consult next week and then I will make my choice. I am trying to decide when the best time will be for me do this surgery. I am thinking about maybe the week after Thanksgiving. We have a big family Thanksgiving plans and Christmas too. I would love to do it sooner but I still want to lose some more weight (10 lbs) so I can have the best result for me. Ahh!! I'll see what the PS says next week, but I can just get some lipo. But I hear that lipo is more painful than the TT. Also, I have little kids and I stay home with them so I will need my husband to take a week off work. He said around the holidays is easier for him. I need to figure that out! My best girl friend is married with no kids and she has offered for me to stay at her house for a week to recover. I'm so blessed to have that option and I think I will definitely do that. My kids are so young I don't want them to worry about me looking all hunched over and hurting. I'll post some pictures as soon as I can.

I'm doing it! I'm getting an extended tummy tuck with some liposuction on Nov. 1st.  I'm super excited and a little nervous although I'm sure I will get way more nervous as the surgery date approaches.  I'm going to stay at my parent's house post op for a few nights. I feel very fortunate to have this option. My mom is a retired RN and she will be able to help care for me. I'm thrilled to escape my loud and busy house (three young children and a dog) and get some quiet rest.

My husband will stay home from his work to take care of the kids. I know he will be fine. He is a wonderful husband and very involved daddy to our children. I will be able to video chat with the kids but I'm hoping to get through this without telling them about my TT. I think it will freak them out if they knew and I don't want them worrying about it or mentioning it to anyone at school. I'm not going to be embarrassed to admit to anyone after the surgery that I had a TT, I think!? Or maybe I'll just keep this a secret. I guess I'm not really sure about that yet. I know I'm going into this TT with the attitude of it's my body, my money, my decision. Still, I don't want to deal with any potentially unsupportive people interfering with my mind.

I have wanted to have a TT ever since I had my first baby (4 years ago) and after losing all of the weight with my first, I was left with a saggy jelly belly and a ridiculous amount of stretch marks. Now, I have three children and I'm done.  My third is 7 months now and will be almost 9 months when I have my surgery. My PS said no lifting the baby for two weeks. Ahh!  I'm sure that will be really hard but I'm hoping that time will fly by with me going in and out of sleep from taking pain medication.

I do feel a little selfish about doing this TT right now, as opposed to waiting 5-10 years or so when my kids are older. But at the same time, I'm 32 years old and I want my body back while I'm still pretty young. I have gained and lost weight (about 50lbs) with each of my 3 pregnancies and now my tummy is just a flabby mess. It's very upsetting to me. I have some guilt about gaining too much weight during my pregnancies as well. Although I worked hard to lose the weight yet my tummy is still a disaster. I wear lots of stretch pants and I have to tuck my loose belly flap into them. Ugh!! I can't wait to say goodbye to my muffin top. I can't wait to run without my belly jumping up and down. I can't even begin to imagine that I will be able to wear a bikini again. That will just be icing on the cake. Mmm, I love cake. Haha, that's why I gained too much weight during my pregnancies and now I need a TT. Okay, no more cake talk! Seriously though, I haven't shown my stomach to anyone since before I had my first child, except to doctors. I really can't wait to look down and see a flat abdomen, let alone be able to shave my vajaja without having to lift up my flabby tummy. Ahh!

I have so many stretch marks that I'm nearly certain I will still have some remaining after my TT. That's okay with me. I actually think having some stretch marks remaining will make it look less obvious to others than I had a TT. Or maybe that's just what I'm telling myself? Not that I really care what others think, I'm doing this TT for me 100%. My biggest fear is the scar. I want it low and straight. And, preferable low enough to hide in low rise jeans! I have a nice butt and I use to look sexy in jeans.

I'm a stay home mom. I put my kids first everyday. I spend my days cooking, cleaning, changing diapers, doing laundry, running errands. I love to bake and play with my kids too! I think life is all about creating experiences and making memories. To which, I have a pretty great life. My husband is wonderful and very supportive of my decision to get a TT.  I've also told my parents, my sister and two girl friends that I'm getting a TT. They will be my support system, helping to take care of me and my children while I'm recovering. I have mentioned thoughts of getting a TT to a few more friends in past conversations but I haven't said anything recently and I'm not sure if I will ever tell some of them after I really do it. I am doing this for me and I don't want lots of friends and family members asking to see my tummy. I know I'm never going to be a super model.

Thank you to everyone reading this. Although we are all strangers here, I feel comforted by sharing and reading stories from others who have already had a TT. I know this journey will have highs and lows, emotionally and physically. Thank you to RealSelf for providing this wonderful forum. I have enjoyed reading other's reviews and looking at before and after pictures as I did my research and consultations.  And I know this will be a good place to find support and ask questions during my recovery.