A mommy makeover with a mini - right decision?

Well it's 8.5 weeks and I finally met with my surgeon last week. I was so nervous as I have mixed feelings about my results. I started off with all the positives (boobs going great, scar looking great, recovery time better than I'd expected). I showed him the wrinkly skin and this is where I'm so glad my husband was there as well, because MY memory is that I sounded whiny and nit-picky, and that the surgeon was disappointed at my disappointment. HIS memory is that it was a balanced conversation, I said what I was thinking and he reassured me that he thought the results looked good, that some laxity around the BB is expected with a mini TT, and that he could revise it (would still charge me but at a good price) at 6 months if I want to at that stage. Ah well, I think I just need to look after myself for the next few months and see what I can achieve with diet, exercise and natural healing.
The swelling returned at 5-6 weeks, just as so many people experience. This seems to be normal, and so I'm not worrying too much.

I'm back working full time, exercising about 4 times per week on the elliptical trainer and starting some free weights for my arms, back and shoulders. Staying away from chest workouts at moment because of breast aug. Exercising feels good, I just wish the swelling would go away!

I'm getting slack with the bio oil on my scar - must get back on to that.

Happy healing everyone!

So it's 4.5 weeks and things are a mixture of highs and lows. I am thrilled with my new shape, love the torso, the lack of a pooch, the boobs. My BA scars are almost invisible. My TT scar healing is pretty good I think - not too itchy, I started scar therapy last week - silicone strips on during the day, strips off at night but massaging bio-oil or a really plain moisturiser into the scar and it seems to be softening well.

I'm back at work, no problems except the binder still drives me crazy (1.5 weeks to go) as it's hot, itchy and I struggle to find things to wear over the top of it that won't get destroyed by the velcro if it catches, or that don't look bulky. But let's face it, after all these years of learning to dress to hide a tummy, that's no big drama.

I'm trying on new clothes (binder off) and loving the fact that clothes now fit me better. My husband is very happy with the results, esp the boobs :) - he can't wait to get to know them better but we're a little restricted at the moment as he's just had a vasectomy (no way was I risking a pregnancy to undermine all this hard work!) and is 'on the bench' for a week. Still, we can be patient...

The not-so-good things?

I think I have a dog-ear on the left, which is no big deal, I know it can be fixed in the surgery under local anaesthetic if it's still there in a few months. I can handle that.

The possibly really bad thing?

I am unhappy with my belly button and the skin above it. You can see from my pic that when I bend over even a little bit, I get lots of wrinkling of the skin because the BB is tethered to the skin, and the mini TT that I had has tightened the skin below the BB but not above. I fear that as the swelling goes down, this will only get worse.

Don't get me wrong, I never expected to be a supermodel but I had long discussions with my PS about my expectations and hopes, which were to have a better contour AND tighter skin. He assured me quite a few times when I kept questioning whether I should have a full TT, that I only needed a mini. I assured him that I didn't care about a long scar, or slightly tougher recovery. I feel I revisited this multiple times pre-op (in person and by email) and each time he reassured me that a mini would be all I needed. Looking on this website and reading comments from other PS who contribute here, I know they'll say 'mini TT gets mini results' and that I should have had a full TT.

I feel awful because I tried to address this and my PS (who is a LOVELY guy and technically excellent by reputation, and whose work on my own body is great - within the bounds of a mini-TT and boobs that is..) was so sure sure of his advice. I know I need to discuss it with him. I haven't seen him since the day I left hospital - his nurse does the first few visits (wound check, fitting surgical bra etc) and because I have had an uncomplicated post op course, our first routine face-to-face isn't till the 6 week mark.

How do I broach this with him?? I am HOPELESS at any sort of conflict (my family might disagree but that's a very specific situation). I respect and like my PS a great deal, but I know I'll be such a pushover if he 'pushes back'. I know he'll say wait till 6 months before you make a full judgement. I know he'll be happy to fix a dog-ear and he'll even do a revision if I ask him to, but it's so awkward! I look at this body and I think "Don't be so ungrateful!" but I hate that heart-sinking feeling when I see my own belly when I bend over - surely I didn't go through all of this to feel this way at the end?
Or is my belly normal, do all you full TT ladies have the same appearance when you bend over? Do I have body dysmorphia? I know all bellies wrinkle a bit when we bend over but is mine excessive? I'd love someone to message me on this website and let me know they've posted pics of their own belly in the bent-over position so I can compare.

Anyway, take care ladies (and gents!) - I'll keep you posted.

Hi all, healing continues. Swelling at the end of each day is really diminishing but I am bracing for the week 5-6 swell hell which I'm sure is on its way... Still hating the binder but I'm halfway there - only 3 more weeks to go before I give it a Viking Funeral on the back lawn :)

Boobs are probably more tricky than the tummy. I still feel much more comfortable lying propped up at 45 degrees. I still feel that weird movement of the R implant but less so.

I'm desperate to get back to some exercise but was pleased to weigh myself this morning and find I haven't put anything on, in fact I've dropped a few lbs from my presurgery weight, which is surprising since I gained a total of 650ccs of silicone and had no lipo, I'm not exercising and am being a bit slack with the eating.

Still, I feel sluggish not exercising so am hoping I get the all clear to do something when I see the PS for my 3.5 week appointment later this week.

Sorry for some reason I can't get my photos off my phone onto this website today. Not much change, possibly boobs more dropped. Still a bit swollen around TT incision and belly button. NB forgot to mention this was more a hybrid TT/mini TT so I kept my own BB. I was anxious about this, and am waiting to see what it looks like once all the swelling is down and I can actually work on some ab exercises before I give my final verdict. It's certainly not the perfect round BB of a full TT tummy. Not sure how disappointed I am or whether I just be thankful for what I have.