Vertical Cut Tummy Tuck & Diastasis Repair on 37 Small Framed Mom - Utah

8 Months Post-Op
I LOVE the results! Not perfect, but SO MUCH better than what was there before!!!
I basically ended up with no belly button. I am naturally VERY thin, pretty much no fat under my skin, which can result in no belly button after surgery. Oh, well. Because of my thinness, my veins are also a little more noticeable than other women's, but again, oh well. I'm not a bikini wearer...to look good for ME and my hubby was all I was aiming for. And this surgery did it!

I am SO glad I went with the vertical cut tummy tuck. After researching further, I have seen post-op photos where there were still a lot of stretch marks (ones that had been there above the belly button prior to surgery). No doubt, I would have had stretch marks and most likely extra skin still if I had done the traditional tummy tuck.

6 weeks post op, and I am loving my results! I feel like my posture is much better and my backaches are gone now that my core muscles are working properly. I happily trade my loose, stretch marked skin for a long vertical scar. I don't think I have a single stretch mark left....amazing! No way I could have had these results with a normal, horizontal tummy tuck. Too much extra skin and stretch marks above the belly button.

My doctor took 8 INCHES of skin off vertically. Again, amazing to me considering my size. I am 5' 4", weighing 105 before tummy tuck. Never gained weight except for 20-25 pounds during each of my 6 pregnancies.

My post-op belly button is not ideal. It is flat and I wish the doctor maybe had made the circle a little smaller. However, again, the trade off for this new tummy is incomparible! Because of my herniated belly button and the fact that I have virtually no fat against my stomach, a flat belly button is my result. Ok with me.

Dated: September 11, 2012
My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow. My dear husband gave me a Priesthood blessing tonight. I am not so much scared for the actual surgery, but more anxious about the unknown of it all. How will it turn out? Will I be happy with it? Will I notice a big enough difference to make it worthwhile? Have I chosen the right doctor? Will he sew up all my muscles like I want him to? How will the recovery be? I’ve read different things, some people say pain not too bad during recovery if keep up on pain meds, others say first few days SO painful. Which will I say? Some people say just taking a shower that first week totally zaps all your energy and wears you out. Really? I totally can not even imagine that! After my babies, I am pretty much up and at em by the next day, no laying in bed for me. Will I not feel like getting out of bed for weeks after this surgery? I know my stretch marks are not all going away with this surgery. Will I notice the ones that are left? Will they still wrinkle when I bend? Will my incision be straight? Will the scar fade or stay red? How will I take care of my baby (14 months old) for the next month? My biggest concern is getting him in and out of his crib. I just don’t know how that’s going to work out! And, I’m totally not ready to give up naptime for him yet, for this. Luckily, and hopefully, my 19 year old will be home most days to help out with this. Then of course there are the real worries. Ones like, what if something goes wrong and I leave my kids without a mother all over my vanity. I know my hernia and muscles are being repaired and as well, but neither one of these things is deadly or absolutely necessary, so could I be setting myself up for a lifetime of problems unnecessarily?


My sweetheart took me to my favorite, Chick-Fil-A, for dinner tonight. I slept until around 4:00, at which time I awoke and had a hard time getting back to sleep with all the thoughts running through my mind.