{"id":10437,"date":"2019-08-22T13:06:48","date_gmt":"2019-08-22T20:06:48","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=10437"},"modified":"2023-10-12T16:44:40","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T23:44:40","slug":"real-mommy-makeover-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/real-mommy-makeover-experiences","title":{"rendered":"3 Women Get Real About Their Mommy Makeover Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

Having children is one of the most incredible things our bodies can do, but to say that it’s all rainbows and sparkles would be a bit disingenuous. Parenthood in and of itself presents many challenges, and one of those difficult aspects is coming to terms with the way pregnancy can change your body. There’s pulling and stretching of the breasts<\/a> and abdomen, weight gain, stretch marks<\/a> and musculature changes that contribute to laxity, sagging<\/a> and stubborn pockets of fat<\/a>.<\/p>

Wanting your pre-mom body is a perfectly normal response to such a sudden change, and it doesn’t negate that awe and love you feel after bringing a beautiful new life into the world. The mommy makeover<\/a> is a group of procedures performed sometime after giving birth and includes any combination of the following: tummy tuck<\/a>, liposuction<\/a>, breast augmentation<\/a>, breast lift<\/a>, Brazilian butt lift<\/a> and vaginal rejuvenation<\/a>. To provide you with first-person insight into what a Mommy Makeover entails, including treatments, downtime and cost, we spoke to three women who went for it.<\/p>

Related: Here’s how much downtime you’ll need for top cosmetic procedures<\/a><\/em><\/p>

Victoria Champagne, 28; Bellaire, Texas<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>
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After giving birth to three children—including a set of twins—Victoria Champagne set a goal for herself: to drop 60 pounds. This was the number she needed to reach in order to be approved for a breast reduction<\/a>. <\/p>

“I ended up losing a total of 80 pounds and was left with excess skin that made physical activity difficult. It also made it difficult to find clothes that fit, and I felt very insecure about that. Instead of flaunting my weight loss, I was still hiding under lots of clothes,” she says. “So a breast reduction turned into a Mommy Makeover—and it was the best decision I have ever made for myself.”<\/p>

She underwent her surgery in March 2019 with Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Olga Bachilo<\/a>. She received a tummy tuck and liposuction to the flanks as well as the breast reduction she’d originally set her sights on. The surgeries cost a total of $12,000, which included a discount for receiving multiple procedures and for paying in cash.<\/p>

Though recovery was pretty intense—it involved limited mobility and some pain for the first week—she says that she was back to her normal self within six weeks and there were no complications. Most important, she was thrilled with her new body.<\/p>

“I am very happy with my results, which are extreme. I went from a 32F bra to a 32C, and I lost seven pounds of excess skin with my tummy tuck,” she says. “Now I can physically move in ways I couldn’t for the past 10 years, and I’m as active as I was in high school. It was the greatest gift I could give myself. I was physically in pain from my excess skin and large breasts, and I believe everyone should be comfortable in their own skin.”<\/p>

Jill Lewis, 53; Toronto<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>

For 53-year-old Jill Lewis, having a Mommy Makeover was something she’d wanted to do since her third child was born, back in 2003. <\/p>

“I worked out religiously—more than two hours a day—and even if I got super-skinny, I didn’t like the way my skin had lost its elasticity,” she says. “I wanted my body back to what it was before my kids.”<\/p>

In July 2019, she opted for a breast lift, tummy tuck and liposuction, performed by Dr. Mitchell Brown<\/a> of Toronto Plastic Surgery, at a total cost of $25,000. Recovery for the first five days was “brutal,” she says, and at times, it was difficult to sleep. She also had to deal with a minor infection at one of the incision sites. Despite the unglamorous aspects, she tells us that she is beyond satisfied with the results.<\/p>

“I feel like I reclaimed my body,” she says. “As moms, we rarely put ourselves first, and so it felt strange to do this—but I am so happy I did.”<\/p>

Related: Real stories: ‘Why I decided to get a tummy tuck’<\/a><\/em><\/p>

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