What's the Average Recovery Time of Breast Reconstruction for a Mastectomy?

This varies a lot depending on what procedures have been done before, and whether any complications have been present in the area.  Four to six weeks and out to 8 weeks is not uncommon to have activities altered due to surgery and recovery.

Recovery after breast reconstruction depends on the type of breast reconstruction procedure you are having. The majority of patients after mastectomy receive implant-based reconstruction. However, due to complications of implants and/ radiation, or patient preference to avoid implants, many are choosing autologous (your own tissue) options.
For implant reconstruction, tissue expanders or silicone breast implants will be placed at the time of mastectomy. Most patients are kept overnight in the hospital for observation. My protocol is for patients to be up and walking as soon as possible after the surgery to minimize the chance of forming a blood clot in the leg. Drains will be in place and will be emptied twice daily. You are able to shower as early as post operative day 1. You are encouraged to walk at least 5 times a day, but exercise should be deferred. Generally the drains are removed by 2 weeks after surgery. Usually patients return to work at 2-3 weeks but some patients may opt to stay out of work longer depending on their job and their overall pace of recovery.
For flap/tissue-based reconstruction, this will primarily be DIEP flaps but sometimes involves other flaps such as latissimus or TDAP flaps. Following flap surgery, you will be admitted to the hospital for 2-4 days for monitoring of the flap site. There will be drains at the reconstructed breasts and the abdominal donor site. A post operative bra and an abdominal binder are used for support. Since the tissue was removed from the abdomen, to create the breast, there is moderate amount of tension on the abdominal closure. This may require patients to walk slightly hunched over for the first few days. You will be out of bed and walking on post operative day 1 and working with physical therapy. Since we use a multi-modal pain control strategy, minimal narcotic pain medications are needed. Most of the time drains are removed by 2 weeks and return to work is by 3-4 weeks, depending on your job and pace of recovery.
I always advise patients that recovery after surgery occurs on a spectrum and is different for every patient. Recovery depends on your preoperative characteristics, medical co-morbidities, and even (perhaps especially) your attitude regarding your own recovery. There may be obstacles to your recovery outside of your control. And of course, following all pre and post-operative instructions is essential to an excellent recovery after surgery.

Recovery after breast reconstruction can vary depending on what type of reconstruction you have. Typically, if a tissue expander is placed at the time of mastectomy you will have drains in for 1-2 weeks, then the expansion process can begin, which is usually a weekly expansion for 4-5 weeks. During the expansion process the patient will have limited activity restrictions. Then the final step is the exchange surgery which is an outpatient surgery, the incision heals and about a week after surgery the patient is beginning to get back to most normal activities.