How Long Should I Wait to Consider a Mommy Makeover After Having a C Section?

Hello. For the best results I tell my patients to wait nine months to a year after there last child before getting a mommy makeover. The reasoning for this is that the uterus needs time to return to its normal size after child birth so that your body can be corrected in its normal state. 6 months are also recommended after breast feeding. The last thing to consider is that you should be as close to your average healthy weight as possible before surgery. Good luck and congratulations!


Jaime Perez, MD
Mommy Makeover Specialist
Plastic Surgery Center of Tampa

It’s not unusual for women to request Mommy Makeover surgery
following pregnancy.This procedure
includes liposuction, abdominoplasty, breast augmentation and breast lift performed
in a single setting.The timing of this
procedure is extremely important for a variety of reasons.It
takes time for a new post pregnancy body to reach its new baseline following
pregnancy and during this transition, it’s impossible to make aesthetic
judgements.During this period,
stretched skin may contract, a swollen uterus may shrink and the weight gained
during pregnancy may gradually disappear.This process takes 3 to 6 months and needs to occur before
abdominoplasty is performed.Pregnancy
and breast feeding cause significant changes in a women’s breasts.When breast feeding is complete, the
glandular elements shrink and, as a result, the breasts become smaller and
develop sagginess.It may take several
months for this process to be completed and for this situation to
stabilize.Until this happens, it’s
impossible to make aesthetic judgements about the breasts. Ideally,
patients should be within 10% of their ideal body weight and in good health
otherwise.The majority of women who have
undergone C-Sections aren’t in good physical shape for a variety of
reasons.They may have severe fatigue, a
depressed immune system, possible blood loss, an increased potential for
infection and elevated estrogen levels which can increase the risk of blood
clots.Finally, the demands of a newborn
could make recovery difficult if these procedures are combined.For all
these reasons, it’s important that Mommy Makeover be delayed for at least 3 to
6 months following a C-Section. If you’re considering, Mommy Makeover surgery,
it’s important to give yourself time to fully recover from your C-Section.Once this has occurred, it’s appropriate to
consult a board certified plastic surgeon.

Most plastic surgeons would insist upon a decent interval between childbirth elective cosmetic surgery. Six months is an often quoted time interval which seems reasonable.

6 months is plenty of time after a c-section to wait before having a tummy tuck.  The breast lift portion of a mommy makeover can be performed a couple of months after you stop breast feeding.  For young healthy, patients both procedures can be performed at once.

Congrats on the new baby. The decision as to when to proceed with surgery is dependent on a lot of factors. Breast feeding is a consideration and I recommend 3 months after the completion of breast feeding before surgery. Regarding the tummy tuck, you want to be at a weight that you are comfortable with and can maintain. I like my patients to have a BMI of 25 or less. This is a common combination of procedures and one that can safely be done at one time. Best of luck with the new little one and with your surgery to restore your "preMom" figure!

I would wait four months or more for your C-section incision to heal and also for you to have time with your new child before having a Mommy Makeover. You need time to stabilize your weight and if breast feeding you need to wait 3-4 months after that. Pregnancy leaves you in a hypercoagulable state for 3-4 months after delivery. The operation of abdominoplasty is known to have one of the higher risks of deep venous thromboembolism, and adding breast surgery makes the surgery longer. Therefore you would be compounding the risks of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, by doing this combined surgery sooner than 4 months. 

"Pregnancy is a hypercoagulable state in which coagulation is activated and thrombolysis inhibited. This prothrombotic risk is compounded when hereditary and acquired thrombophilias and other prothrombotic risk factors are present. The risk of venous thrombotic events is increased fivefold during pregnancy and 60-fold in the first 3 months after delivery (postpartum period) compared with nonpregnant women."  See reference link below.