Should I have a diastasis recti and umbilical hernia repair before or after my next pregnancy?

Hello and thank you for your question.  If you are definitely planning on having another pregnancy in the future, then I would recommend waiting until after you are done having children before having a tummy tuck and hernia repair.  At the right time, this can be done through a low and short
incision, all completely below the bikini line. 
The belly button can be designed to look natural and have no scars on
the exterior.   Your muscles can also be
plicated resulting in a flat abdomen and hernia repair can be done at the same time. 
Make sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of
real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and evaluate
their results.  The most important aspect is to find a surgeon you are
comfortable with. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified
board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

I think most plastic surgeons and OBGYN's would recommend that you wait until you are done with your pregnancies before undergoing a tummy tuck and umbilical hernia repair. Most umbilical hernias can be repaired at the time of your tummy tuck. You'll just need to ask your plastic surgeon if he is comfortable doing that.
Now, if you start getting symptoms of pain with your umbilical hernia before your tummy tuck, make sure you get evaluated.  Your OBGYN can monitor you during your pregnancy to make sure the hernia doesn't cause you trouble.
Once you are done with your pregnancies, I think you will love what a tummy tuck can do to restore your abdominal contour. Twin pregnancies can really strain the abdominal muscles and cause bulging (rectus diastasis). So, the tummy tuck will really help tighten the muscles and skin after your pregnancies.
Good luck.

Thank you for your question. Most plastic surgeons recommend waiting until you are finished having children before getting a tummy tuck, as your results might be undone by a future pregnancy. However, if your hernia is causing symptoms, you should have it treated separately. If the hernia is not causing any symptoms or discomfort, waiting until after your final pregnancy to have the tummy tuck with hernia correction can ensure that you have long-lasting results. Good luck.
 

Thank you for your question.For patients who know that they would like to have children in the near future I would recommend waiting to have a tummy tuck.  The recommendation to wait is based upon the fact that a future pregnancy can affect the cosmetic result obtained with a tummy tuck and potentially stretch out the skin and muscles that had been tightened surgically.  It is important to note however that a tummy tuck will not affect a future pregnancy.As for your hernia, if it is symptomatic and causing discomfort I would recommend treatment now but if it is asymptomatic and your concern is strictly cosmetic is nature I would recommend waiting until you are finished having children.I hope that you find this helpful and I wish you all of the best.

If you're not having umbilical pain and the hernia can always be pushed back in, there is no urgency in repairing it. Diastasis recti alone is not a medical problem and does not cause any harm except for the obvious abdominal distention. If all is well, complete your pregnancies and have everything repaired through a tummy tuck in the future. #StayBeautiful @RealDrWorldWide

Thank you for sharing your excellent question.  Assuming you are not having any medical issues as a result of your diastasis or hernia I would advocate completing your family first and then pursue correction so that you can have the best long-term results.  Hope this helps.

Thanks for your inquiry.   The answer is it depends on if the hernia is symptomatic.  If you or a doctor is concerned that your hernia is causing problems, then you need to repair the hernia sooner.  As for the diastasis--definitely repair after your last pregnancy and best of luck.  

Dear analou87,it would be the best to wait until you are done having kids if your hernia isn't making you any problems. If you repair it before a pregnancy, there is a chance it will get back during the next pregnancy. I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon.Daniel Barrett, MD, MHA, MS 
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery 
Member, Am. Society of Plastic Surgery

Hello and thank you for your question.  If you are asymptomatic from your umbilical hernia and your diastasis, then I would wait until you are done having children before repairing both.  I commonly repair both during an abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck).  When I perform an abdominoplasty, the
necessary skin and fat is removed, the abdominal muscles are tightened thereby treating any diastasis, a small
umbilical incision is made that is not externally visible, any umbilical hernia is repaired, and a short, low
waistline incision is designed to be easily hidden by your underwear or
bikini.  If you do see a plastic surgeon for this procedure, please view plenty of before-and-after pictures in real women
(and not just computer-generated images) who have a similar abdominal
appearance to yours, and preferably at different time frames (3 weeks out,
3 months out, etc) to more accurately predict your own surgical outcome. 
And lastly, I think the most important component of the consultation is to
establish a good connection with your plastic surgeon.  If you don’t feel
you have a good connection with your plastic surgeon after your consultation,
he/she may not be the best surgeon for you.
Please refer to the link below for further information on Abdominoplasty.

Good luck.

Mark K Markarian, MD, MSPH

Harvard-trained
Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon

Repairing  your umbilical hernia prior to pregnancy would be determined based upon the size and whether or not there is any risk of  incarceration of  abdominal  structures( bowel). This is rarely the case. So, if this is not your situation, have any repairs  done after  your last pregnancy .