30yr Old with 3 Kids- Excess Skin and Muscle Seperation!

I am 29yrs old and have 3 kids. I gained my figure back after my first, with my lowest pregnancy weight gain of 38lbs. My second pregnancy I gained the same amount, but I was about 15lbs heavier than when I got pregnant the first time. I had excess skin left over after that delivery, but was able to workout and tone my abs to where I was happy. My third pregnancy I gained the most, 47lbs. Each pregnancy I lost almost all of the weight within the first two months post partum (with my first over a year and a half I gained some back) and the sudden loss left my skin loose and unable to regain it's elasticity. I am 5'6" and at a healthy weight for my frame sit anywhere from 113-118lbs. We are done having kids and I am going in for my consult on May 4, 2015 with plans to have the surgery at the end of May or beginning of June.

I had my initial consultation in May with Dr. Manuel. I have decided to postpone my surgery and continue looking for a surgeon who I click with. This is not my first rodeo, I had elective plastic surgery at 19 and I had to interview several surgeons to find the one I was comfortable with. Unfortunately, in Alaska there are very limited options and as much as I have wanted this surgery for several years- I just didn't feel that this office was for me. The appointment really didn't go over my specific needs, more of a broad explanation of what this particular surgery (tummy tuck) entails. I already knew what the surgery would require and what to expect, I wanted more details and attention to my specific needs (scar placement etc) Anyhow, I have decided to wait until next summer and go home to San Antonio for an extended stay so I can have surgery there, with a multitude of surgeons to choose from and family to help take care of my kids. I am starting now by researching surgeons and contacting their offices to make sure they will work with me from a distance and set everything up as I will be on limited time when I fly in and need to get the surgery asap so I can have the maximum recovery time before flying back to Alaska. I am disappointed that I won't be getting my tummy tuck sooner, but I don't want to jump in to this with any reservations and I feel it will be worth the wait to have peace of mind and know I chose a surgeon based off reviews and research- not because they were one of four surgeons to choose from.

After looking through the reviews on this site I found Dr. Gary Lawton of San Antonio, TX. I travelled down to San Antonio to visit family and was able to schedule and go to a free consultation with Dr. Lawton. I had a very positive experience with his office and left with a deposit down for my surgery. I was first brought to a room where I met him and he started by explaining the procedure and his expectations for results. After discussing the general procedure, I was taken to another room where I changed into a gown and Dr. Lawton and the nurse came back so he could personalize his expectations based on my body. He took the time to explain how he would perform the surgery on me and he showed me where the scar would be. I was very happy to see that he does low scar placements and will be able to give me the results I was hoping for. With the previous surgeon that I had seen, he tends to do higher scars and he had told me to expect a scar that would be above my jean line at the hips. Dr. Lawton explained how that is an old school technique and he has modified his procedure so I will be able to wear a bikini and not have my scar hanging out. All in all, it was such a good experience and I feel confident in having my procedure done this summer. I put my deposit down to hold the surgery date and cancelled the other consultation I had scheduled with another surgeon. I will update as it gets closer to the surgery date.