I said I wanted a mummy makeover before I turned 40 and I finally did it!

I can't believe I've actually gone through with this. I first started to consider a mummy makeover a few years after having my first son and after my body went through the wars with a slipped disc etc. It was 2017 I signed up to RS and starts to explore surgical ways of fixing my distasis recti. I then came across the term "mummy makeover" and realised that aside from the tummy tuck I could also reduce and lift my boobs which had always been massive. 30F from age 18 to 32GG until recently.

I found Mr Marsh on RS and then saw he had a presence on Instagram which made him feel approachable. I have been following him for years, watching his stories demystifying the mummy makeover procedure, being upfront about the fees and also the fact it cost nothing to meet him for that initial consultation.

Anyway I waited. Had my second kid, and waited some more. Always in the hope that maybe I could lose more weight, shrink my boobs and possibly even fix my tummy. I managed to get the weight down but the pandemic hit, with it the stress of working full time, kids remote learning and getting older. I spoke to my husband and said, I want to feel good about my body. I want to be proud to wear a swim suit or even a bikini, not hide in big shorts and t shirts. He asked what I wanted for my 40th, a watch, diamonds... I said a new body!!

So, we finally put this plan into action. Booked a consultation last summer when the waiting list for Mr Marsh was huge. By the time I saw him in December 2020 the list had reduced and the earliest appointment I could get was June 2021. I went for it! The next few months we got a Peloton, got fit and healthy over the dark winter months of lockdown 3 (although I didn't shift much weight according to the scales) and then went through with it.

I won't lie, I was absolutely bricking it the few weeks before surgery. I tried to be as positive as possible spoke to friends who had similar surgery who helped a great deal. A few friends were also super supportive. Not everyone knows as many can be judgemental but I'll most likely tell them in time. On the day itself I had a roller coaster of emotions. The only times I've ever gone under was for emergency and acute medical reasons (broke my arm age 13 and needed a plate, eye surgery in my 20s, back surgery for my slipped disc), so to choose to put myself in pain was totally freaking me out. In the end having to wait for a few hours after admission into the London Welbeck meant that I had to come to terms with it in my own way. In truth the surgery is the easiest bit. The recovery is what takes time and you need to be focused on getting better and doing whatever it take to recover in the best way possible.

Mr Marsh is so lovely and brilliant at what he does. I am in awe of how he transforms our boobs and tummies the way he does! His team at The Plastic Surgery Group are all genuinely down to earth, friendly and supportive. It's still early days as I can see their help and involvement really comes into its own post-surgery but so far would definitely recommend.

Anyway, a long into intro my MM journey. I'll be back to share updates as things progress.

So I’m now 8 days post-op. I’m still oozing from a few places. Suddenly my boobs have started but Emily the nurse at TPSG is so lovely and attentive. I’ve been there for 2 post-op appointments and going back for a third next week. All with the aim of ensuring i don’t get any infection. Thankfully my mum is around to help me load (she’s a retired nurse) so I feel like I’m in safe hands. My skin has reacted to the adhesives from the dressings which is annoying but hopefully it clears up. I’m also only on paracetamol and a bit of morphine at night for sleep. When I left the hospital they gave me paracetamol, methacarbomol and oral morphine. The methacarbomol is a muscle relaxant and I found that worked a treat for me. You have to be mindful you don’t get constipated with the painkillers, thankfully after 3 days I’ve been going like clockwork. The first few days weren’t so bad, as long as you take your meds you’re fine. I’ve had no trouble sleeping until last night which was the first night I went without any heavy meds. No fun! I did start my lymphatic drainage massage day 7 post-op and what a joy that was! I think this will be the highlight of my record period, no doubt! The lady I found is perfect and her treatment room is a true sanctuary with sweet cinnamon smells and her hands are like heaven!

So I’m pretty much off the meds now. Took just some paracetamol last night as it’s usually at the end of the day it gets uncomfortable.

Changing my dressings daily at the moment to stop the oozing and avoid infection. The nurse at The Plastic Surgery Group has been fabulous and given me a decent pack of stuff to use. Currently using silver nitrate on my boobs and a bit of my tummy incision which hasn’t quite healed. The belly button looks like it’s going to take some time as it’s the ooziest bit when I change the dressings.

Finally standing up a bit straighter but not 100%. I feel this needs to happen soon for me to be able to go for long walks and not get back pain. I’ve sneezed once and swear I thought I torn something. Coughing isn’t too bad. Laughing is worse and everyone is hell bent on making me laugh at the mo.

Thank goodness for my mother’s support. My husband is doing his best with our two kids but even that’s not enough. I did a more of activity than usual the other day and my boobs started oozing again!

The lymphatic drainage massage has been a real treat throughout the recovery so far. I’ve been going every other day since 1 week post-op. I have quite a bit of swelling round my navel and on my mons pubis. It’s actually really painful so I’m trying to massage it myself any spare moment I have… which looks funny to anyone who happens to catch me with my hands down my joggers… haha!