Mommy Makeover at 30 - My Reason Why - Palm Desert, CA

I am a 30 year old mother of three. I am 5'8 and currently weight 135lbs. My children are 9, 6, and 2 years old...all three were born via c-section. With my first pregnancy I gained weight slowly, but my body did not handle even that very well. I started getting stretch marks around 20 weeks and they never stopped. Toward the end of my pregnancy I started retaining water like crazy, it ended up I had HELLP Syndrome and my son was delivered at 39 weeks via emergency c-section. My body never returned to normal shape. My stomach skin was still loose months after his delivery, I had stretch marks from my pubic area up to just below my belly button. I breastfed for 13 months and at some points I was wearing a 36F. My breasts were left sagging (they sagged before too, but not as bad) and my areolas enlarged.I gained 60lbs with my second pregnancy, stretch marks traveled to right above the belly button as well as my inner and outer thighs. Again, breastfed for 13 months and hit 36F for a period of time. My third pregnancy I only gained 30lbs, no increase in stretchmarks this time. Breastfed for 15 months and again wore a 36F.

The scars pregnancy left me with have always made me feel uncomfortable with my body and I had planned at some point to do something about it so that my confidence would be boosted and I could feel like the YOUNG person I was, but I also wanted to wait until I was done having children. Unfortunately life handed me one heck of a curveball when a month before my last child was born, my husband of 10 years walked out. It was an incredibly hard time for us all and due to the emotional strain not only did I lose the baby weight after my daughter was born, I also lost another 30lbs. My body has never had so much hang before in my life!!! As a now single mother surgery was out of the question, so I was left broken-hearted and feeling completely unable to get past the physical changes my body had undergone to be able to move past my current status in life...divorced, single mother to 3, broken and battered.

Fast-forward 2 years...where there is a will there is a way! I started out with a boob fund, thinking if I had to choose one that would be it. Any little extra went into that fund (and in the beginning it was VERY little). Birthday gifts, unexpected money, tax returns, etc. I was on a mission and I was going to make something happen. This year I was pleasantly surprised to find my tax return was larger than expected, it was time to start consulting!! And not only that, I was thinking I may be able to afford the boobs and the tummy tuck as well...so exciting!!!

I went on a few consults and spoke with other women who had also consulted in the area. My hopes were quickly fading away. I thought I had saved the proper amount of money, but it seemed my dreams were just out of reach. Not only did I not have enough for a mommy makeover, I didn't even have enough for the boobs with these doctors! My sister assured me I would find someone and not to give up hope...then someone referred me to Dr. Lombardo. She was exactly what I was looking for. She was kind and warm, she listened to what I wanted and gave her opinions and recommendations. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop...but it never did. She was just above where I sat with my savings but I was able to work it out. I had a surgeon...and a surgery date...and oh my goodness I could not be happier!!!!

I am 7 weeks from surgery and I wanted to share my journey because reading your stories on here has been inspiring to me. So come count down with me. Next month I will go for my pre-op. I am still trying to figure out implant size and researching that as much as I can. I am working up my courage to put up some before pictures for you all, I know how much I appreciate 'seeing' the changes you have undergone. I have gained back 10lbs over the last year, and would like to lose 5 of that before surgery, as of right now my weight is at 135. Here is what I am looking at:

*Full tummy tuck with hip-to-hip incision
*Breast lift with anchor incision (or modified lollipop depending on what she needs to do) and minimizing of areolas
*Silicon breast implant placed above the muscle (still have questions regarding placement though) with a round moderate or round moderate plus implant (another decision to make) in something between 300-400cc

Just under 6 weeks to go now, and here are some before pictures. It was hard to capture the looseness of my tummy skin, but you can definitely see the loss in my breasts! I am so excited that I get to fix both my breasts and my tummy! I keep thinking how nice it will be not to have to tuck my stomach skin back into my jeans all the time. And to wear cute tops without so many layers to hide my lack of fullness. June cannot come soon enough!!!

So one week and I will be doing my pre-op appointment, which means that I need to pick a size. I did some more research online and decided to do the rice test to try out a size I was considering. I chose to try 350cc. I tried on the 300cc and 400cc in the office and knew I needed something in between. I have to say, it feels huge on me! But then I took pictures and was shocked at how different that perspective is. So I am thinking I like them! I also took pics of just the sports bra for contrast, such a difference. Makes me even more excited for my surgery day to get here...which is in only 29 more days!!!