Plan the help before you pick the surgery date. A mommy makeover sends most patients home the same day, and the weeks that follow involve limits on lifting, bending and sleeping positions that collide with the routines of a house full of children.
The practice of Leo Lapuerta, MD, FACS, a triple board-certified plastic surgeon in the Houston area, lists a strong support system among its requirements for candidates. Its overview of the mommy makeover procedure says a patient should have someone to assist her until she can take care of her daily routines on her own. For a mother of young children, that sentence turns into a schedule.
Build the support plan first
A mommy makeover combines procedures, most often a tummy tuck, liposuction and breast surgery, in one operation. Surgery time ranges between four and ten hours depending on the plan, and the practice describes a typical case as about seven hours. Most patients go home the same day. The practice advises patients with complex medical problems, or those having a significant amount of liposuction, to have surgery in the hospital and stay overnight for observation.
That means a second adult in the house from the first night. Before booking, assign each of these jobs to a partner, relative or paid helper:
- School drop-off, pickup and bath time for the first weeks
- Lifting the baby or toddler in and out of cribs, car seats and high chairs
- Rides to follow-up visits until your surgeon clears you to drive
- Overnight wake-ups that involve carrying a child
The practice advises patients to plan for at least two to three weeks away from work. Count the same stretch for heavy household duties, and arrange backup in case healing runs longer.
The first days home
Dr. Lapuerta injects a time-released local anesthetic into the abdominal surgery site during the operation. According to the practice, it provides numbing for three days after surgery, which helps patients control pain with oral medication and recover at home. Patients can expect swelling, bruising and some discomfort in the treated areas.
Patients wear compression garments during recovery. At the pre-operative appointment, the team takes measurements so the right garment is ready, and the nurse goes over post-operative instructions and prescriptions. Filling those prescriptions before surgery day saves a pharmacy run with children in the back seat.
The practice calls patients the day before and the day after surgery. Patients also have round-the-clock access to Dr. Lapuerta’s cell phone or a team member by phone, a useful number to post on the refrigerator for whoever is helping.
The appointment calendar
The practice’s patient guide sets out a standard follow-up schedule. Add these to the family calendar before surgery so childcare is in place for each one:
- Visits in the first, second and third weeks after surgery, where the team changes dressings and examines incisions
- A visit about one month after that, depending on how healing progresses
- “After” photographs at three months from the date of surgery
Most post-operative appointments take about 15 to 30 minutes. A short visit still needs a driver in the early weeks and someone at home with the children.
Lifting, sleeping and the toddler problem
During recovery, patients face limits on how much they can lift and on strenuous activity. The practice does not give one weight limit that fits every patient, so ask the surgeon for a number at the pre-op visit and share it with your helpers. A toddler who expects to be carried needs a new routine before surgery, such as climbing into the car seat with help or sitting beside you on the couch for stories.
Patients cannot sleep on their stomachs for the first few weeks. Set up a recovery spot with pillows, water, chargers and the TV remote within reach, and move the most-used baby supplies to counter height so you can reach them without bending.
Surgery carries risks, and healing varies from one patient to the next. The practice stresses following post-operative care instructions, and the follow-up visits exist to confirm that incisions are healing and swelling is subsiding. Build rest into the plan even when the house is loud.
Back to work, then the gym
The practice says most women can return to work within two to three weeks, with the timing depending on the type of job. Full recovery takes about six weeks in a typical case, and most patients are ready for vigorous activity around that point. Final results tend to show within eight to 12 weeks as swelling fades.
For a parent, the six-week mark is the date to circle. Around then, with the surgeon’s clearance, the help can step back and the bedtime carry can return to you.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Results vary from patient to patient. Consult a board-certified plastic surgeon or your physician about your own situation. Written in partnership with Joseph Lambert, a publicist working with Leo Lapuerta, MD Plastic Surgery.