The Mommy Makeover. The elusive way that only celebrities and rich women “get their bodies back” after having children. But, we are normal moms, right? We don’t have trainers. We don’t have chefs. We don’t have (gasp!) plastic surgeons! And we sure as heck don’t have oodles amounts of money sitting around to “play with” just to make us “look pretty.”
Well, I am a normal mom. I am your typical work-from-home mom with two kids. I don’t have a trainer. I don’t have a chef. And I definitely don’t have money just lying around.
Wait a minute. Let’s back it up. First, what IS a Mommy Makeover? Mommy Makeover is a general term for a course of treatment to fix your post-baby body. This may or may NOT include liposuction, tummy tuck or a breast lift or augmentation. It’s a way for women to reduce visible signs of having children and conceal a few of those imperfections.
But, I did choose to have a Mommy Makeover, and here’s why.
1. My body will NEVER be the same again. My hips have spread. I have loose skin on my stomach. My boobs are saggy. My belly button looks pretty wonky, too. There is NO amount of exercising, dieting or physical therapy in the world that will change it. It’s a fact. Is that okay? Sure it is! As you’ve read in blogs before, “they are your battle wounds and you should be proud. That body is what carried and birthed your beautiful babies.” Yeah, okay… right… If that’s what floats your boat, but why? Why have the loose skin? Why have the flabby tummy? Why, if you don’t have to?
2. I am still young, hot and have a lot of life in this ol’ mom bod. How old are you? 30? 40? 50? Are you seriously going to live the next however many years of your life in high-waisted jeans, one-piece swimsuits and Spanx to cover it all up? Dieting and exercising with no results? Is it vain to want a better body? No, it’s not and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. We all workout (okay, don’t tell, but we probably skip out 3 or 4 days a week). We all eat healthy (is La Madeline considered health food?). A Mommy Makeover is simply a catalyst to get “your body back” and then you take it from there.
3. Diastasis Recti and umbilical hernias. If you elect to get a Mommy Makeover, your plastic surgeon can and will tighten up your abdominal muscles. 30% of women have Diastasis Recti a year after childbirth. A surgeon will go in and suture your muscles back together like an internal corset. They will also fix any umbilical hernias. A lot of times, this will be covered by insurance as an out-of-network surgery. Insurance may pay a portion of the operating room, anesthesiologist and post-op recovery.
A Mommy Makeover is a BIG decision and not an easy one to make, but when you think about it, I just kept asking myself, why not? Yes, it’s an elective surgery and yes, there are serious risks, but here are a few tips to get you started on your journey.
1. Find the BEST plastic surgeon and check their credentials. And let me tell you, every surgeon out there says they “are board certified.” Well, that’s all dandy, but you want a doctor who is certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery. Not all cosmetic surgeons are plastic surgeons. Any doctor can perform cosmetic surgery. Yup, ladies, an ENT (ear nose and throat doctor) or an OBGYN can perform cosmetic surgery. Gross. You don’t want an OBGYN who took a weekend course to do cosmetic surgery on you.
Remember on Real Housewives of Dallas when Cary was saying that LeeAnne’s doctor was a “vagina doctor” and not a plastic surgeon? Yup, this is because people actually get their boobs and faces done by doctors who are NOT plastic surgeons. Not cool folks.
A surgery center in Dallas that I like is the Regional Plastic Surgery Center. Four of their surgeons are Board certified. And I mean actually ABPS certified. They have all completed six years of general surgery AND plastic surgery residencies.
2. Shop around. You don’t buy a new pair of shoes or jeans without trying on a couple of different pairs, so please don’t buy a Mommy Makeover without talking to a few different surgeons. I talked to four. Most of them recommended the same course of action for me, but each had a different personality, style and office environment. Regional Plastic Surgery Center has six doctors within their practice. You can speak to a few of them all within one center to make the shopping” more convenient.
3. Prepare your money. As I mentioned before, sometimes insurance will pay for an out-of-network surgery to fix a hernia or other medical problem. Look into it. Also, a lot of AMAZING plastic surgeons will provide discounts. Regional Plastic Surgery Center has a special going on now for $500 off a tummy tuck. Yup! That’s a great discounted price to move you closer towards your budget. Also, to sweeten the deal, Regional Plastic Surgery Center will give you a free gift valued at $280 to the first 20 patients that schedule a complimentary cosmetic consultation with a Regional Plastic Surgery Center plastic surgeon and mention Dallas Moms Blog.
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