WHAT TO EXPECT
- Anesthesia: General
- Length of surgery: Varies by combination, typically 4 to 6 hours
- Outpatient/inpatient: Outpatient
- Adjunct procedures: Arm lift, body lift, Brazilian Butt Lift, liposuction, labiaplasty, thigh lift, tummy tuck, breast augmentation, breast fat grafting, breast implant removal, breast lift, breast reduction
- Recovery: About 2 weeks of initial downtime; roughly 6 weeks to full activity
Pregnancy and breastfeeding change the body in ways that diet and exercise often cannot undo. Stretched abdominal skin, separated muscles, deflated breasts, and stubborn fat can linger long after you feel ready to move forward, because no amount of effort at the gym can rebuild skin and muscle that have lost their structure. A mommy makeover combines two or more procedures into one surgery to restore your figure after childbearing.
At Edina Plastic Surgery, our board-certified plastic surgeons have helped Twin Cities women feel at home in their bodies since 1977. Nearly 50 years of experience goes into every mommy makeover we plan, and you can request your consultation online for a day and time that’s convenient for you.
WHAT IS A MOMMY MAKEOVER?
A mommy makeover is a personalized combination of breast and body procedures performed together in a single surgery to reverse the physical effects of pregnancy and/or breastfeeding. Most plans center on the breasts and abdomen, since those areas are most affected by pregnancy, though the specific procedures are yours to choose with your surgeon.
Combining procedures into one operation has practical advantages: you recover once, go under anesthesia once, and usually pay less than you would scheduling each surgery separately. The result is a coordinated plan tailored to your anatomy and goals rather than a fixed package.
Procedures Included in a Mommy Makeover
Your mommy makeover can draw from any of the following breast and body procedures. During your consultation, your surgeon can recommend a combination that fits your concerns, and you decide together which to include.
Concern After Pregnancy |
Procedure |
How It Helps |
| Sagging or deflated breasts | Breast lift, breast augmentation | Raises and reshapes the breasts and restores lost volume |
| Enlarged, heavy breasts | Breast reduction | Removes excess tissue for a lighter, more comfortable size and shape |
| Loose belly skin and separated muscle | Tummy tuck | Repairs the muscle wall and removes stretched abdominal skin |
| Stubborn fat pockets | Liposuction | Slims the abdomen, flanks, hips, and thighs |
| Loose upper-arm skin | Arm lift | Tightens the contour from underarm to elbow |
| Sagging inner or outer thigh skin | Thigh lift | Firms and smooths the thighs |
| Skin laxity that circles the torso | Body lift | Treats the full midsection in one procedure |
| Enlarged or bothersome labia | Labiaplasty | Corrects cosmetic and functional concerns |
The breast portion of a mommy makeover addresses the volume and position changes that follow pregnancy or nursing. A breast lift raises and reshapes breasts that have lost their shape, and it pairs well with breast augmentation when you want to restore fullness or with a breast reduction when heaviness is the concern.
On the body, a tummy tuck does the heavy lifting for most patients, tightening the abdominal muscles that separate during pregnancy (a condition called diastasis recti) and removing the loose lower-abdominal skin that stretch marks tend to sit on. Liposuction refines the surrounding areas by removing fat that resists diet and exercise.
When weight gain and loss have left loose skin beyond the midsection, an arm lift, thigh lift, or body lift can be included. These are full options within a mommy makeover at Edina Plastic Surgery, not afterthoughts, so you can address the arms, thighs, or full torso in one coordinated plan. However, the total number of procedures and areas operated on will determine whether or not they can be combined into one surgery. A labiaplasty can also be included when childbirth has changed the labia and caused discomfort or dissatisfaction with their appearance.
Am I a Good Candidate for a Mommy Makeover?
The best time for a mommy makeover is after your body has recovered from pregnancy and you feel settled in your family. Good candidates have healed from childbirth, finished breastfeeding, and reached a weight they can maintain, ideally within 10 to 20 pounds of their goal. You also need to be in good general health, since these are real surgeries with a real recovery.
One decision shapes the timing more than any other: whether you are finished having children. A mommy makeover does not affect your ability to carry a pregnancy, but a future pregnancy can stretch the same muscles and skin your surgeon just repaired and undo your results. Most women choose to wait until their family is complete.
If you smoke, plan to stop for six weeks before and after surgery, since nicotine slows healing. Your surgeon reviews all of this at your consultation and helps you decide whether the timing is right.
The Mommy Makeover Procedure
Most mommy makeovers are outpatient plastic surgery procedures performed under general anesthesia, so you return home the same day to begin recovery. Surgery usually takes four to six hours but varies based on how many and which procedures you combine.
We perform mommy makeovers at our on-site, Quad A (AAAASF) accredited surgical center in Edina, directly across from M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital for an added layer of safety during longer, combined procedures. We can also perform mommy makeovers off-site at other accredited ambulatory surgery centers. After surgery, you rest in our recovery room while the anesthesia wears off, then head home with detailed aftercare instructions. One of our board-certified surgeons is on call around the clock if any questions come up.
What to Expect During Mommy Makeover Recovery
Recovery from a mommy makeover asks more of you than any single procedure would because you are healing several areas at once. Planning ahead helps immensely so you can focus on relaxing and recovering afterward.
First Two Weeks
Plan to rest for the first week or two and to have help at home. Lifting is limited to about five pounds, and that restriction includes picking up a child. Line up support for childcare and household tasks before your surgery date so you are not tempted to do too much too soon. If your job is mostly desk work, you will likely need two to three weeks off; more active jobs that involve lifting will require closer to four weeks.
Weeks Two to Six
You will gradually add activity back as you heal. Around the six-week mark, most patients are cleared for heavier lifting, regular exercise, and other strenuous activity. Your surgeon sets your specific timeline based on the procedures you had and individual circumstances, so follow their guidance rather than a generic calendar.
Mommy Makeover Results
Your results take shape gradually as swelling settles. Depending on which procedures you undergo, you can expect firmer, higher breasts, a flatter and more defined abdomen, and tighter body contours. Most swelling fades within a few weeks, though the final result usually settles somewhere between six months and a year after surgery.
Mommy makeover results are made to last. Maintaining a stable weight and staying active can help your new contours hold up well over time, even as normal aging continues. Many of our patients tell us the change reaches beyond the mirror, giving them back a sense of ease and confidence in their own skin.
Why Choose Edina Plastic Surgery for Your Mommy Makeover
Edina Plastic Surgery has cared for Twin Cities patients since 1977. A mommy makeover is a significant surgery, so who performs it and where makes a big difference.
Every procedure at our practice is performed by a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the field’s most demanding credential. You are not handed off to one provider; you choose from a team of experienced board-certified plastic surgeons and meet the one whose approach fits you best. Several of our surgeons have been named Top Doctors by Mpls.St.Paul Magazine year after year and recognized as Best Doctors for Women by Minnesota Monthly, and the practice has earned the national Patients’ Choice Award.
Your surgery takes place in our on-site surgical center, which is accredited by Quad A (AAAASF) to hospital-grade standards and is directly across from M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital. Booking is easy, too. You can easily request your consultation online for whenever works best for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mommy Makeovers
Can I Have Children After a Mommy Makeover?
Yes, a mommy makeover does not affect your ability to get pregnant or carry a child. The concern is your results, not your fertility. A pregnancy after surgery can re-stretch the muscles and skin your surgeon repaired, which is why most women wait until their family is complete before scheduling.
How Much Weight Will I Lose With a Mommy Makeover?
A mommy makeover is a contouring surgery, not a weight-loss procedure. It removes loose skin and stubborn fat and tightens muscle, so you may look slimmer and drop a clothing size, but the number on the scale usually changes very little. The strongest candidates are already at or near their goal weight before surgery.
When Is the Best Time to Have a Mommy Makeover?
The best time is once you have healed from childbirth, finished breastfeeding, settled at a weight you can maintain, and feel confident your childbearing is complete. For many women, that timeframe is at least six months to a year after having their last child. If breastfeeding, you should wait at least six months after you’ve stopped breastfeeding. The timeframe of six months after finishing breastfeeding is recommended for all surgeries, not just breast procedures, as hormones can have an effect on overall tissue laxity.
How Much Does a Mommy Makeover Cost?
Pricing depends on which procedures you combine and how long your surgery takes. You will receive a personalized quote for your mommy makeover surgery after your consultation. Because a mommy makeover is elective, it is generally not covered by insurance, though we offer financing plans to help make the cost manageable.
Rediscover Confidence in Your Body at Edina Plastic Surgery
Motherhood asks a great deal of your body, and choosing to care for yourself is nothing to feel guilty about. Our board-certified plastic surgeons have helped women across the Twin Cities feel like themselves again for nearly 50 years, and they can build a mommy makeover around the results you want.
To book your consultation, call or text 952-925-1765 or request an appointment online. We proudly serve Edina, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnetonka, and the surrounding Twin Cities communities.
