A single surgery can be challenging to recover from, so recovery can be even more difficult when combining one or more surgeries, like in a Mommy Makeover. Extensive rest is required in order to heal properly from most of the surgeries involved in a mommy makeover. In addition, the more invasive the surgery is, the more time is necessary for healing. The time it will take to recover will vary from patient to patient and what procedures were included in their makeover.
Although many factors make each recovery process after a mommy makeover unique, a few tips help you make mommy makeover recovery faster.
Table of Contents
Prepare Your Recovery Area and Get Your Supplies Ready
Follow Post-op Instructions and Prescriptions
Make Healthy and Nutritious Food Choices
Plan Ahead
Undergoing a major surgery will require general anesthesia, which can leave you feeling drowsy, confused, and groggy. Due to these symptoms, you will not be able to drive yourself home after your surgery is completed. So plan ahead and ask a friend or family member to pick you up from the hospital, drive you home, and stay overnight to assist you with anything you may need.
Get Help Around The House
It is usually advised that you have someone stay with you for at least 24-48 hours after your surgery to help you, as specific tasks like getting out of bed and getting dressed are going to be difficult. It is also recommended you make arrangements for someone to help with childcare, caring for your pets, and doing household chores for 1-2 weeks after surgery. It would be best if you focused on resting and relaxing without worrying about who will prepare your children’s meals or take your dog for a walk.
Walk It Off
To help your body heal faster, walking is highly recommended but remember, any strenuous exercise is still off the table. Always check with your doctor before doing any exercise after your surgery. However, doing some light walking can help your body heal faster and avoid complications such as swelling and the formation of blood clots.
Prepare Your Recovery Area and Get Your Supplies Ready
Before undergoing your surgery, preparing a place for you to rest and recover is essential. Have lots of comfortable pillows and blankets, access to entertainment, and a small table beside you, so your medications, drinks, and snacks are all within reach. You may want to consider buying oversized/loose clothing to wear, so undressing/dressing yourself is a little easier. Some things you might want to stock up on include:
– Antibacterial soap
– Digital thermometer
– Bottled water
– Over-sized robes
– Smoothie and sandwich ingredients
– Low sodium frozen dinners
– Fresh fruit
Follow Post-op Instructions and Prescriptions
Following your surgeons’ instructions post-op is essential to get a proper mommy makeover recovery. The most common reason for complications following a mommy makeover surgery is patients not following the post-op instructions given to them. After your surgery, the information provided to you is meant to heal you heal correctly and get you the results you had set out to achieve. Going to all follow-up appointments is also on the list of things to be taken seriously. These follow-up appointments make sure you are healing correctly and avoid any complications.
No Smoking
You should avoid smoking before and after your mommy makeover for several weeks (approx. 4-6 weeks). This includes being around secondhand smoke. Smoking dramatically increases the risk of complications after surgery and has a negative impact on wound healing. Some surgeons may even refuse to perform a mommy makeover if you are a smoker, as it affects your blood circulation, delays healing times, and increases surgical risks.
Need help with quitting smoking? Check out https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/smoking-tobacco/quit-smoking/provincial-territorial-services.html for more information on getting the help you need.
Make Healthy and Nutritious Food Choices
Although post-mommy makeover can make you swell or bloated, it is not the time to try restrictive diets or lose weight. Make sure you are eating well-balanced, nourishing meals while you recover. Some foods you can eat that promote healing include:
– Fresh fruit (blueberries, strawberries, mango, etc.)
– Fresh vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts)
– Healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds)
– Dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, bok choy)
– Protein (meat or alternatives such as tofu, eggs, nuts)
– Probiotics (yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut)
– Whole grains (wild rice, whole wheat bread)
– Water – lots of it!
Don’t Try to Do it All
Mothers are superheroes, but you must allow yourself to take a break/take care of yourself. You have to remember that you decided to get a mommy makeover to feel more confident and to make yourself happy. So, you need to rest to make sure you get the results you set out to achieve. Do not try to do all of your normal activities and take on your everyday responsibilities while trying to recover. If you do try to resume your normal activities too soon, you could end up causing yourself more harm. Instead, take this time to relax and heal. Although none of these tips will magically help you get back to your normal activities within a week or two, they will help accelerate your recovery process. Following your doctor’s instructions, resting, walking, and getting help with things around the house will make a huge difference. Call your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about any of the mommy makeover processes.
How Can Beautifi Help?
The Beautifi team is always here to help when choosing a surgeon or financially planning for a cosmetic procedure. Learn how our process works or fill out an application to start your procedure journey!