Mommy Makeover Recovery Timeline: Week-by-Week Healing Guide

A Mommy Makeover refers to a group of select body contouring and breast enhancement procedures performed simultaneously to revitalize a woman’s body after childbirth or the natural aging process. By combining procedures, patients receive results that are nothing short of transformative, while also saving money on surgical fees and having to contend with only a single recovery period. This blog focuses on what to expect during Mommy Makeover recovery, including when patients can return to work and normal activities and what visible progress might look like.

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How Long Is Mommy Makeover Recovery?

If you’ve decided to invest in yourself and your happiness with a Mommy Makeover, congratulations! This is a life-changing procedure that can address physical changes and improve your long-term mental and emotional well-being.

Mommy Makeover recovery involves between two and three weeks of downtime, with full results visible after about a year, depending on the number and types of procedures you undergo.

Popular combination procedures include:

• A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty to repair stretched abdominal muscles (diastasis recti) and remove redundant skin
• Liposuction on one or more areas to remove stubborn pockets of fat
• One or more breast enhancements, such as breast lift with implants, to remove stretched breast skin and restore lost volume after breastfeeding

Of course, each procedure is highly customized to the patient’s individual needs, so your Mommy Makeover may look a little different from someone else’s.

[Dr. Robert J. Spies – Mommy Makeover Gallery]

Below, we’ll detail what you can expect from Mommy Makeover recovery week by week, including healing milestones, aesthetic improvements, and helpful tips. For the purposes of this outline, we’ll discuss the process as if the patient underwent abdominoplasty, liposuction, and breast augmentation with a lift.

Mommy Makeover Timeline Week by Week

Days 1–3 Postop: Initial Healing & Fatigue

Your Mommy Makeover procedure will be performed using general anesthesia, so you won’t feel any pain during the surgery itself. It’s performed at an outpatient surgical center but usually requires an overnight stay in a recovery suite. In any case, once you are released to go home, you’ll need a responsible driver to take you.

A Mommy Makeover treats multiple areas of the body at once, so you are going to have limited mobility. A tummy tuck repairs the abdominal muscles, so you won’t be able to stand fully erect or lie flat on your back for a number of weeks as you heal. You will also have some soreness in your chest and arms after breast surgery, so you won’t be able to lift your arms over your head or bend down and pick things up.

Moms: It’s crucial you take the time you need for yourself throughout this process. You’ll need another adult to take care of the kids, household chores, and yourself as you heal. It’s only a few weeks, but be sure to follow your instructions closely and listen to your body.

The first three to five days after surgery, you’ll be very tired and will need to rest as much as possible. Sleeping with a pile of cushions around you can reduce swelling and help you maintain the bent posture you’ll need to heal after tummy tuck surgery. Take your medications as prescribed and rest.

Week 1 Recovery: Regaining Some Energy

The first full week of Mommy Makeover recovery is spent gradually regaining energy as your body gets through the initial healing stages. You’ll tire easily and won’t be able to do many of your normal activities, but be patient. Avoid bending, lifting, and strenuous movement. Wear your compression garment day and night, as directed by your surgeon. This helps the skin retract after liposuction and keeps swelling to a minimum as you heal.

As you start to feel stronger, you should begin walking around your house as you are able. Take it slow and don’t push yourself. You might need someone to give you support as you walk. This is important for increasing blood circulation and reducing the risk of blood clots, so keep it up throughout your recovery, increasing the distance as you feel stronger.

You will likely have a follow-up appointment with your surgeon, who will check all your incisions, remove drains if necessary, and answer any questions you may have.

You’ll have already noticed changes to your breasts and midsection, even with swelling and bruising disguising much of it. Be patient; right now, your incisions are dark and large, and your results might not look great at the moment, but they will improve.

Weeks 2–3 Recovery: Introducing Normal Activity

After your second full week of recovery, you might be feeling more like yourself, but if not, that’s okay too. Undergoing multiple procedures at once takes a lot out of you, but you won’t have to deal with the fatigue for much longer.

Some patients might be cleared to return to work after week two, especially if they have a desk job or work from home. However, it’s not uncommon for patients to take a full three weeks off work after a Mommy Makeover, especially if they’ve had abdominal wall repair. The longer you have uninterrupted rest, the better.

While you slowly incorporate light movement, such as walking and meal preparation, continue to avoid bending, lifting, and strenuous activities. Pushing your body too soon can cause you to relapse and need more downtime, or it can affect the healing progress of your scars. Putting pressure on healing incisions by bending or twisting can cause them to heal darker, larger, and more raised.

After your third week, bruising should be gone, and swelling should be reduced enough that you can start to see your results: Your midsection is flat and tighter, while your breasts are lifted, perky, and round. If you had implants placed, they can take another three to four weeks to soften and settle into a natural shape and position, while your tummy tuck and liposuction results rely on lingering swelling dissipating to show fully.

Month 1 Mommy Makeover Recovery: Resume Normal Activity

After your first full month of Mommy Makeover recovery, you should be feeling much better. Some soreness, mobility limitations, and swelling are still normal and can take some time to resolve. However, you should feel like your old self in terms of energy.

You will likely be cleared to resume all normal activities, including exercise. You may be asked to avoid engaging your abdomen for a few more weeks; however, you can likely exercise your legs and arms and do some light cardio, as long as you wear a sturdy bra to keep your breasts from bouncing.

You can now enjoy your results: Your abdomen and midsection are flat and strong, and will only continue to improve over time as you enhance them with core exercises. Your breasts are perky and rounded, softening as your body gets used to the implants, and the areas that received liposuction are slimmed to a contour that’s natural to the rest of your body.

You can continue to improve your results with a healthy diet and exercise, and watch as the final swelling resolves and your new figure emerges.

Learn More About Mommy Makeovers in Scottsdale, AZ

Choose an experienced Mommy Makeover surgeon who has your best interests and results in mind. Dr. Robert J. Spies is Scottsdale’s trusted board-certified plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience performing safe, natural-looking body contouring and breast enhancement procedures, including Mommy Makeovers. Call Dr. Spies today at (480) 359-1019 or complete the contact form to request a consultation.