By plastic surgeon Dr Dirk Kremer. 

For those wonderful mothers out there who long for the return of their pre-pregnancy bodies, you may be familiar with the term “mummy makeover”. Many women book in consultations to discuss the mummy makeover procedures, usually several months or even years after giving birth, and usually with no real idea as to what a mummy makeover typically entails.

The mummy makeover is simply a collection of cosmetic procedures that specifically targets areas of the body that are physically affected during pregnancy. It’s just packaged together and cleverly marketed as a “mummy makeover”, because clearly, it targets mothers and offers them the chance to regain confidence in their body.

I thought it may be useful for me to go into a little more detail so those who may be interested can better understand why this term has become so popularly used among mothering groups, yoga classes, salons, spas and the like!

Who is a mummy makeover ideal for?

As you’d expect, the typical procedures included that make up a mummy makeover are usually ideal for any female who has given birth - whether that’s one child or several. Most women’s bodies are affected by pregnancy, although there are those lucky mothers who are minimally affected and in those instances the procedures that are carried out during a mummy makeover may not be required.

For those mums who do suffer with unwanted changes to their body, the procedures can go a long way towards reversing the changes with a main goal of achieving a body that’s as close as possible to its pre-pregnancy condition.

With all of this said, it’s also important to realise that every woman is different and the way in which pregnancy affects the body also differs, meaning there can be no one single blanket approach for all women. Instead, the procedures that make up the mummy makeover must be customised to fit each mother’s individual requirements.

Which parts of the body are most affected by childbirth?

The parts of the body that tend to be most affected and require addressing following childbirth include the breasts and abdomen, therefore the procedures included in the mummy makeover best target these areas. With that said, you may also have other areas of the body that you also want to target, and this is certainly something you should discuss with your surgeon.

Which mummy makeover procedures target these areas?

Women who choose to breast feed may see a noticeable loss in volume once they stop. This volume can be restored with a breast augmentation procedure, while also restoring a more aesthetically pleasing visual appearance of the breasts. For those women who experienced significant growth of their breasts during pregnancy, often resulting in them drooping or appearing saggy as well as inducing back or problems or shoulder pain due to the additional weight, then a breast lift and/or breast reduction may be the perfect solution depending on your personal circumstances.

To target the abdominals, an abdominoplasty can be ideal to tighten the stomach and, if required, remove excess skin and abdominal fat. This procedure involves the abdominal wall muscles being tightened, and if the skin has been significantly stretched, such as during the birth of twins, then excess skin may also need to be removed.

These procedures can produce incredible changes to the body when they are performed together by a reputable and highly skilled cosmetic surgeon.

When is the best time to have the mummy makeover procedures?

The best time to look into undergoing these mummy makeover procedures is when you are certain you have given birth for the very last time and allowed yourself adequate time to recover - both physically and mentally.

You will need to take your mummy makeover recovery time into account as well, because if you have young children that need caring for after your procedures, you’ll need a doting father or close family and friends to pitch in and help out for at least a few weeks.

The same goes for your career - expect to take a full 2-3 weeks away from work, or even longer if your work entails strenuous activity.

If you’d like to discuss the mummy makeover procedures to find out if you’d be the perfect candidate, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me here at Harley Street Aesthetics. Contact me to book in your consultation by calling 0845 519 7232, e-mailing info@harleystreetaesthetics.com or by completing the online contact form.