What's the average time for recovery?

The mommy makeover average time for recovery depends on the procedures you choose, but you can plan for up to 2 weeks of downtime, and up to 1 week of around-the-clock care from another capable adult. 

Of course, everyone’s individual experience and recovery timeline is a little different, but the more help you can have the better. 

One of the best perks of a mommy makeover is you only have one recovery.

It may be a long two weeks–but most women, prefer to knock it out in one go, rather than have a week of recovery multiple times.

Whatever your exact recovery timeline ends up being...

It’s crucial to follow your plastic surgeon’s recovery protocol and don’t overdo it.

Make sure you have an in-depth conversation with your surgeon to understand the details of your individual recovery based on your anatomy, lifestyle, and the procedures included in your mommy makeover. 

For most, it's a good idea to be slow to get back into your daily life, avoid strenuous exercise, and get clearance from your surgeon before you return to work. 

Your recovery depends on the procedures you choose. 

In case you’re not already in the know, "mommy makeover" is just a marketing term to describe breast surgery and body procedures done at the same time.

Much like a build-your-own, you can pick and choose what procedures are in your mommy makeover.

Some common breast and body surgeries for mommy makeovers are:

• Breast augmentation (often with saline or silicone breast implants)
• Breast reduction
• Breast lift 
• Tummy tuck
• Liposuction

Be sure to have an idea of what your aesthetic goals are and the procedures you’re interested in before your consultation. From there, your plastic surgeon will create a surgical plan that is right for you and your anatomy. 

Not sure which procedures you’re into?

The free Bustmob Academy app has a full video series on each of the above procedures. Get into the weeds with recovery, costs, common myths, and an overview of each procedure. 

How painful is recovery from a mommy makeover? 

We’ve already talked about how individual the mommy makeover recovery is, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the answers to, “Is a mommy makeover recovery painful?”, are as far as they are wide.

But, if a mommy makeover including tummy tuck surgery and/or liposuction is on your horizon, your recovery is likely to be a full two weeks and it’s not exactly the easiest. 

Not only are tummy tucks and liposuction pretty intense procedures on the body and take some time to recover, their recoveries are also emotional. 

Though the final results are life-changing, in the beginning, healing from a mommy makeover feels like you took an area you were already uncomfortable with and made it look worse.

Bruising and swelling are to be expected and that swelling can take a full 12 months to heal. 

We don’t mean to scare you.

Actually, the opposite–the more you know ahead of time, the more realistic your expectations and the more confidence you’ll have that recovery isn’t forever.

You might even find the downtime at home to be a sweet, little staycation. 

Our best advice is to take your mommy makeover recovery day by day.

Be sure to take lots of before photos and progress photos in the same bathing suit or bra each week. 

Though it may feel like forever and that nothing is happening, those progress photos will help you see and track all of the changes your body has made.

We know because we've been there, too.

Knowing how physical and emotional the recovery is, is a major reason we made the Bustmob Community in the first place.

With over 50,000 members, there is no shortage of women sharing their mommy makeover recovery stories, tips and tricks, and emotional support. 

The plastic surgeons of Amelia Aesthetics even volunteer their time to host exclusive live Q&A sessions for the Bustmob Community.

Get answers to those "best-answered-by-a-surgeon" questions from everywhere in your journey, pre-op to recovery and years post-op.

What are the must-haves for a mommy makeover recovery kit?

The truth is, recovery from a mommy makeover procedure probably won’t be a walk in the park. Though, we do have some things to hopefully make it a little more comfortable for you. 

Here’s our list of mommy makeover recovery kit must-haves:

• Arnica gel & Arnica Montana tablets
• Compression garment
• Stool softeners
• Ice packs
• Underpads
• Tumblers w/ silicone straw
• Full-body wedge & Neck pillow

Arnica gel, Arnica Montana pellets, and compression garments can help with bruising and swelling.

Stool softeners, well, you know, help with some of that post-anesthesia and pain medication constipation. Glamorous, we know, but we’re here for the nitty gritty. 

Things like neck pillows and full-body wedge pillows can give you some autonomy and ease in getting up and down and provide a neutral position to help decrease swelling.

Underpads will help keep your bedding free of any excess fluids or drainage, while ice packs and tumblers will make your recovery a little more comfortable. 

Of course, always check with your physician before adding any supplements or changes to their suggested recovery protocol. They’ll have the full picture of your medical history, procedures, and needs. 

Found this helpful, but want more? 

Good news! This is just one of hundreds of fun, factual videos on the Bustmob Academy app to make your plastic surgery research easy.

From commonly told myths and FAQs, to recovery time and costs, Jenny Eden, founder of Bustmob, and Gretta Nance, lead educator at Amelia Aesthetics, break down your plastic surgery research into bite-size, binge-able pieces. 

Pair the Bustmob Academy app with support from the Bustmob Community and you are well on your way to being empowered and educated before you even set foot in your consultation.