I Want My Pre Pregnancy Stomach Back: Is a Tummy Tuck My Answer?

Pregnancy and childbirth change everything from your shoe size to your disposable income, but it’s all worth it when you watch your child and your family grow. Over time, many of the effects of pregnancy wear off — you lose the weight, enjoy (relatively) stable hormone levels, and walk without waddling. 

But if you’re like many women, your stomach may not have snapped back to its original taut position. When you’ve tried diet and exercise, but nothing seems to tame your saggy belly, it may be time to consider a tummy tuck.

When you’re ready, get in touch with Rick J. Smith, MD, in East Lansing, Michigan. Dr. Smith is a board-certified plastic surgeon with decades of experience. He also has a reputation for keeping his patients’ needs, opinions, and perspectives at the center of every consultation and treatment plan.

If you’re considering a tummy tuck to restore your pre pregnancy stomach, you can trust Dr. Smith to tighten up your abdomen.

The facts about postpartum belly

It’s not hard to understand why your belly got big during pregnancy. What some women scratch their heads over is why their abdomen seems to stay misshapen even though their baby is now a toddler or in school.

Although some women seem to snap back to their pre pregnancy shape almost instantly, the fact is there are several variables at play, and they affect every mom differently. Here are a few of the factors you’re dealing with:

• Excess fat
• Excess skin
• Stretched out muscles
• Hormones
• Genetics

During your pregnancy, your blood was filled with a flood of hormones, including elastin, which gave your skin extra elasticity, and relaxin, which made all your ligaments and joints limber to accommodate the girth of your growing baby. Even your internal organs got pushed out of the way and took up a temporary residence under your ribs and off to the side for a while.

You likely also gained in the ballpark of 25 pounds. Some of that disappeared on delivery day, but often, the extra fat remains. 

Your abdominal muscles stretched to their max and may have even separated. This condition is called diastasis recti — a vertical division in the band of tissue down the center of your abdomen.

Exercise, a healthy diet, breastfeeding, and time can help you shed extra pounds but sometimes, the tissues are too damaged to spring back without some extra help. That’s where a tummy tuck comes in.

What a tummy tuck can do for you

When Dr. Smith performs a tummy tuck, it’s a very personalized procedure tailored to your unique anatomy and aesthetic goals. You may need only minor adjustments, or you require more involved surgery that addresses more complex issues. 

In general, tummy tucks involve the removal of excess fat and skin and the reattachment of stretched and sagging muscle tissue. The result is a tighter abdomen, a well-positioned belly button, and a sleeker figure. 

The swelling and discoloration subside after a couple of weeks, and you can go back to work in approximately 2 weeks.  Keep in mind that the real results won’t be visible until your body heals completely — in about 2-3 months. At that time, the mirror should reveal a firmer abdomen that looks much more like your body before you had kids. 

As long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes a thoughtful diet and regular exercise, your tummy tuck should last. 

To schedule a consultation and find out if you’re a good candidate for a tummy tuck, either call us or request an appointment online.