Anyone considering plastic surgery after child bearing?

[lizzyann]

Anyone ever consider it? I never thought I would, but my body (in particular my breasts) have changed so much after having my son. I do not live in an area where plastic surgery is common (northeast area). The most I ever see is an occasional breast reduction. My DH and I are planning on having one more child, but after that...I dunno, I might consider a lift and implants possibly. I am definitely not going to go for HUGE boobs or anything, but just give me a little more volume that I lost during pregnancy/breast feeding. Anyways, anyone go thru this? Just wondering if I am not alone.

 

[qtiekiki]

Yes. Not seriously considered, but I've said to DH that I might get a tummy tuck and breast lift when we are done having kids. His response is if you want to. I don't know if I have gut to actually do it, and the thoughts of having surgeries that are not necessities and having to recover from them kind of scare me.

 

[lliang_chi]

My mom had a tummy tuck after us. It was much later, but she always wanted on. I guess she was saving up for it. Anyway, I guess it's not that uncommon. And done well, people wouldn't even be able to tell right?

 

[Puppmom]

I've definitely considered it but I'm waiting until they make plastic surgery pain-free!

 

[meresal]

My husband and I talked about this before we even had our son.

I will have my breasts fixed after I finish having children. They were already larger than I preferred before having my son, and now I really can't stand them.

 

[TravelingGal]

No, but I can totally understand why some people do. For me, I just wear it as a badge of honor of things I've gone through in my life, which obviously includes having my kid. That doesn't mean I don't want to work off fat or anything, but when it comes to more droopy boobs, or funny f'd up c-section tummy, I'm ok with it.

One of my very good friends had a boob job post kid. She's really happy with it. She told me her small size A boob went up to Ds, which she loved, and then went back down to A's...except they more resembled flapjacks than breasts. I wouldn't want those either. My other friend (actually best friend) always used to say she'd NEVER have a boob job because she feels blessed with with God gave her. Post 2 kids, she said she wanted a boob job. I asked her, "I thought you were happy with what God gave you?" She said, "Yes I am...and I want those boobs back! THESE are not what God gave me!"

Like I said, I definitely understand it, but my self esteem doesn't suffer from it so I'd rather spend my money elsewhere.

 

[Pandora II]

Having had my pelvic floor seriously damaged during an instrumental delivery I will almost certainly get that fixed, but maybe that doesn't count as plastic surgery?

Otherwise I've been pretty lucky and don't look much different from pre-pregnancy - I didn't get stretchmarks and my stomach is pretty flat (I do core abdominals for my spine which really help that - otherwise I'm a lazy moo and my only exercise is pushing the stroller) and I lost a huge amount of weight through breastfeeding. Still breast-feeding so I don't know what my boobs will do after I stop, and who knows what another pregnancy might do.

I'm 38 now and UK weather isn't that great for bikinis anyway so I will probably just buy more pairs of Spanx and good bras.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

If DH and I could afford it then I would in a heartbeat. After my son my breasts pretty much went back to normal, but the muffin top and huge thighs never went away. I also want to have my neck lipo'd since I'm a little flabby there as well (turkey gobble). I'm expecting our second, and last, child right now so I joke and tell DH that we need to start saving for my "mommy makeover" now

 

[KimberlyH]

I've been planning a breast reduction and lift for years. I may have more done to undo the mess of being obese at one point, long before my daughter was born.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Nope. I'm with TGal - my body created life, and as a result, changed. I don't see it as bad, I see it as a badge of honor. Stretch marks and all.

 

[lizzyann]

Thanks for responding ladies. I am glad to hear I am not the only one who thinks about this and doesn't feel bad for considering it. I am on the fence for sure though. Qtiekiki, your point about unnecessary surgeries is the real reason why I don't know if I will ever pull the trigger and get my breasts done after we have another baby. Why take the risk? Hubby loves me (even with my floppy boobies!), but I just don't like how my ladies look you know? I don't like how my clothes fit due to this. My shirts are looser on top. But I can't go down a size because I need the fuller size for around my waist. Eh. I was never large chested by any means - full B before pregnancy, now I am a small B but I have dropped and loss serious volume. We'll see. Maybe a nice uplifted C cup? Anyone know how much new boobies cost these days?

Tgal and monkeypie, kudos to you girls for owning your new body post baby. I am actually pretty satisfied with my post bod. Weight is back to pre-preg (not quite as toned, but no biggie), only a couple stretch marks on my hips, but I am just not loving my breasts. Maybe after baby #2, they'll be better? Highly doubtful right?

 

[meresal]

If things are still the same, then I know pretty much any surgery on boobies that isn't implants, is crazy expensive.

I know when my sister had her reduction in the late 90's (my issue is hereditary)... it was 3x the price of implants. Luckily she was able to get it covered by insurance for back problems.

 

[Mara]

the only thing i would consider is boob lift. but i have heard it's horrible pain and i'm a wuss.

but seriously...after bf'ing and then the 'deflation' that happens afterwards-they are kind of really sad.

for you gals who are still bf'ing and thinking about a reduction--you never know, some gals shrink down and are smaller than they began with. mine went up from a B to a DD and now are back down to a B pretty much but like deflated fruits. so fun. thank goodness they look fine in clothes. ha!

 

[oobiecoo]

I'd probably do it. A breast reduction/lift and maybe some lipo or tummy tuck... I might be too scared to do under the knife though!

 

[Nashville]

Tummy tuck, breast reduction.

 

[monarch64]

I was just thinking about this today...I don't yet have children (broken record, Monnie)...but I really feel that elective surgery is different from medically necessary surgery in that you EXPECT the pain and therefore it is a bit less intense and welcome than pain that is, for lack of a better term, inflicted upon you because it HAS to be done.

I opted to have a ton of crazy oral surgery done a few years ago and people were like, WTH??? Why would you do that to yourself???

I honestly used maybe 10 vicodan throughout the 15 days I was in pain, and I soldiered right through it because it was something I wanted THAT badly--I wanted the surgery for the end result and not because a doctor or dentist had said it was necessary. So, I think that's how (and I have no firsthand knowledge here) people get through serious cosmetic surgeries--they want the outcome so much that any amount of pain is just not that bad.

 

[lyra]

I watched a modest breast reduction surgery on tv today, and I can now say there's no way I would ever submit to that! I know women who are quite happy with their results but what they are happy with is how they look clothed. The woman on the tv show still looked awful when naked 3 months later, but yes her clothes fit better. She had the same complexion as me (pale) and ended up with very visible scarring. Not for me. It must take years for those scars to improve. But to each her own of course.

 

[meresal]

Lyra, what is crazy about me, is that I am very confident in how I look bare... it is how I look in clothes that I don't like.

 

[anchor31]

I've always had ridiculously small breasts (34AA). Post-preggo I would have like to have at least an A cup, but you know, at least they were firm and perky. They went up to a B when I was pregnant, almost C when I breastfed, and I loved it! I never felt so good about the way I looked. Now, not only are they back to AA, but they are shapeless and the nipples are sort of stretched and sunken. I hate them and won't take my bra off in front of my husband. If I could afford it, I totally would have a boob job. I would love to go back to a B. I'm not sure it'll ever happen.

 

[lizzyann]

Lyra, what is crazy about me, is that I am very confident in how I look bare... it is how I look in clothes that I don't like.

Meresal, this is so me! I am actually more confident in my body naked. I just love clothes so much and now I feel like even the best pieces I own just don't look as nice now as they fit all weird.

Anyways, on another note not really mommy related...has anyone thought of doing any face work (botox etc) to help with deep wrinkles. I am 31, did a lot of sunbathing, but luckily I have oily skin so my wrinkles are not all that bad. Thing with oily skin is that I have acne prone skin due to it, but at least the wrinkles aren't quite as bad. But anyways, I have a deepish line on my forehead and in between my eyebrows, I tend to look a little furrowed (if that makes sense). I am very seriously considering doing some in office type of non-surgical work to try to correct it in the future. But no way in hell am I going to go crazy, because I don't want to look like a once too many facelifts lady when I get older. I am fine with aging. Light wrinkles/crows feet don't bother me but those two main ones I mentioned above really bother me. Anyone else consider this....

 

[waxing lyrical]

Yep. I plan to restore my temple after I'm done having babies and breastfeeding. Most likely a couple years after the next baby. I want a tummy tuck and breast aug/lift.

 

[E B]

I would consider having a small boob job done (maybe to take me to a small C), but only the kind where your own fat is used. I highly doubt my husband would be okay with it, though. We'll see.

 

[fieryred33143]

Well, I'd like to get a breast reduction. They're starting to heart my back. But I'm also carrying a lot more weight so I'm going to wait to see if losing will help relieve some of that pain.

 

[Jas12]

would i like my pre-baby boobs back? Yes
would i actually get my boobs done? nope

I had small boobs to begin with. Then i nursed my son for 16 mos and quickly realized (once i weaned) that they weren't that small/bad. I should have appreciated them at the time. lol. I got pregnant again immediately, so i didn't have long to pout about their new deflated state.
I plan to nurse my daughter for around 2 years. So 18 mos of pregnancy plus 40 mos of nursing should make my boobs unrecognizable. So why not get something done? For one, DH is not for it. He's in the 'badge of honor' camp. He's the only one that sees me neekid, so well, if he's okay with it, and i am okay with it, it seems silly. Also, and this is the biggie, it's not worth the risk of later health complications. I've heard honor stories about implants rupturing, leaking, sagging etc. and that freaks me out.
So for now, i am saying no....but ask me again in a couple of years

 

[Jennifer W]

I am not considering it, at all. How I look isn't important enough to risk my health and life over, not by a long way. Surgery carries risks that I'd only take if it was essential, especially with a child to care for. I think I'd rather have odd bits of body than surgical scars, too. The only think I really don't like about my body are the little scars I have from keyhole surgery last year. I'm oddly resentful of them. The rest of it, I pretty much love, since it's all me and my life experience.

However, my best friend just had a tummy tuck, and it has made her happier, so for her I think it was a good choice. She was really upset by her appearance after 3 children and now she's happier with it, so that's great for her. She had a long and tough recovery, with some minor complications, yet she is very clear that it was well worth it and that it was very important to her.

For me, it's just not important enough, for her it was the most important thing in the world- I suppose what I'm saying is that only you will know where on that scale you are and whether it's important enough to go for it.

 

[Nashville]

I seriously envy the "I gave birth, I changed, it's a badge of honor" mentality. I think it's very healthy. I just miss being able to shop for clothes the way I used to and feeling confident around people. Now I get paranoid that everyone is staring at me. I was a DD before I gave birth and am now a G. It's extremely uncomfortable and painful. I thought my boobs were supposed to get smaller!

 

[fieryred33143]

Well, I'd like to get a breast reduction. They're starting to heart my back. But I'm also carrying a lot more weight so I'm going to wait to see if losing will help relieve some of that pain.

*Um, yeah that should be hurt

I'm full of all kinds of fail today. Sigh.

 

[MustangGal]

I've always wanted implants, and having preggo/b-fing boobs just made me realize what they could look like! I'm an A (-), and after Kyle they went right back. I don't want anything huge, just enough to balance my rear. Pre-baby I had plans of selling my eggs when we were done to finance the boobs. Turns out egg selling doesn't pay enough . So, probably not going to happen.

 

[jaysonsmom]

I never considered a boob job. After nursing 2 babies, I went from a C-D down to a B cup, and I find it very appropriate for my build. I found my previous bigger boobs to be cumbersome.

I did get a consult to have lipo on my post-baby pooch, but the plastic surgeon told me that my "flap" was mostly fiberous tissue that got streched, and that sucking out whatever "fat" was in there would make it look worse. He suggested a mini-tummy tuck, around 5K.
I was so tempted to do it, but then he said that he would not recommend picking up the kids for at least 6 weeks. Well, dang! How can someone NOT pick up their toddler and baby for 6 weeks? So I never got it done. Now my youngest is 6 years old....I guess I'm not bothered by my less-than-perfect body anymore.

 

[swingirl]

Don't you need to have breast implants replaced every 10 years or so? Are you willing to take on future surgeries? I saw a surgery where they removed belly tissue and put it up into the boobs. That sounds like a better idea than the bags.