Many women who have are too young to have considered any cosmetic surgery procedures find themselves dealing with the subject after one or more pregnancies. For many, the idea of having the belly flattened seems an act of mere vanity until faced with the consequences of bearing their children. While you may be in love with your child, you don’t have to love the sagging muscles and stretched, displaced body tissues. 
Mothers often pay a high post pregnancy price for the privilege of giving birth. Just a few of the complications in even a standard birth can include such problems as:
- Diastasis recti, or separated abdominal muscles
- Stretched skin and large folds of skin
- Increased fatty deposits
- Loss of confidence and depression from these conditions
When you’ve waited some time and taken the normal steps to get back to as good a shape as possible, but you’re still dissatisfied with your belly, it may be time to consult with your OB/GYN and get a referral to an experienced cosmetic surgeon to discuss a tummy tuck post pregnancy. There are several procedures, such as a abdominoplasty or panniculectomy, that might be appropriate to deal with your situation. Only a decade ago such procedures were largely limited to older and postmenopausal women. Today, however, the American Society of Plastic Surgery reports that the average woman having a tummy tuck is under the age of 35 and has at least two young children. In fact, it is reported that the number of such abdominal procedures nearly doubled between 2000 and 2009 and exceeded 110,000 treatments. With today’s fashions and unrelenting focus on personal appearance, many women feel that this is a safe and affordable way to reclaim at least part of what it cost their bodies to become mothers. It also allows them to resume some of the physical activities that their post pregnancy bellies prevented or hindered. What does a Tummy Tuck Post Pregnancy Involve? If you’re considering a tummy tuck after pregnancy, it’s wise to understand what such a procedure involves. First, understand that it is, in fact, a serious medical operation. All such medical procedures involve inherent risks that must be weighed, particularly in light of your own medical condition. Therefore, any such consideration starts with a visit to both your general practitioner and OB/GYN. 
The second thing to understand is that, according to most doctors, a tummy tuck will cause a considerable amount of discomfort for at least 10 to 14 days. Depending on your exact procedure, this can extend to as much as a month and limit your normal activities, including mommy functions. While specifics vary, your surgeon is going to make a horizontal incision across your belly between the pubic bone and navel. That incision can be as large as the entire length of you abdomen. One this cut is made, your skin is pulled back and the unnecessary fat is removed. After this, your skin is pulled back and taughtly stretched. You’ll usually get a new belly button hole in the skin and any excess skin is then removed. As indicated, there are a number of variations, including a lipoabdominoplasty and the mini-tuck. Whichever is used, you’ll spend a number of days hunched over because of the purposely over-stretched skin that results from the operation. You know that birth brought pain and tummy tucks follow suit. That means you’ll be using a lot of pain medications that will slow you down for a time, as well. The mommy tuck may be what the doctor ordered but don’t think of it as a simple procedure. Make sure and your family are ready for you to be out of circulation for some time if you opt for this popular procedure.