On the Mommy Makeover.
The Mommy Makeover is not a single procedure. It is a term for a combination of operations — most commonly a tummy tuck paired with breast augmentation, a breast lift, or both — performed in one surgical session so that you recover from everything at once rather than staging multiple surgeries months apart.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding can change the body in ways that diet and exercise do not reverse. The abdominal muscles stretch and sometimes separate (diastasis recti). Skin loses elasticity and does not fully retract. Breasts that gained volume during pregnancy and nursing often deflate, drop, or both. These are mechanical changes — structural alterations that require surgical correction rather than lifestyle adjustments. That is not a failure. It is just anatomy.
The case for combining the procedures is straightforward: one anesthesia event instead of two, one recovery instead of two, and a coordinated result where the proportions of the abdomen and breast are planned together rather than addressed sequentially. For the right candidate, that efficiency is meaningful — in time, in total cost, and in the logistics of arranging help.
What a Mommy Makeover is not: a fixed menu. The components are determined at consultation based on your anatomy, your goals, and the surgical plan that is actually appropriate for you. At Colores, every quote is customized and itemized in writing. The combination your neighbor had may not be the combination you need.
The procedure
A Mommy Makeover is performed under general anesthesia and typically takes 5–7 hours depending on which components are included and their complexity. Surgery takes place in our AAAASF-accredited facility. For combined cases of this length, overnight 23-hour observation may be recommended — your surgical plan will specify.
Sequence — breast component first. Breast surgery is performed at the beginning of the case, before the abdominal component. This order is preferred because breast positioning and symmetry are more precisely assessed while the patient’s upper body is still in its natural resting state, before any repositioning required for the abdominal work. Depending on your anatomy and goals, the breast component may be augmentation alone (implant placement), mastopexy alone (lift without implant), or combined augmentation-mastopexy.
Abdominal component. Following breast surgery, attention moves to the abdomen. A full abdominoplasty addresses three things: repair of the rectus abdominis muscles if diastasis is present, excision of excess lower abdominal skin, and repositioning of the umbilicus. The incision is placed low, within the bikini line when possible. If liposuction of the flanks is included in your plan, it is typically performed at this stage to refine the waist contour.
Surgical drains are placed in the abdominal area and remain for 7–14 days. You are discharged with a compression garment, a supportive bra, and written aftercare instructions.
Candidates
Good candidates for a Mommy Makeover typically meet all of the following criteria:
- Finished having children. This is the most important criterion. Subsequent pregnancy will stretch the repaired abdominal muscles and altered breast tissue. The results are not protected against future pregnancies.
- Weight stable for at least 6 months after finishing breastfeeding. Active weight loss or recent delivery changes the tissue quality and alters what surgery can achieve.
- BMI within a range that supports safe general anesthesia for a multi-hour combined procedure. Your surgical team will assess this at consultation.
- Non-smoker, or fully stopped for at least 4 weeks before surgery and 4 weeks after. Nicotine significantly impairs wound healing in both the abdominal incision and the breast tissue.
- Able to arrange adult help at home for a minimum of 2 weeks post-operatively — including full childcare coverage and assistance with daily tasks.
- No lifting over approximately 10 pounds for 6 weeks, which includes not lifting infants or toddlers without accommodation.
- Realistic expectations about the recovery duration, which is longer than either component procedure performed alone.
- No uncontrolled medical conditions that increase the risk profile for a longer anesthesia case.
Candidacy is assessed in full at your consultation. Your specific anatomy, medical history, and goals determine the plan — not a general checklist.
Recovery, week by week
Combined procedure recovery is longer than single-procedure recovery. Plan your support and time off accordingly — not optimistically.
| Milestone | What is typically allowed | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 (discharge) | Discharge home or from 23-hour observation. Short slow walks encouraged immediately (DVT prevention). Clear liquids progressing to light food. Rest with compression garment and supportive bra in place. | Driving. Lifting anything over 5 lbs. Removing compression garment or bra without instruction. Stair climbing without assistance. |
| Week 1 | Light walking every 1–2 hours (essential for circulation). Sleep in a slightly flexed position to reduce abdominal tension — recliner or wedge pillow. Post-op follow-up appointment at day 5–7 for drain check and wound assessment. | Direct lifting. Driving. Baths or submersion in water. Sleeping flat. Caring for children without additional adult help present. |
| Weeks 1–2 | Drains typically removed within this window when output drops below threshold. Upright posture gradually improves. Short car rides (as passenger) possible. | Lifting over 10 lbs. Driving while drains are in place or while taking narcotic pain medication. Resuming work that requires standing for extended periods. |
| Weeks 2–3 | Return to desk work for most patients. Upright posture restored for most. Light household activity. Some patients cleared to drive by week 2–3 (confirmed at appointment). | Exercise beyond walking. Lifting over 10 lbs. Any activity that strains the abdominal wall. |
| Week 6 | Supportive bra wear typically concluded at 6 weeks. No-lifting restriction on the abdominal side concludes for most patients. Continued wear of abdominal compression recommended through this point. | High-impact exercise. Lower abdominal resistance exercises. Confirm clearance with your surgeon before resuming any fitness activity beyond light walking. |
| Week 8 | Full activity cleared for most patients, including return to exercise, swimming, and non-contact sports. Abdominal swelling continues to resolve through 3–6 months; final contour not yet visible. | No lasting restrictions for most patients at this point. Weight stability protects results long-term. |
| Month 6 | Final result visible. Abdominal scar matured; breast contour settled. Follow-up photos and assessment at the 6-month appointment. | No lasting restrictions. Weight stability and sun protection of the scar are the principal long-term maintenance considerations. |
The timeline above is a general reference. Your written post-operative instructions, provided at discharge, are the authoritative guide. Every milestone is confirmed at follow-up appointments, not assumed.
Risks & what we do to reduce them
All surgery carries risk. A combined procedure carries the cumulative risks of each component plus risks that scale with surgical duration. Understanding both categories is part of informed consent.
Risks that apply to any general anesthesia procedure: adverse anesthetic reaction, infection, wound healing complications, unfavorable scarring, fluid accumulation (seroma), hematoma, and changes in skin sensation that may be temporary or permanent.
Risks that increase with combined and longer procedures: deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism are the most consequential. Longer anesthesia time and reduced mobility in the early recovery period both increase DVT risk. Our DVT prophylaxis protocol includes compression devices during surgery, early ambulation beginning the same day as surgery, and structured movement instructions throughout recovery. Staying mobile within the guidelines is not optional — it is a clinical requirement.
Component-specific risks: abdominal wound dehiscence and skin healing complications are more likely in smokers, diabetics, and patients with a higher BMI — all factors reviewed at candidacy assessment. Breast augmentation carries standard implant-specific risks including capsular contracture, implant malposition, and the need for future implant revision.
The practical risk at home: returning to lifting, childcare, or activity too early is one of the most common causes of wound complications in Mommy Makeover patients. Arranging adequate help at home is not comfort — it is part of the medical plan.
Risks are discussed in full at your consultation. No minimizing, no alarmism.
References & related reading
Want to dig deeper? For independent, non-commercial medical information on cosmetic and plastic surgery, see MedlinePlus, published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, and the patient education resources of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
At Colores you may also want to read about Neck Lift and Otoplasty (Ear Surgery), meet our board-certified surgeons, or request an itemized written quote.
What a Mommy Makeover costs at Colores.
Range is wider than single-procedure pricing because the total depends on which components are included. A tummy tuck paired with straightforward breast augmentation falls toward the lower end. Adding a breast lift, performing simultaneous augmentation-mastopexy, or including liposuction of the flanks trends toward the higher end. Components are customized at consultation.
What is included
- Surgeon fee (all components)
- AAAASF-accredited facility fee
- Anesthesiology (general anesthesia)
- Surgical drains and dressing supplies
- Post-operative compression garment and supportive bra
- Post-operative follow-up appointments (week 1, week 6, month 6)
Financing available through CareCredit and other third-party medical financing partners. Approval and terms depend on your credit profile. Ask your patient coordinator at your consultation.
All prices are starting estimates. Your written itemized quote, provided after consultation, is the authoritative figure.
Request itemized quoteMommy Makeover questions, answered directly.
The range is $18,500–28,000, depending on which components are included and their complexity. A tummy tuck with breast augmentation falls toward the lower end. Adding a breast lift or performing combined augmentation-mastopexy trends higher.
Every quote is itemized in writing after your consultation and covers surgeon fee, facility fee, anesthesiology, drains, post-operative compression garment and bra, and follow-up appointments. There are no fees added after you decide.
At minimum, 6 months after delivery — and longer if you breastfed. Breast tissue needs time to fully involute after weaning, and body weight needs to have stabilized at your post-pregnancy baseline for at least 6 months. Operating before these conditions are met produces a less predictable result and may require revision.
If you had a C-section, allow your abdominal scar adequate time to mature before planning abdominoplasty. Your surgeon will assess scar quality at consultation.
This depends on the breast component selected and your individual anatomy. Many patients who have breast augmentation with submuscular implant placement retain the ability to breastfeed, particularly when incisions avoid the areola. Breast lift techniques vary in how much they involve the areola and ducts — some techniques carry a higher theoretical risk of affecting milk duct continuity than others.
If future breastfeeding is a priority, state that explicitly at consultation. Technique selection for the breast component can be influenced by this goal. What the surgeon cannot do is guarantee breastfeeding function regardless of technique — that is anatomy-dependent and cannot be assured by any surgical approach.
There is no fixed definition. “Mommy Makeover” is a clinical colloquialism, not a standardized procedure. The most common configuration is abdominoplasty combined with breast augmentation, breast lift, or both. Liposuction of the flanks is frequently added at the time of the tummy tuck to refine the waist.
At Colores, the combination is built around what your anatomy actually requires — not a package menu. If you only need one of the two primary components, we will tell you. The goal is the right surgery for your body, not the fullest possible package.
Yes, for well-selected candidates. Combining procedures in a single anesthesia event is a well-established practice in plastic surgery with a documented track record. The risk considerations are: total anesthesia duration, your health baseline, and the complexity of components selected.
Our surgical team evaluates each proposed plan against evidence-based guidelines for safe operative duration. If a combined plan exceeds safe parameters for your specific case — based on your health, BMI, or complexity of components — we will recommend staging the procedures across two sessions. That is a clinical judgment, not an upsell. We will tell you the reason and show you the logic.
Plan for a minimum of 2 weeks of full-time help. If you have infants or toddlers, plan for longer. You cannot lift a child over approximately 10 pounds for 6 weeks after surgery — this is a medical restriction, not a guideline to stretch. You cannot drive for the first 1–2 weeks. The abdominal component significantly limits your ability to bend, reach, and respond quickly in the first week.
Patients who do not arrange adequate help at home are the most common source of early post-operative complications. This logistics planning is as important as any other part of your pre-operative preparation.
No — or at minimum, not advisable. Subsequent pregnancy will stretch the abdominal muscles and skin that were surgically repaired, and will alter the breast volume and shape that was restored. The surgery cannot create results that are immune to future pregnancies, because pregnancy itself is a physical force that operates on all tissue.
Surgeons routinely decline to perform Mommy Makeover procedures on patients who state they plan additional pregnancies, because the expected outcome is partial or full revision of the result within a few years. If there is a reasonable possibility of future pregnancy, the right decision is to wait until your family is complete. This is the most honest answer, and it is universally shared across the specialty.
