Plastic surgery recovery is difficult and requires a lot of downtime. And when you have young children, your road to recovery can feel impossible! But don’t get discouraged.

Plastic surgery after children is actually very common. However, it will require some stricter planning. So if you want to learn more about planning plastic surgery with children, then keep reading! 

After all, your results are only as good as how well you’re able to recover.

Plastic Surgery Recovery Time

Plastic surgery recovery times vary depending on the surgery and the person. But on average, most people need about six to eight weeks to recover from most plastic surgeries.

However, if the individual is performing strenuous activities, they can prolong these times. This is why planning plastic surgery is so important! 

The best way to plan for plastic surgery is to schedule your surgery during your personal “off-season”. This phrase refers to a time where you’ll be less busy with work and family life. For example, a winter or summer break could be the best time for you to plan the surgery. Spring break is also a very popular time.

This way, you can avoid picking up children and dropping them off while you’re trying to recover. However, if your children have a designated person for drop-offs and pick-ups, then you’ll have no problems scheduling your surgery during the school season. You’ll get more privacy and downtime since your children will be at school for most of the day!

What Does Plastic Surgery Recovery Entail?

After plastic surgery, you will need to get plenty of rest so that your body begins healing itself. The healing process begins on day one and continues for several weeks. You’ll want to avoid heavy lifting and other physical activities while in recovery. There are also other recovery steps that you’ll need to take. Keep reading to learn more about recovery methods for different surgeries.

Tummy Tuck Recovery

A tummy tuck is great for those who have had children and have extra skin and fat in the abdomen. This procedure removes the extra skin and fat as well as tightening the abdominal wall.

Recovery from a tummy tuck takes about 6-8 weeks. Because some people recover a little faster, and some a little longer, you’ll want to set aside some buffer time just in case.

Right after surgery, you shouldn’t drive or operate heavy machinery. Therefore, picking up children from school or daycare will not be possible. You’ll definitely need help for the first 3-4 weeks.

Most of your recovery will be spent on your bed, in a recliner, or a chair. You also would want to keep your abdomen protected, so make sure that your young children aren’t sleeping with you. This is because a young child could potentially rupture a suture if they kicked you during your sleep. Nevertheless, you will still be able to spend quality time with your children after surgery! You can cuddle up or hold their hand!

Breast Augmentation or Lift Recovery

Breast augmentation involves adding volume to the breasts. A lift will not add any volume but will reduce droopiness. Many mothers get this surgery to get their breasts back to the way they were before breastfeeding. 

These kinds of surgeries can take up to 4-6 weeks to heal. Oftentimes, they’re done together, as they will produce the best results. However, you’ll need to go through a recovery process before you’re able to see the final results.

For example, you’ll have to adjust your sleeping position, wear surgery bras, and take your medications as prescribed. Just like with a tummy tuck, it’s best to sleep alone, as this will prevent any accidental trauma from your little ones.

However, this will be hard especially if you’re the parent of a child who need a lot of attention.

Kids are much more understanding than we think. Try explaining to your child that you need some “mommy time” to recover. You can even use words like “booboos” to refer to your incision site.

And if your child needs a night buddy, have an older sibling or your partner sleep with them during your recovery! Overall, like the tummy tuck surgery, having breast augmentation or lift is very common after having children.

Labiaplasty Recovery

Labiaplasty involves cutting the excess skin from the outer lips of the vagina. This kind of surgery is great for women who’ve experienced some normal stretching after giving birth.

And although having this excess skin isn’t a medical concern, it can be very bothersome. For example, some women have a hard time working out because their vaginal tissue gets caught with their clothing.

Therefore, Labiaplasty is a great way to remove this unwanted skin. But like any plastic surgery, you’ll need to plan ahead for your recovery.

If you have young children, ensure that your partner or caregiver can take care of them. You will need at least a week to recover from a labiaplasty. Your surgeon may also prescribe pain medication during this time.

For the first week, driving is discouraged, even if you’re not taking pain medications, to avoid placing unnecessary stress on the sutures.

Tips for Recovering With School Children

As we mentioned earlier, you should try to plan your surgery during your “off-season”. However, sometimes this isn’t possible for working or stay-at-home moms.

Therefore, you’ll need to know tips for planning plastic surgery with school children. One of the best things you can do is schedule a designated driver for picking up your children and dropping them off.

If you cannot arrange this, ensure that your surgeon clears you before driving. You could also enroll your children in after-school activities. This will give you more time throughout the day to recover alone. Not to mention, your children will learn a new hobby and make new friends. This might be a win-win for everyone!

Lastly, communicate with your partner about extending their duties. For example, if you’re usually in charge of dinner, have them take over this task until you’ve recovered.

Lastly, you could ask family members if they could watch over your kids or maybe help you recover. Overall, the more people that are there for you, the better.

Tips for Recovering With an Infant

Having a child that is under the age of 1 year old will make it harder for you to recover. Therefore, unless you have help, it’s recommended that you schedule your surgery after a year.

You’ll also want to wait until your child has been weaned off breastfeeding. This tip is especially important if you’re planning to get a breast augmentation or lift! Breastfeeding during recovery will not be possible, as the area will be very sore and tender.

Even though you won’t want to be lifting your baby, you’ll be able to sit right next to them, caress them, and even sing a gentle lullaby.

Here are some extra tips:

• Have your partner or caregiver do the cradling and feeding
• Only stand up when it’s absolutely necessary
• Ensure you’re eating and sleeping properly
• Be ready for the long nights

Having a newborn and dealing with plastic surgery recovery is very stressful. However, don’t neglect your recovery, as this could be life-threatening!

Things You Should Absolutely Avoid During Plastic Surgery Recovery

Planning plastic surgery and actually being in recovery are very different things. During your recovery with children, you may encounter some bumps along the way that you’ll want to watch out for. Here’s a list of things you should avoid after plastic surgery:

• Picking up children that weigh more than 5 to 8 pounds
• Running and heavy playing with your children
• Yelling or getting too stressed
• Excessive driving
• Newborn vomit or excretion around the incision site
• Heavy jumping and screaming

These may be everyday occurrences for you, especially if you’re a mother of young children. But it’s important that you cut, or at least reduce, these activities.

Is It Possible To Recover From Plastic Surgery With Young Children Around?

The answer is yes,! Plastic surgery is performed every day and with very few complications.

And having children does not make it impossible for you to get plastic surgery. If anything, you will be more encouraged to get plastic surgery after having children. 

You may feel obligated to plan your surgery during your “off-season” or after your child has reached a certain age. And although these are great tips, they may not align with your everyday life.

Therefore, the best time to start planning plastic surgery is whenever you feel ready! Remember that plastic surgery can be an emotional roller coaster of highs and lows. Therefore, make sure you’re in a stable position in your life in every regard.

Book an Appointment With a Surgeon Today

Plastic surgery recovery with children can be done with the proper planning! Just remember to follow these tips so that you can get the best results possible.

Of course, this guide just provides a very brief overview (and is not medical advice) on how to recover with young kids. You’ll want to talk with your plastic surgeon for your specific recovery plans.

We know that you might be eager to get plastic surgery, especially after having a child. So don’t wait any longer and contact us today to schedule an appointment.