Pregnancy changes more than routines and schedules. It changes the body in ways we don't expect—whether it’s the soft fold of skin that never tightened, the abdominal muscles that never quite came back together, or the way clothing fits differently no matter the effort. Most women try to undo these changes with diet, exercise, and patience. And then, at some point, they ask an honest question: What if this isn’t something I can fix on my own?
A mommy makeover exists for that moment. It’s a structured option when other efforts have been exhausted and it’s time for change. It combines breast and body procedures like a tummy tuck, liposuction, and breast lift or augmentation to restore what pregnancy stretched, shifted, or emptied.
With more than two decades of experience in cosmetic and body contouring surgery, Dr. Paul Fortes has guided countless women through this decision, helping them understand what’s possible and what aligns with their lives. Your motivation doesn’t need to be justified to anyone. It’s enough that you’re ready to explore your options.
Wanting a flatter abdomen or firmer breasts does not erase the experience of giving birth. It’s an expression of agency: choosing how to inhabit the next chapter of life.
Pregnancy produces a set of predictable physical changes: stretched skin, weakened abdominal muscles, localized excess fat, and sagging breasts. Some of these changes respond to diet and a healthy lifestyle, but others—notably diastasis recti, loose skin, and significant breast ptosis—require surgical correction for meaningful, lasting improvement.
Mommy makeover patients often describe the choice in practical terms: they want garments to sit correctly, they want to exercise without discomfort, and they want curves that reflect how they feel. For many, the emotional reward is a restoration of self-confidence. Dr. Fortes often hears women describe this as finally ‘getting back in sync’ with themselves—the moment when their body starts matching the way they’ve felt internally for years.
“Most women aren’t trying to become someone different,” Dr. Fortes explains. “They just want their appearance to reflect who they already are.”
A mommy makeover is not a single, fixed procedure. It's a carefully planned package of operations that addresses individual patient concerns. The most common elements are abdominal contouring, breast procedures, and body sculpting.
At FortesMD, these plans are always customized. Dr. Fortes studies how the abdomen, breasts, and torso relate to each other so the final result feels balanced rather than pieced together. Below are the core options and what each accomplishes:
A tummy tuck repairs the separated abdominal muscles that often develop during pregnancy and removes excess skin that cannot retract on its own. The surgeon tightens the abdominal wall, which reduces the bulge caused by diastasis recti and creates a flatter stomach. A well-performed abdominoplasty yields improved abdominal contouring and a stronger core, which can reduce back pain and make exercise more effective.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding frequently cause the breasts to lose volume and descend on the chest. A breast lift repositions the breast tissue and nipples to a more youthful location, addressing sagging and restoring shape. When volume is the primary concern, breast augmentation with implants or fat transfer can restore projection and fullness. Often, a surgeon will combine a lift with augmentation to both elevate and replenish breast volume in a single session.
Liposuction targets stubborn fat deposits that remain despite diet and exercise. Common areas treated in a mommy makeover include the flanks, hips, inner thighs, and abdomen. When combined with a tummy tuck, liposuction refines body shaping so the result feels cohesive rather than isolated.
For patients who prefer an autologous option, fat transfer moves the patient’s own fat from donor areas to the breasts or buttocks. This approach can produce more natural-feeling volume while sculpting the donor site.
When these procedures are done together, you go through anesthesia once and recover once. Instead of healing from a tummy tuck, then a breast procedure, then liposuction weeks or months apart, you move through a single recovery period and get back to your life sooner. Combining procedures also gives Dr. Fortes the ability to shape your torso as a whole. You get one plan, one surgery, one recovery, and one complete new appearance.
The initial consultation is where the process goes from aspirations to plans. It is also the moment when ideal candidates and realistic expectations are defined. Dr. Fortes evaluates medical history, current health, and specific physical findings: whether the abdominal muscles are separated, how much excess skin exists, the degree of breast ptosis, and whether any weight fluctuations remain ongoing.
“Every plan has to make sense for that woman’s life,” says Dr. Fortes. “My job is to understand her goals clearly and build a surgical path that’s safe, realistic, and truly worthwhile for her.”
Timing matters. Surgeons recommend that patients be at a stable weight and have completed childbearing or be in agreement that future pregnancies could compromise the surgical result. Scheduling the operation after breastfeeding is complete and when personal support at home is available makes recovery feasible.
The consultation also includes a clear explanation of risks, potential complications, and likely results, so expectations can be realistic. The best candidates exhibit internal motivation and defined goals rather than responding to outside pressure.
Practicalities are part of the plan as well: arranging childcare, preparing the home for the immediate postoperative period, and planning time away from work. Dr. Fortes provides postoperative instructions and outlines what recovery typically involves so patients can move forward with confidence.
On the day of a mommy makeover, safety protocols and surgical choreography are paramount. Most procedures occur in an accredited surgical facility under general anesthesia. A typical sequence begins with the breast work—whether a lift, augmentation, or both—followed by abdominal repair and finally liposuction or contouring. The sequencing is deliberate: it optimizes sterility, tissue handling, and efficiency.
Techniques focus on minimizing tension on incisions, preserving sensation when possible, and shaping tissues for natural-looking results. For abdominal contouring, repairing the abdominal muscles is a structural improvement that can have functional benefits beyond aesthetics. For breast work, choosing the right implant or considering fat transfer ensures proportion and long-term balance.
Most patients go home the same day with clear postoperative instructions, including support garment use, drain management if applicable, activity limitations, and warning signs to watch for. Dr. Fortes and his team coordinate follow-up visits, pain management, and a recovery plan tailored to the procedures performed.
Understanding the recovery process is key to achieving optimal results and minimizing complications. Recovery is staged and predictable, but each patient’s experience will vary.
During the first week, the focus is on rest. Patients will experience swelling and bruising, but discomfort can be managed with medication. Compression garments help reduce swelling and support the tissues as they heal. Short walks are encouraged to promote circulation and reduce blood clot risk. Lifting and driving are restricted.
Energy improves. Patients transition to light activity, and early contour becomes visible as swelling decreases. Many patients return to non-physical work during this time, avoiding lifting and vigorous exercise.
By two to three months, significant healing has occurred. Core strength improves as abdominal repairs settle. Most patients resume workouts after clearance from their surgeon.
Scars continue to fade and soften. Subtle refinements emerge as swelling fully resolves. The final contour stabilizes during this period.
Recovery tips include hydration, good nutrition, avoiding nicotine, wearing compression garments as instructed, and attending all follow-up appointments. Stable weight helps protect the result.
Every surgery involves risks, including infection, bleeding, delayed wound healing, asymmetry, and the possibility of needing a revision. You can reduce these risks by choosing a surgeon who specializes in mommy makeovers, following your pre- and postoperative instructions, and giving yourself the downtime your body needs to heal.
If you’re considering more children, timing matters. Pregnancy after a tummy tuck can stretch the repaired abdominal muscles and skin again, which may undo some of your results. Most women choose to wait until they’re completely finished having kids before considering a mommy makeover.
The process starts with choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon, someone like Dr. Fortes, who performs combined procedures routinely and understands the practical realities mothers manage every day.
Women who choose a mommy makeover for themselves—not for outside approval—report some of the highest satisfaction rates in cosmetic surgery. Yes, the changes are aesthetic, but the benefits reach farther: better posture, improved core strength, less back discomfort, and clothing that finally fits the way it used to. Many mothers describe something more internal: they feel like themselves again.
Maintaining your results means staying at a stable weight, protecting your scars from the sun, and giving your body the respect it deserves after surgery. When you take care of the investment, the results take care of you.
“For many women, the best results don’t call undue attention to themselves,” Dr. Fortes says. “They just let a woman move through her day feeling comfortable in her own skin.”
A mommy makeover isn’t about chasing who you were before kids. It’s about honoring who you are now. You’ve done the hard work—pregnancy, birth, raising a child. Choosing surgery isn’t about vanity. It’s about restoring your agency.
When you have clear goals, an experienced, board-certified surgeon, and a realistic understanding of recovery, a mommy makeover can be the moment you stop accommodating what your body has been through and start shaping what comes next.
Choosing a surgeon for a mommy makeover isn’t just about credentials—it’s about trust, communication, and the feeling that your goals are actually being heard. Dr. Paul Fortes has more than 20 years of experience, dual board certification, and a reputation for results that look natural, balanced, and thoughtfully designed. His approach blends surgical precision with an artist’s eye, shaped by years of training at top institutions and an ongoing commitment to refinement and safety.
Patients describe consultations with Dr. Fortes as grounded and honest. He values clarity, respects each woman’s reasoning, and builds surgical plans that account for real life—childcare, schedules, healing time, and emotional readiness. His goal isn’t to create a “different” version of someone, but the most authentic, confident version of who they already are.
