Can You Have a Baby After a Tummy Tuck?

Sadly, diet and exercise are not always completely effective when trying to reach our body goals. The abdominoplasty tummy tuck is a surgical procedure during which the surgeon creates a tighter, thinner abdominal area. They do this by removing any excess skin and by tightening the surrounding abdominal muscles. In some cases, liposuction is also needed to remove any stubborn excess fat.

Throughout the years, the tummy tuck has become a popular procedure for many women who are concerned about loose, excess skin (following a pregnancy or weight loss) or who are having trouble with weight gain.

However, the main concern regarding tummy tucks is whether or not getting pregnant after a tummy tuck surgery is dangerous.

Can you have a baby after a tummy tuck? A pregnancy after tummy tuck is in no way more dangerous than any other pregnancy. Patients who have had abdominoplasty will have every chance of having a healthy baby as any women who have not had cosmetic surgery. 

However, that isn’t to say that a pregnancy after tummy tuck is ideal, and it can bring some annoying consequences.

Is It Safe to Have a Baby After Tummy Tuck?

First of all, you can rest assured that your tummy tuck surgery should in no way increase your risks of having a difficult or unsuccessful pregnancy.

The most that you do risk is potentially feeling as though the pregnancy feels a little tighter than the ones that you may have had pre-surgery; however, it should not cause you any severe pain or discomfort.

Your body will be just as capable of getting pregnant after a tummy tuck surgery and of having as much of a safe and successful pregnancy that you would have been able to have before the plastic surgery.

However, suppose you are considering having an abdominoplasty then during your first consultation.

In that case, your plastic surgeon is likely to ask you whether or not you would like to get pregnant again.

This is not because you would not be able to have a child in the future; it just means that you will likely have to go through more procedures than necessary.

In some cases, having a child following a tummy tuck will not significantly change the woman’s body post-pregnancy.

However, complications can happen, and there is a likely chance that you will be left with excess skin around your abdomen following childbirth. This will be far more likely depending on your age and previous pregnancies.

Although this will not cause any medical issues, you will probably want to have another abdominoplasty.

Naturally, this will mean having to pay for it again, taking the time to do it, and having to go through the surgical procedure all over again!

The best thing to do is to wait until you are done having children before considering having an abdominoplasty. Read more about tummy tuck and how much does it cost.

How Long After a Tummy Tuck Can You Have a Baby?

For some mothers, not having a child after an abdominoplasty isn’t an option.

If you are not done having children but have already had plastic surgery around your abdomen, then it is essential that you wait at least 6 months after the surgical procedure before you get pregnant.

Patients who have had plastic surgery on their abdominal muscles and tummy skin will need those six months to recover.

Of course, the recovery time may vary if there have been any complications dlyuring the procedure. You will need to consult your board-certified plastic surgeon before you decide to get pregnant, just be sure.

As you know, a pregnancy takes a lot of effort and does take its toll on the body.

Should your body have just gone through plastic surgery, it would be unwise to put it through such an endeavour so quickly, as it will increase your risks of not completing a healthy pregnancy for both you and the baby.

If, however, you became pregnant before being able to consult your plastic surgeon, then you must inform your doctor as quickly as possible and the surgeon so that they can guide you as well as possible during your pregnancy.

Will Pregnancy Ruin a Tummy Tuck?

Having a tummy tuck pre-pregnancy isn’t wise. Although you will be as able (as before the procedure) to have a healthy baby and pregnancy, you are very likely to need yet another tummy tuck post-pregnancy.

If you become pregnant after having plastic surgery on your stomach, then your skin will very likely stretch and sag, your abdominal muscles will separate, and you will be left with excess stomach fat.

Sadly, for most women who have had surgical procedures on their tummies before getting pregnant, this means having to have another tummy tuck after the birth.

It is advised that you wait at least 12 months after giving birth before choosing to have another tummy tuck.

It is essential to understand that as much as the pregnancy may affect your body, your body will change a lot as you recover from the birth and take care of your child.

Any scar from the birth will need time to heal, of course, but there are other things too.

Your hormones will have adapted to the new member of the family. If you feed your child from your breast, for example, this will affect your entire body.

You should therefore wait to see how your body evolves before having another medical procedure.

Summary

It is only natural to have concerns about having a tummy tuck or a mini tummy tuck. All women have to wonder about the effects any medical procedure can have, not only on their bodies but on their potential for having a family in the future.

If your main concern regarding your mini tummy tuck or larger abdominoplasty is that your body will not be able to handle a pregnancy, then you can rest assured.

The main thing that patients in your case experience is sagging skin and a little discomfort from the stretch.

However, there are ways of remedying this in the future with another tummy tuck; it may just be worth making sure that you are entirely finished with having children before you do it!

Posted In: Body Treatments Blogs

Written By: Dr Azhar Aslam