Mommy Makeover
in Philadelphia & New Jersey
One surgery, one recovery.
Medically reviewed by: Our Board-Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon & Rhinoplasty Specialists
Pregnancy and breastfeeding change the breasts and abdomen in ways that diet and exercise often cannot reverse. A mommy makeover combines two or more body contouring procedures into one surgical plan, so the areas most affected by pregnancy can be addressed in a single operation with a single recovery. At Becker Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery, Dr. David W. Allison designs each mommy makeover around the patient’s anatomy, goals, and family plans.
Key Takeaways About a Mommy Makeover
Commonly combines a tummy tuck, liposuction, breast lift, or breast augmentation
Performed under general anesthesia in one surgery
Most patients return to desk work in about two weeks
Exercise is cleared gradually after six to eight weeks
Final results settle over several months
| Procedure time | Varies by combination |
| Anesthesia | General anesthesia |
| Initial recovery | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Back to work | About 2 weeks (desk work) |
| Final results | 3 to 6 months |
| Results last | Many years with a stable weight |
| Insurance | Not covered (cosmetic) |
| Age | Adults; ideally finished having children |
The Procedure
Benefits of a Mommy Makeover
The main advantage of a mommy makeover is efficiency: one anesthesia session, one facility visit, and one recovery instead of two or three spread across a year. For a mother balancing work and children, that single block of downtime is often what makes surgery realistic. Depending on the procedures included, patients commonly see:
- A flatter abdomen with excess skin removed and separated muscles repaired
- Breasts restored to a higher position, with volume added back where it was lost
- Reduced fat deposits along the waist, hips, or thighs that have not responded to exercise
- Improved overall proportion between the chest, waist, and hips
- Clothing and swimwear that fit the way they did before pregnancy
What Is a Mommy Makeover?
A mommy makeover is a customized combination of plastic surgery procedures performed together to address the changes that pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding leave behind. The most common pairing is a tummy tuck with breast surgery, often with liposuction added to refine the surrounding areas.
Pregnancy stretches the abdominal skin and can separate the abdominal muscles at the midline, a condition called diastasis recti. Breast tissue expands during nursing and then deflates, leaving the breasts lower or emptier at the top. Diet and exercise can reduce fat and rebuild strength, but they cannot remove stretched skin or close a muscle gap. These are the concerns a mommy makeover is designed to address.
This kind of restoration is now the leading reason patients seek plastic surgery. In the 2025 Procedural Statistics Report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 75 percent of surveyed surgeons ranked restoration after pregnancy, aging, or weight loss as their patients’ top motivation, and breast lifts rose 8 percent to 156,131 procedures.
ASPS 2025 Procedural Statistics Report
Who Is a Candidate for a Mommy Makeover?
The best candidates are finished having children, have held a stable weight for several months, and are in good overall health. A future pregnancy can stretch the abdomen again and change the breasts, so most surgeons advise waiting until family plans are complete. Dr. Allison also looks for:
- Loose abdominal skin, a muscle gap, or stubborn fat that has not responded to diet and exercise
- Breasts that have lost volume, dropped, or changed shape after nursing
- A weight that has been steady for several months
- No nicotine use, or a willingness to stop well before and after surgery
- Realistic expectations about what surgery can and cannot change
- A support system at home for the first week or two of recovery
Most surgeons recommend waiting at least six months after childbirth, and longer if you are still breastfeeding. Dr. Allison reviews your full health history before recommending a plan.
Every mommy makeover is performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon with specialized training in breast and body surgery. You’ll meet your surgeon at your consultation, and they’ll be with you every step of the way.
Why Choose Dr. Allison for a Mommy Makeover
A mommy makeover asks more of a surgeon than any single procedure, because the breast, abdominal, and liposuction portions have to work together. Dr. Allison plans conservatively, recommending only the procedures that address a specific concern and setting clear expectations for scarring and recovery before surgery is scheduled. Patients also have the resources of a multi-surgeon practice behind every case, with accredited facilities and a care team that follows them from consultation through recovery.
Dr. David W. Allison
David W. Allison, MD, is a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. He has more than 23 years of surgical experience and has performed more than 5,000 procedures, with a focus on breast and body contouring, including tummy tuck, breast lift, breast augmentation, liposuction, and post-pregnancy surgery. Dr. Allison sees patients at Becker Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery’s Princeton and Philadelphia offices.
Mommy Makeover Before and After Photos
Photos show what a description cannot: where the tummy tuck incision sits, how much a breast lift changes nipple position, and what a realistic result looks like at six months. Our before and after gallery includes patients of different ages, body types, and procedure combinations.
If you are ready to find out which combination of procedures fits your goals, schedule a consultation with Dr. Allison in Princeton or Philadelphia.
Mommy Makeover Procedures Dr. Allison Offers
Each mommy makeover is built from the procedures below. Some patients need all of them; many need only two.
Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
A tummy tuck removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen and tightens the abdominal muscles through an incision placed low enough to sit beneath underwear and swimwear. When muscle separation and loose skin extend above the navel, a full tummy tuck is usually recommended. When concerns are limited to the area below the navel, a mini tummy tuck with a shorter incision may be enough.
Liposuction
Liposuction removes localized fat through small incisions. In a mommy makeover it most often treats the flanks, hips, and upper abdomen to shape the transition between the tummy tuck and the rest of the torso. Liposuction does not tighten skin, so it is paired with a tummy tuck when laxity is present.
Breast Lift (Mastopexy)
A breast lift raises the breasts, removes stretched skin, and repositions the nipple to a more youthful level. It is the right choice when the breasts have dropped after nursing but the patient is happy with her overall size. The incision pattern depends on how much lift is needed.
Breast Augmentation With Implants
Breast augmentation restores volume lost after pregnancy and breastfeeding, particularly in the upper breast. Saline or silicone implants are placed above or beneath the chest muscle depending on the patient's tissue and goals. Many patients combine an augmentation with a lift so that position and fullness are addressed in the same surgery.
Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation
For patients who want a modest increase in volume without implants, fat is removed by liposuction, purified, and injected into the breasts. The enlargement is smaller than with implants, and some of the transferred fat is reabsorbed over the first few months. Because the fat comes from liposuction that is already part of the plan, this option fits naturally into a mommy makeover.
Combining a Mommy Makeover with Other Treatments
Because a mommy makeover already combines several procedures, additions are chosen carefully to keep surgical time reasonable. Labiaplasty is sometimes added for patients who experienced changes during childbirth, since it adds little time. Skin tightening on the arms is usually planned as a second stage.
Non-surgical treatments fit well after recovery. Emsculpt can help rebuild abdominal muscle tone once the tummy tuck has healed, and laser resurfacing or microneedling can improve the texture of stretch marks above the navel, which a tummy tuck does not remove.
What to Expect: From Consultation to Procedure Day
The consultation is where the plan takes shape. Dr. Allison examines the abdomen and breasts, measures skin laxity and muscle separation, and asks about your pregnancies, nursing history, and what bothers you most. You leave with a plan listing which procedures are recommended and what recovery will involve. Consultations are available at the Princeton and Philadelphia offices.
Before surgery, you complete lab work, stop nicotine and any medications or supplements that affect bleeding, and arrange help at home for the first week or two.
On the day of surgery, the procedure is performed under general anesthesia in an accredited surgical facility. The order of the procedures and the total surgical time depend on the combination, and the breast portion is often completed first. Dr. Allison reviews the expected timeline with you before surgery. Most patients return home the same day with a caregiver.
Sophia · ★★★★★
Recovery
Mommy Makeover Recovery and Results
Recovery after a mommy makeover follows the timeline of its most involved procedure, which is almost always the tummy tuck. The breast portion heals faster and rarely extends the overall recovery.
The First Week
Expect swelling, bruising, and tightness across the abdomen and chest. Walking slightly bent at the waist is normal for several days and protects the tummy tuck incision, and short walks every few hours help circulation. Drains, if placed, usually come out within the first week. Prescription pain medication is typical for the first few days. Lifting should be limited to light weight, and Dr. Allison will advise on when it is safe to pick up small children.
Weeks Two Through Six
Most patients return to desk work around the two-week mark. Swelling continues to decrease, standing upright becomes comfortable, and compression garments are worn throughout to support the healing tissue. Driving can resume once you are off prescription pain medication. By week six, Dr. Allison typically clears light cardio, with lifting and core exercise added gradually after that.
Long-Term Results
Final results take shape over three to six months as swelling resolves and the tissues soften. Scars continue to fade for a year or more. With a stable weight, results last for many years, though a future pregnancy or significant weight gain can change them.
Risks and Safety
A mommy makeover carries the risks of each procedure it includes, plus the consideration of a longer time under anesthesia. Potential complications include bleeding, infection, fluid collection beneath the skin (seroma), delayed wound healing, changes in sensation, asymmetry, and unfavorable scarring. Blood clots are a known risk after abdominal surgery, which is why early walking and compression are part of the recovery plan.
Combining procedures is appropriate for healthy patients when total surgical time stays within safe limits, and Dr. Allison may recommend staging across two surgeries when the combination is extensive or a medical condition raises risk. Surgery is performed under general anesthesia with a board-certified anesthesiologist in an accredited facility.
Planning & Cost
Mommy Makeover Cost and Financing
The cost of a mommy makeover depends on which procedures are included, the surgeon’s experience, and the facility and anesthesia fees in your area. Most patients combine two procedures, typically a tummy tuck with one breast procedure, and some add liposuction as a third.
For reference, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons publishes projected surgeon fee ranges for each procedure on its own:
These ranges cover the surgeon’s fee for a single procedure performed on its own. A mommy makeover is quoted as one plan rather than a sum of separate fees, and performing the procedures in one session means the facility and anesthesia fees are paid once, which typically makes the combination less expensive than having each surgery separately. A mommy makeover is cosmetic and not covered by insurance. You receive a written quote after your consultation, and financing may be an option that can be discussed during or after your visit.
Pick One of Our 5 Convenient Locations
If you live in the states of Pennsylvania or New Jersey, Becker Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery offers mommy makeovers among its services.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mommy Makeovers
How long after having a baby can I have a mommy makeover?
Most surgeons recommend waiting at least six months after delivery, and three to six months after you stop breastfeeding, so the plan is based on your settled anatomy. Your weight should also be stable for several months before surgery. Dr. Allison will advise on timing at your consultation.
Is it safer to combine procedures or have them separately?
For healthy patients, combining procedures is a well-established approach with the benefit of one anesthesia session and one recovery. The main consideration is total surgical time, which Dr. Allison keeps within safe limits by choosing the right combination for each patient. When a combination would run too long or a health condition raises risk, staging over two surgeries is the better choice.
Will a mommy makeover remove my stretch marks?
A tummy tuck removes the skin between the navel and the pubic area, so stretch marks on that skin are removed with it. Marks above the navel are pulled lower and tighter, which often makes them less visible, but they are not eliminated. Laser treatments after recovery can improve the texture of marks that remain.
Can I still have children after a mommy makeover?
Yes. A mommy makeover does not affect fertility or the ability to carry a pregnancy. A future pregnancy can, however, loosen the skin and muscles again and change the breasts, which is why most patients wait until they are finished having children.
About the author
Dr. David Allison is a leading board-certified plastic surgeon in New Jersey and Philadelphia. He has performed thousands of procedures ranging from non-invasive aesthetic treatments to complicated surgical procedures.
View full bio | Instagram
- Last Updated: 11/05/2026
- Published: 11/05/2026
Schedule a Mommy Makeover Consultation in Philadelphia & New Jersey
The first step is a conversation about what has changed and what you would like to address. At your consultation, Dr. Allison examines your abdomen and breasts, walks through the procedures that fit your anatomy, and gives you a clear picture of recovery and cost, with no pressure to decide that day. He sees mommy makeover patients at Becker Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery’s Princeton, NJ and Philadelphia, PA offices. Call (215) 944-5158 or use our online form to request an appointment.
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