Effects of pregnancy on the body
You often hear it, “After your pregnancy, your breasts will never be the way they were.” Breasts may lose volume and abdominal muscles may be sagging due to pregnancy. But let’s start with the following fact: your body has carried, birthed and perhaps fed a baby. That is something that is very MUCH and to be proud of. It is quite normal that this has left traces. Yet many experience these marks as a nuisance, and we often see women at MOOI Clinic who are unhappy with the effects of pregnancy on their bodies. In this blog drs. Marleen Meesters here in more detail.
Nothing so changeable as a breast
A breast consists mainly of fatty tissue, connective tissue and mammary glands. The volume of adipose tissue usually determines the size of the breast. Pregnancy, fluctuations in weight, breastfeeding, aging, gravity, these are all factors that affect the firmness of your breasts. This is why we more often see women not being happy with their breasts after childbearing. They sagged, drooped and volume decreased, especially at the top of the breast.
Facing the facts…is there anything you can do to prevent drooping breasts?
Let’s just be clear about this, unfortunately you can’t prevent your breasts from sagging due to pregnancy. You also cannot avoid stretch marks, which are caused by the sudden growth of the skin of your breasts. You can’t prevent that growth, but it is wise to monitor your weight a bit. The more you gain weight during your pregnancy and the larger your breasts become, the greater the chance later on of stretch marks and sagging breasts.
What about a good bra and creams? Or sports?
Wearing a bra does not prevent breasts from drooping, and losing weight is accompanied by the reduction of fatty tissue, which makes them smaller and saggier, which can cause them to droop. Lubricating your skin properly during pregnancy is fine and pleasant for your skin, but the firmness of your skin is mainly inherited from your genes. Creams to re-strengthen your breasts unfortunately do not exist.
However, you can regain some of the firmness in your breasts after pregnancy with breast muscle exercises.
The possibilities within plastic surgery
Breast augmentation and breast elevator.
Pendulous breasts after pregnancy are characterized by loss of breast volume, sagging skin and drooping of the nipple below the inframammary fold. A breast elevator is an operation in which, in particular, the breast tissue and nipple are repositioned and at the same time excess skin is removed. Combining this with the placement of a breast implant behind the large pectoral muscle restores volume to the right place, making the breast feel tighter again. The treatment of a breast elevator and simultaneous placement of breast prostheses is a procedure that takes about 2 hours under anesthesia and can be done in a day surgery.
Again, comprehensive education should be provided especially about the pros and cons of breast implants, the different prostheses on the market and the possible complications that can occur. The scars are usually in the shape of an anchor. These should be discussed in detail during the preoperative interview.
Mommy make over.
A Mommy Make Over is a combination of treatments that can be performed after pregnancy. This combination is customized at MOOI Clinic, but the most common combinations are:
- A tummy tuck and breast augmentation, or
- A tummy tuck and a breast elevator.
As already described, breast elevator and breast augmentation can also be combined.
Specialization MOOI Clinic
The plastic surgeons at MOOI Clinic perform daily breast corrective surgeries such as breast reduction, breast elevator, breast augmentation and correction of uneven breasts.
During the consultation with the attending physician, a treatment plan is developed based on questions, uncertainties and wishes. You don’t undergo surgery lightly; comprehensive preoperative education is important then. Risks, complications and scarring are discussed. But longer-term undesirable effects, such as effects on nipple sensitivity and breastfeeding, are also important to be informed about. Ultimately, you need to have a clear and realistic idea of the expected outcome.
Do you have any questions as a result of reading this blog? If so, please feel free to contact us!
