While you're pregnant, an ideal weight gain is between 25-35 pounds. This additional weight is distributed throughout the body: the baby and some increased fat storage make up the bulk of weight gain. Extra weight on top of ideal weight gain could not only be dangerous to the baby, the additional weight means more for you to work off after the baby is born.
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As recently seen on The Doctors, weight loss expert Jillian Michaels from the hit show The Biggest Loser gives moms fitness tips on how to lose extra weight gained from pregnancy. Dr. Lisa Masterson advises the best thing to do is not put on extra weight but if you have, it's not impossible to get rid of it.
Jillian says along with watching what you eat, your fitness plan must include plenty of cardio to train the entire body. Post-pregnancy, the most important place to focus on is the core. Jillian recommends Pilates to rehabilitate the core, toning and strengthening abdominal muscles.
However, if you've tried all the exercises and are still having problems with getting back to you pre-baby body, there is a surgical option called the Mommy Makeover. Rising in popularity, the mommy makeover combines several procedures to return your body to what it was before the delivery of your little bundle of joy.
The Mommy Makeover is often custom tailored to patient concerns and may include any of these procedures:
- Breast Lift
Also known as a mastopexy, the breast lift address sagging or drooping breasts from breast feeding. Many women experience volume loss and sagging after pregnancy and in some cases, a breast augmentation may be performed along with the lift.
There are new breast lift techniques available that reduce recovery time drastically. "The technique that I've perfected involves a combination of special anesthetic and a meticulous dissection technique so the net result is a very rapid recovery," describes Ann Arbor Mommy Makeover provider Dr. Robert Burke, "Traditional technique (without pre-identification of muscle and the atraumatic dissection) may take a couple of weeks to heal and even at six weeks, patients can still have a lot of discomfort when they try to raise their arms above their heads. With this new technique, they're able to raise their arms fully within a few days." 
Actual Quick Recovery Breast Augmentation & Lift Results of Dr. Robert Burke
- Liposuction
If after doing all the crunches you can handle and you still have that post-baby bulge around the core area, liposuction may be an option to contour your problem area.
New devices such as the {!VASER Hi-Def} offer a minimally invasive option to contour the body - revealing a more muscular and athletic form. ""It incorporates the technology from Vaser and helps us to emulsify the fat, but it's also a technique, a structured way to get about doing your procedures that allows us to get a more defined look, a more athletic look, a more youthful look," says Denver board certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Broadway.
Actual Before and After Photos of A Mommy Makeover by Dr. David Broadway
- Vaginal Rejuvenation
There a several vaginal rejuvenation choices available now - ranging from non-surgical options to correct external appearance to surgical tightening of the vaginal canal. After childbirth, many women may lose feeling or feel unhappy of the appearance of their vagina. "Aging, childbirth and injury can alter the size and shape of the labia minora (inner lips) or majora (outer lips) lips of the vulva. This may cause chronic irritation, painful intercourse, and the inability to wear tight clothing," describes Boca Raton labiaplasty provider Dr. Eliezer Livnat. Vaginal rejuvenation offers patients a chance to restore their confidence and potentially improve their sex life, barring any sexual dysfunctions.
From exercise tips to Mommy Makeovers, there is no reason for mommies everywhere to not look and feel sexy again.
