Cassandra Te Nana had a ‘mummy makeover’ and has never looked back. Source: Supplied

Dubbed “mummy makeovers”, Dr Jeremy Hunt, spokesman for the Australian Society of Plastic Surgery, says that the amount of women seeking tummy tucks and breast surgery is on the rise, and that he performs the procedure on “hundreds of mums each year.”

“Ninety per cent of my patients are female, and tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is one of the most common procedures I perform,” he tells news.com.au.

“I get women of all ages and backgrounds coming to me. My cliental ranges from young mums who have just given birth, to women in their late 50s who have decided they want a mummy makeover years after giving birth.”

Put simply, a “mummy makeover” is an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and a breast augmentation, breast lift or breast reduction performed at the same time. Dr Hunt says that by combining the two procedures in one surgery, “mums look and feel like themselves again in no time.”

One such mummy is Wollongong public servant Cassandra Te Nana. After giving birth to four boys, the 30-year-old was unhappy with the way her body recovered, and began looking for a solution.

Cassandra Te Nana with her family. Source: Supplied

“I guess it all started because I gained a lot of weight from having the boys,” Mrs Te Nana explains to news.com.au.

“I researched a bit about women having ‘mummy makeovers’ after kids. Looking at before and after photos, I was kind of pleased to find that many other women looked like I did after having kids. So I went and saw a plastic surgeon to see what could be done.”

While her initial consultation - which was with Dr Hunt - was positive, Mrs Te Nana decided to wait 12 months to try and lose weight before committing to any surgery. But after shedding an impressive 22 kilograms, Mrs Te Nana’s confidence didn’t skyrocket as she expected it to — in actual fact, it plummeted.

“I started eating healthy and exercising regularly, but once I did lose weight I didn’t feel like I could be proud. The more weight I lost the worst I looked. I was even more unhappy than before, because you could really notice the excess skin. I couldn’t wear the clothes I wanted to, I actually had to wear even bigger clothes to try and hide the skin,” she says.

Mrs Te Nana before surgery. Source: Supplied

Mrs Te Nana decided to undergo a mummy makeover to “bring me back to the way I looked before I had children.” A tummy tuck and a breast lift and augmentation later, she says she’s never felt better.

“I’m more confident, I’m a lot more active, my whole life has changed,” Mrs Te Nana says.

“I didn’t really like going out of a night to Christmas parties and things like that, but now I love dressing up, I’m not selfconscious about how I’m going to look.

“My husband and my children have noticed I’m a lot more active. I never used to even take them to the beach, I wouldn’t wear a bathing suit, I wouldn’t go in the water with them, but now I’m not just happier within myself, I do more with them. How I feel about myself has changed so much.”

Mrs Te Nana now. Source: Supplied

That fact comes as little surprise to Dr Hunt.

“The common feedback we receive about why mums want surgery is a lack of confidence, wanting to be able to feel and look good in public again, fit back in their old clothes, the list goes on,” he explains.

“Magazines and the internet [are] full of celebrities flaunting their perfect post-baby bodies just weeks after giving birth, but unfortunately the reality is usually very different. For most women, no amount of diet or exercise can restore a tummy or breasts that have been stretched and contracted through pregnancy and breastfeeding. It’s simply beyond the limits of our bodies’ capabilities for natural repair.

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“Your tummy stretches a huge amount during pregnancy and while it will spring back to some degree after you give birth, unfortunately sometimes this is just not enough. Split abdominal muscles and excess skin can leave you with a overhang, and some women can get medical indications from this such as pain, discomfort and intertrigo.

“Some women are lucky, and their breasts eventually return to their original pre-pregnancy shape and size after giving birth. However this is absolutely the exception rather than the rule, and most women find their breasts bigger, smaller, saggier or softer post-pregnancy.

“While there’s no doubt that having children is one of the most rewarding things a woman can do, there’s also no doubt that it takes a huge toll on your body. Women come in for consultations and ask to get their pre-pregnancy body back – or even improve on it.” he says.

Dr. Jeremy Hunt. Photo: Alan Place Source: News Limited

Deciding to undergo a mummy makeover is undoubtedly a personal choice, but as the procedure becomes more common, Dr Hunt warns that it is imperative to do your research first. It can be expensive — Mrs Te Nana says hers cost just over $20,000 after claiming some back from her health fund — recovery can be painful, and it is difficult to predict exactly how your body will look post-surgery.

“The mummy makeover is a common procedure, but no one procedure suits all patients, and it needs to be tailored to the individual patient so as to achieve their specific goals,” Dr Hunt says.

“What matters most is who is doing your procedure and knowing the outcomes of the makeover. Patients should do their research on finding the right surgeon and discussing the procedure in depth with their surgeon. It is important to go through all options and concerns and put a plan in place.”

But as far as mums like Mrs Te Nana are concerned, the makeover is well worthwhile.

“Your whole life really does change,” she says.

“I mean everyone’s different in terms of what they need and what they can afford, but for me, it’s brought me back to the way I looked and felt before I had children. The recovery wasn’t as bad as I thought, I didn’t have any issues and I healed well. I’m just happier within myself, and it’s been so much better than I imagined.”

What do you think of the idea of a mummy makeover? Let us know in the comments below

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