Getting Breast Implants

Hi -- I just had a C-section with my second and was told not to lift. Although I had some help at home I have a 40 lb. 2-year-old. I taught him how to climb into his booster seat and used a step stool to help him into his crib. I also started changing his diaper/clothes on the floor so I didn't have to lift him. In addition we have a toddler bed in his room so I used that as well. You will have to improvise for awhile.

You will love them! Did you choose a doctor yet? You will be surprised how fast you bounce back. I had mine done Last April on a Thursday morning and I was back to work on Monday!
I would suggest feeding your 10 month old in a bouncy chair if you still have one. That way you won't have to lift him so high. Have your daughter help you, she is old enough and I'm sure she would like to be included. My son was the same age at the time and my older son the same age also and the older one helped me out alot! If you do have to lift for any reason do it slowly and gently, but like I said you will be surprised how quick you bounce back, I was!
Back to your doctor, Did you choose one yet? Are you confident with him? Just a suggestion: after ALOT of research on my end I found alot of the doctors here were very, very overpriced on my final search (appointment) I found the most fabulous doctor and the price was awesome! He works for Kaiser His name is Charles W. Perry and the cost was $6,500.00.
Worth EVERY PENNY! All the other doctors I went to were double the cost. And I did not feel near as comfortable as I felt with Dr. Perry, he is truly, truly fabulous! Very easy going honest, personable, quick witted person. I still have his card and give it out when I hear of anyone wanting plastic surgery. If you haven't already set up your appointment you HAVE to go see Dr. Perry!
His # ###-###-#### Email:____@____.com!
One more thing, I hate Kaiser but I have Kaiser thru my work, I had no intention of going thru Kaiser for this surgery due to my bad experience with them when I had my children amongest other things. But after going to almost every Doctor in town and being very discourged at the cost and lack of attention I thru my hands up and made one last ditch effort and went thru Kaiser and their he was! I have never been happier with my implants and cannot thank Dr. Perry for the amazing job he did! Good Luck. Feel free to call me for any questions.
K. ###-###-####

I have soooo many close friends that have had the surgery and you can't take the chance that you will have a 2 day recovery.
I have 2 close friends. One was the 2 day recovery, and the other well its been months and she still has pains. Its not just the recovery you don't want to keyloid ( your scares to get all big and gross) internal tears etc.... Wait until the time is right. I have three kids and i want sooooooo bad to have a breast reduction and tummy tuck from my 3 c-sections. But its just not time yet. Be patient until you have the right help.because you want your results to be awsome not all screwed up and end up back in the hospital.

S.,
Good luck with your implants. I want to get implants too, because lets face it, pregnancy does a number on breasts. We are trying to have one more baby, so if we aren't pg by the end of the year, I will move forward with getting breast implants. Please keep me posted on your progress, and the dr you choose. As far as taking care of your kids while you are recovering...that is a hard one. To feed him, you might want to just feed him on the floor instead of lifting him into his high chair. As far as his crib goes, hhhmm, that is a tough one. My son is 8 months old, and I think if I got a little ladder, he would be able to walk up the ladder with assistance from me, but very little lifting from me...you might try something like that.
good luck!
M.

Hi S. -

Yes...I've had 2 implant operations and a lift!
The first was before I was married so it wasn't a problem, but even then there are things you can do right away and others you can't...it depends on your own body & strenghth !
The second was 5 months ago, my twins are 21 months old and I needed a lift and had the old implants taken out and smaller ones put in. I had help with the boys for a few days and then my husband would do the lifting when he got home from work.
It's NOT that bad and the recovery is faster than you think.
If your husband will be home for a few days you'll be fine...then see if your Mom can come 3 or 4 days after that and you'll be fine after that!

Good Luck!
G. E

There is no way you will be able to lift your children after the first few days let a lone the first few weeks. I got mine done and was in a lot of pain for a while. I did go back to work after a week but was sent home because I was crying in pain after about four hours. And I'm not a wimp at all so I suggest making sure you have 24 hour help especially if you have to take care of your small children especially for the first 5 days. Good luck.

i have a 3.5 year old and a 21 lb 7 month old. i recently had the surgery (about 6 weeks ago) and my husband helped a couple days then i was pretty much on my own. i'll be honest, the first couple days SUCK. but with the medicine they give you, honestly the 3rd day on is significantly better. you can lift the kids, just don't carry them for any period of time.

I had my BA when my daugther was 1 years old. It was very difficult the first few days for me, but I quickly learned to adapt. We did a lot of floor picnics & naps on the couch together, so I wouldn't have to pick her up. It was easy since she could walk & I didn't have to lift her. Hopefully your daughter can help you out during the day when your hubby's gone. Just incase, have a friend or neighbors phone number, you don't want to risk ripping/tearing your stiches!
Best of luck to you!
J.

I got my implants with a 4 year old, 3 year old, and a 6 month old and all was great. Yes the first 48 hours are very uncomfortable but I was lifting my kids within the first week. We just have to get back into our grove quickly so we heal faster. I think the worst part of it was getting comfortable at night in bed, the kids were the easy part. Good luck

Hi S.,
I recently had an ankle surgery and had to care for my 16 month old at the time. She weighs 27 pounds. I was able to stand and put my weight on my good foot and pick her up, although I wasn't suppose to, but I did not put any weight on the foot.

The other thing I did was placed stools in the kitchen, bathroom and by her crib. That way I was able to pick her up and put her in the crib. I am not sure that will work with the surgery affecting your upper body as apposed to a leg. Too bad you could do one at a time =)

You didn't say how many weeks you can't pick up weight for. Do you have a friend nearby who can come by and help out and check on you? I was up and around after 3 days. I also had a nanny here to help me. While she did help with getting the baby breakfast, she often skipped serving lunch and by dinner time she would say she was too tired and could not do anymore. The only real purpose I got out of her was making sure the baby didn't fall on her head or the house didn't burn down ~ although we weren't in much danger since she hardly touched the stove.

Good luck to you. It will be a challenge, but you can do it!
C.

As some others have said, if I were in your situation I'd definitely wait till my kids were a bit older, since the lifting no-no is not just because you might feel pain. You might cause some very adverse effects on your healing tissues if you don't follow the guidelines they give you, and those effects might not show up till later...and you would be really disappointed. I KNOW how it feels to want to look "back to normal" - I also would like to have some work done after my tough pregnancy and C-section (and I'm 42) but my daughter is 2 1/2 and we still lift her at times and she also still nurses. :)

Bottom line: if you can't be sure of 24/7 help for several weeks, I'd postpone this for awhile - you are still young and have plenty of time, and you want your results to be fabulous!

S.

I would wait. I had internal bleeding and was rushed to the ER. It's rare but it happens. Also, I lifted my 20pound baby and popped the stitches around my nipple so now I have a scar. Not fun. It was a very hard, long, painful 3 weeks but it was worth it. You are going to love your new breasts.

I just have a simple suggestion about lifting your 22 Ib child. DON'T! If you want to feed him try having some indoor picnics where you lay a blanket or sheet out and set up snacks and easy cleaning meals.( chichen nuggets or grilled cheese sandwich. No spill cups and fruit pieces.)There are alot of selections out there that you can sort through that are also healthy. You can even have your meals there too and the kids will just think it is plain fun. Nothing is more fun then to have quality time with mom or/and Dad. I find it is easier to sit with my son who is 12 month while he eats when he is not in a high chair and he is more likly to stay sitting because I am. I also was given a portable highchair. It clips on the side of a table and they only cost $20 at wal-mart.They can be used at resturants also. They are easy to put on and if you have a coffee table you can clip it on to there and have your older child help you get the young one in the chair. It is low enough to the ground for the bigger child to help you and will hold your baby in place while still being low to the ground. This is what I do with my baby because I tend to eat in the living Room. He always wants to be in the same room as I am. We don't have a good dining table yet so I don't trust attaching the portable highchair on it. I hope this has been helpful. Keep thing to your childs level so you avoid lifting. Sometimes this may require more clean up afterwards but it is worth your health. If something has to be high up try to wait til your husband gets home if you can. Hugs can be given on the childs level. I find I get down to the floor and hug and hold my children and they find it to be the same as if I were to hold them. Remember get creative and you will find a solution for every problem. Also it is none of my business but I think you should try being ok with you as you are. I had a knock out body before kids and well I must say I long for those days again but my husband loves me for me and is just fine with the flabby extra skin that I call my stomach. The larger saggy breast that came with it. I try and exercise but it don't help with the streched out skin that my large baby caused on my tummy. I am what I am now and to tell you the truth I am happier being a loving, caring mother to my children who love me for who I am and not what I look like. I had to learn this lesson the hard way. When you are happy with yourself you family is happy. Take care and remember you are loved no matter what you do. BE you and Be strong.

everyone responds to surgery differently. i had implants about 4 yrs ago. my son was almost 3. you do not need to lift anything over 5 lbs for about a month. you will need some help with your daily activities and chores. you need to call on family and friends during the first month. im happy to answer any other questions you may have. good luck, D.

Perhaps it may be best to wait until your children are old enough to not have to be held? Or, if you have some friends around, perhaps they can take turns taking care of your children while you heal. I don't see how it's possible to not lift your children for weeks. Besides, although you probably want this done as soon as possible, it isn't necessary for your health to get it done right NOW...maybe waiting to ease the stress of figuring out what to do about the children may be your best choice. You are 26...not old...wait a couple years.

You definitely will need help w/ getting him in his crib! You most certainly CANNOT pick him up after surgery. You could really hurt yourself. I had a stool that my daughter used to climb into her highchair(holding her hand of course)Maybe you could use it for the crib if the side was down. Good luck!

Really interesting, fascinating, reading all the replies.
It's a really different culture here in the USA that so many people think it's a desirable, positive and normal thing to do - and take the risks and enjoy it!

So I HOPE you have no problems any time with it and stay healthy! I wonder, is your sensitivity the same? How about marks or un-natural look?

I haven't had personal experience but my sister just had hers done about a month ago and she was up and about the next day. I have a 6 month old little girl and she was playing with her and picking her up withn days of her surgery. I keep telling her not to but she said it didnt hurt. If your anything like she was you may need some assistance the first day and maybe a little the next few days but after about 5 days it was like she hadn't even had the surgery. I think a lot depends on how they do the surgery ie: if they go through your nipple, etc. and also how "good" the doctor is. I hope this helps to ease your worries a bit. Good Luck and enjoy your two new additions!

Dear S.,

I don't know the answer to those problems, I do know that you will be in a great deal of pain. Have they told you about that? That can't be fun when you have babies to take care of. Those little breasts can wait, in fact, you are a Mom now, not a bathing beauty, as we used to say in the olden days, Your beauty comes from the inside as well as the outside. Save your money for a later surgery, and tend to your Mom business. ALSO, I used to have nice sized breasts, not too big, not too little. NOW, I have huge breasts, and they are not fun to have around. Time has a way of changing our bodies - .
...gravity has its says too.

Also, another change that is going to happen in the future that will surprise you, is that your uterus will start to try to 'get out', not fun either, there is a surgical procedure, but it is not always successful for a permanent fix.

O.K.,
another more important change is going to be your darling babies faces. You fall totally in love with that baby face, then they start growing up, and you are still looking for the baby you love. THEN, when they get to be about 18 their face changes to one of an adult. That is a surprise to deal with too. So much for Moms to deal with in our lives. Good luck on the decision about the breasts. C. N.

So, I havent had breast implants, but I did have my galbladder surgically removed when my daughter was 9 months old - the cut through all my abdominal muscles, and told me that I was not allowed to lift anything over 5 pounds for 4 weeks! I have a flight of steep stairs as well, and it was suggested I sleep downstairs. That didnt fly as my daughters room is on the second floor. WHile my husband and mother were able to help take care of everything for about a week, I became very impatient because I wanted to care for my own child. About 5 days after my surgery, I started lifting my daughter - very carefully, using the strength of my back and arms, and not any abdominal muscles at all. And guess what, I was FINE.
Now, with implants, the muscles in your chest will be VERY sore, so it will be difficult to lift or hold anything - I suggest giving it a week of not picking up (while your family is there to care for you and the children) and ice those boobies like mad. As long as you take your medication and take it real easy, start lifting VERY carefully: you know your body, and know what feels bad or what feels good. Its not really as dire as it seems: doctors dont take into consideration that most of us are mommies, and as long as you are careful, lift slowly and with the other muscles of your upper body, you should be fine.

Hi there, I actually got breast implants last August but luckly I did have some help. It will be hard in the beginning and i would honestly recomend to have as much help as possible since it will be hard to pick up your kids. My son was a year and a half and I couldnt pick him up for a long time. Even after I felt ok I still couldn't pick him up because i could still cause some damage. it will hurt for a few weeks to do some movements. Like for the first 2 to 3 days i couldnt even open a door because it would hurt. (i went under the muscle not sure what your planning on doing, and under the muscle causes a little more pain and a longer time to heal) I remember when i went to the restroom i needed someone to come pull my pants up cuz i couldnt do it myself it would hurt so it will be pretty tough with a 10 month old. Theres a froum for women that i highly suggest checking out. They are all so helpful and im sure some women there had to take care of their kids a little after surgery i was lucky enough to have that extra help. the website is implantforum.com and its for women only all you need to do is sign up and its free. Good luck with your surgery if you dont mind me asking what Dr. are you planning on going to?

I havent had implants yet, but to plan on it. Although, my best friend has had her implants done. She has 3 kids at home the youngest was 6 months, a two and four year old also, when she got her's done. From her experiance..unless you have 24 hour help for a couple weeks, it is going to be very difficult to heal well or correctly. I took her to the hospital 4 times in the first 3 weeks cause she wasnt listening and was lifting her kids to highchairs and to the crib and she was tearing stitches, dislodging cloths,etc.Her results are not as great because she hindered her healing time and in a couple years her doctor suggested she go in and have them reconstructed. Bottom line, if you know you want them boobies, and you want nice boobies..you may want to put your money into a savings account and wait till your baby is older and more self sufficient. Then go and get them babies done. Most importantly though, ASK YOUR DOCTOR. They dont make up these rules for recovering for fun. there are serious reasons they tell you not to lift and not to strain yourself. They may even tell you to wait as well. I know this part because I am waiting for my 19 month old to get a little older so I myself can go get me some pretty boobies. So good luck to you and who knows if you decide to wait..we may be side by side someday getting them done. Aloha

Hi S.,
From my experience everyone is different in their healing process. One thing that seems to make a difference is whether you are going under the muscle or over? I went under the muscle. Things have changed since I got mine, now I hear they go thru the belly button etc. Alot of girls said, "oh, it didn't hurt etc. I was back to work the next day. But that wasn't the case for me!!! I would say it was a good year before I was totally comfortable with mine. It was hard for me to open big or heavy doors, it was hard to vacuum the carpet. I would not of been able to lift a child into a high chair or a crib. My boyfriend took care of me the first couple of days and I sent my daughter to grandma's house. I wasn't even coherant the first couple of days. I was on pain killers and don't even remember coming home. I don't want to shy you away from doing it, cause it was well worth it, but I know it would of been difficult for me to have to of taken care of a 10 month old. Give yourself heeling time, and a good amount of it. You don't want to have anything go wrong after the surgery.
One thing that worked wonders for me, when I was sore and my body felt stiff was to take a warm bath. The results were amazing and made me feel so much better. The pain killers too, will make for some mood swings, so be aware of that. I slept for the first couple of days. If it were me, I would wait till your child gets older, cuz it will make you feel bad if they are crying and you can't pick them up. The child will not be able to understand why.
This is not to say that it will be this way for you, but just in case, you don't want to feel helpless or incompetent when you are home alone with them, and an emergency arise.
Good luck and congrats,
D.