There’s a reason why so many women are turning to plastic surgery after giving birth to their children these days; the body changes in drastic ways during pregnancy and after giving birth, and exercise and diet isn’t always enough to restore it to its former shape. Some of my patients have asked me if a tummy tuck can be combined into a planned C-section procedure, hoping that their abdominoplasty can be performed immediately after their baby is delivered. While I understand the reasoning behind this line of questioning—why undergo two procedures in the same area on two separate occasions if you don’t have to?—the answer, unfortunately, is no. A tummy tuck is a great option for a woman who has experienced extensive stretching of the abdominal skin/muscles from pregnancy—but only after the proper amount of time has passed since she gave birth.

Women should wait at least six months to a year following a C-section before they get a tummy tuck, and there are a number of reasons why. For one, both procedures are major operations, and trying to perform them back-to-back could increase the risk of complications—especially when your energy is already depleted from pregnancy and labor.

Further, immediately following delivery, the skin and muscles of your abdomen are still stretched and soft; they will tighten significantly in the subsequent months on their own, without the help of surgery, and it’s important to let that happen so you can achieve optimal results with your eventual abdominoplasty.

Many women have benefited from the transformational effects of tummy tucks—but it’s not something you can rush. Six months to a year may seem like a long time to wait, but it will feel worth it when you get the great results you deserve!