This one is for my plastic surgery babes. I am now an expert in Plus Size Plastic Surgery Recovery. Oh, and I’m also an RN with post-surgical recovery experience in an acute care facility. It’s much harder to be the patient. So, I thought I would share some of the things I purchased to make my at home recovery go smoothly.

First, let’s talk about sleep. You are going to sleep A LOT for the first couple weeks, at least. And sleep is exactly what you should be doing, cuz that’s when your skin repairs itself. I won’t pretend to be an expert on the physiology of it, but I read it somewhere, and I only read reliable sources. Dr. Google for the win. Now, I know that a lot of people swear by renting a recliner or purchasing one with the plan of sleeping in it for several weeks of their recovery. In my opinion, recliners are great for naps. They are great for watching TV and reading and eating. But, you are going to want to be in your bed. I promise you. That first week goes by in a drug-induced painful blur. The second week goes a little better, but you are 100% going to want to be in your bed. It is so much more comfortable and you can adjust your pillows to change your position when you are uncomfortable. And it’s so much softer on your stressed-out and wounded body. It hurts enough. Don’t make it worse. That being said, you can’t lay flat after a tummy tuck. You must lay with your torso and your legs elevated so that your body is shaped in a sort of wide V shape. You are not supposed to stretch out your abdominal muscles or your incision.

Here is where Amazon comes to the rescue. Also, it must be said that there are some things that I am willing to spend money on, and some things that I am very frugal about. Like a Marshall’s or TJ Max shopper. Or an outlet store. I want good quality for the cheapest price. So I did a lot of research before I made these purchases. Stick with me and I will save you money.

My first recommendation is to buy a wedge pillow and a leg elevation pillow. Here are the two that I bought for myself and used for at least 8 weeks (clickable buttons below will take you to the product) :

A travel neck pillow is just as important, if not more, honestly. I used mine all day e’ryday, 23/7. It didn’t matter if I was in bed or in the lounge chair, I had that airline pillow around my neck. You must sleep on your back after a tummy tuck for at least 5-6 weeks, depending on what your surgeon says. I think it’s the only reason I was able to sleep on my back for 4 months, seriously. I had a tummy tuck and then 10 weeks later I had a breast reduction. It kept me from turning onto my side in the middle of the night for four months and it allowed me to nap in the chair in the living room. Amazon to the rescue again. Click below:

Now I’m going to talk dirty to you. Not really, cuz my ass is the cleanest it’s ever been. I bought a bidet so my husband would not have to wipe my ass. He’s very thankful. He did have to blot to dry for a couple weeks, but that’s it. Totally worth it. I bought a non-electric, ambient temperature, easy to install, high quality, dual nozzle bidet off Amazon. I installed it myself. I told my husband it was his Xmas gift. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. I highly recommend this one:

If you are going to have drains, this is the robe for you. The fabric is thick and soft t-shirt material and it has pockets for your drains on the inside. I wore one of these home from the surgery center and frequently at home. I had four drains coming out of my mons. If you want to know the detailed torture of that, please read my blog post about it. They didn’t remove the last drain until three weeks post-op. That sucked. Click below:

The Swell Hell after plastic surgery is no joke. The swelling goes on for weeks to months, up to a year. After any kind of surgery, you are also at risk of blood clots. DVT or Deep Vein Thrombosis. One way to prevent both of those is to wear compression socks. Here are some cute ones I found on Amazon:

Now, this stuff is magic. Don’t leave home without it. We have all heard that arnica does wonders for pain, swelling, and bruises. Liposuction causes all of the above. After my daily shower I would have my husband help rub this cream all over my back and abdomen. It also has menthol in it, and it was so soothing. When I ran out of the first tub, I quickly ordered another. Don’t touch your eyes until you wash your hands, though. It’s like wasabi. Click below:

You are going to want to wear a nightshirt that buttons completely down the front. Your drains can hang in between the buttons and be pinned to the nightshirt on the outside. You are not going to want to pull anything over your head for the first couple weeks. This is the only way. And this nightshirt is super cute and kinda sexy in a grown up smart girl way and the fabric is soft and light and slightly stretchy. So comfy. I chose black like my soul. (Plus, black hides blood stains if you ooze.) Click below:

And for those times when the pain pills just aren’t enough and the swell hell is at its peak for the day, this may just save you. I found this extra large cold compress/gel ice pack and used it for at least 20-30 minutes nearly every night for months. Click below:

And now, for the faja. You will live in your compression garments. My surgeon gave me two Stage 1 fajas to take home from the surgery center after my procedure. Those were the full-length fajas. After 6-8 weeks you will want to move on to a Stage 2 faja, and I found that these Columbian fajas were high quality and more affordable than some of the more well-known brands. Follow the size charts, using your measurements. I started in a 3X and now I’m in a 2X. I think I may try the XL soon. The instructions say not to machine wash and dry, but I always did, everyday. I had two to alternate. They may last longer if you hand wash and lay flat to dry, but I don’t plan on wearing the faja for more than a year anyway. My kids made me play COD with them and my player name is FajaHole180. Cuz that’s funny AF. You pee and poop through the hole in the crotch. For reals. It’s like a trust fall, each time. Hence, the daily washing. It’s the only way. Click below:

That’s my Top 10 Best Mommy Makeover Must Haves. For more recommendations, please click the button below for links in my Amazon Storefront!

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