The best position to sleep after your tummy tuck is on your back. This position might be uncomfortable if you usually sleep on your side or stomach, but most patients get used to this position quickly. Sleeping on your stomach or side can strain your incisions and result in post-operative complications.
When Can I Lie Flat? One factor determining how long you'll need to sleep in an elevated position is the type of abdominoplasty you receive. Generally, mini tummy tuck patients require 1-3 weeks of elevated sleeping, while full-tummy tuck patients require 4-6 weeks.
The reason why you can't sleep on your side after a tummy tuck is that it creates too much tension in the surgical area and can be painful. Sleeping on your side after 3 or 5 weeks after the tummy tuck is even better. In addition to sleeping in the right position, it is also important to ensure a comfortable recovery.
The best sleeping position after tummy tuck surgery is on your back with your upper body elevated to create a slight bend or angle. Using pillows or sleeping in a recliner is ideal to achieve this position.
During tummy tuck recovery, patients should plan to sleep on their back with their upper body slightly elevated. Just like walking at a slight bend, this modified sleeping position minimizes tension on the tummy tuck incision, reduces discomfort, and encourages proper healing and attractive results.
The worst days after your tummy tuck will be the first one to three days. You may experience some discomfort, bloating, pressure, and swelling, but these symptoms are normal and will resolve themselves.
The best position to sleep after your tummy tuck is on your back. This position might be uncomfortable if you usually sleep on your side or stomach, but most patients get used to this position quickly. Sleeping on your stomach or side can strain your incisions and result in post-operative complications.
Most of the swelling will fade away two weeks after the surgery. At this point, you can start walking twice a day for fifteen to twenty minutes. Do not opt for any other exercises as your body is still in the initial phases of recovery. You can increase the duration of your walks after the four weeks marker.
After a tummy tuck procedure, you might feel fatigue, bruising, swollen and have difficulty in getting into “sleep mode”. We recommend that you create a sleeping schedule that you will follow. This way you will train both your brain and body and you'll be able to fall asleep easier.
What happens 2 weeks after a tummy tuck? At 2 weeks, there is still swelling in the treatment area, however, the pain, bruising, and feeling of tightness are starting to ease. The patient should continue to wear compression garments.
On the other hand, full-tummy tuck patients require about four weeks, with six weeks of limiting any strenuous exercise or lifting.
You will need about a week of bed rest following a tummy tuck. It can take two weeks before you can return to your normal activities after the surgery.
Driving & Returning to Work
In general, you should not drive until you've been off of your prescription pain medication for at least 24 hours and can safely operate a vehicle in traffic. You may be able to drive and return to a desk job as early as two weeks after a tummy tuck.
Whilst the removal of this can result in some loss of body mass, a tummy tuck is not a weight loss solution. In fact, removing excess skin can make it easier for patients to shed pounds and contour their bodies post-surgery.
As part of the recovery process, patients will need to hunch or bend over at the waist when walking for about a week after a tummy tuck. This is a temporary precaution, although an understandable concern of prospective patients.
3 to 4 Weeks after Tummy Tuck
You should still avoid any particularly strenuous workouts, as well as exercises targeting the abdominal area, such as sits ups or weight lifting. Walking or stationary cycling can be a good place to start, with more vigorous exercise not recommended until the 6-week mark.
That can vary from patient to patient. If you've had a relatively minor plastic surgery, you can resume drinking after a few weeks. For more involved cosmetic procedures like a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), you may need to avoid alcohol for several weeks.
While pain tolerance can differ from individual to individual, patients often say the process of recovering from tummy tuck surgery is more painful than liposuction. While liposuction requires small incisions in the skin only, many tummy tuck techniques involve incisions that penetrate the muscle.
The skin on your stomach will be mostly numb for several weeks to months. Feeling will return slowly. It's normal to feel tired while you are healing. It can take 5 to 6 weeks for your energy to return.
To prevent lower extremity blood clots, it is very important that you take slow 10-minute walks every two hours, except while you sleep, starting on the day after your surgery.
If you are planning to have a tummy tuck, you should be prepared for one to two months of recovery, and you may experience pain throughout this time. In general, pain is mild to moderate after a tummy tuck. Rarely, pain or sensory abnormalities can persist for months or even years after the procedure.
Although swelling after a tummy tuck is completely normal and will resolve itself in due course, there are some things you can do to help during recovery: For the first two weeks after surgery, ensure you have plenty of rest and elevate your lower legs as often as possible.
When Can I Start Wearing Jeans After a Tummy Tuck? You can usually slip into your favorite jeans around 3 to 4 weeks after your tummy tuck.