Sleep in a Recliner
After a breast procedure or a mommy makeover that flattens and tightens the abdomen, the upper body must be elevated. The easiest way to do this is to sleep in a recliner that is angled at about 45- to 60-degrees. If you cannot sleep in a recliner chair, turn your bed into a stationary recliner using pillows. It may take 3 or 4 pillows to achieve optimal comfort. You may also want to tuck a few small pillows around your arms. Elevation is necessary to help minimize the swelling and fluid accumulation that could occur after surgery.
Sleep on Your Back
Once you no longer need to elevate your upper body, you still need to take precautions. Patients are often advised to sleep on their backs for at least a few weeks. This keeps tension off of the incisions in the breasts or abdomen, and also prevents too much pressure being placed on the surgical areas that are sore and tender. If you don’t normally sleep on your back, it may seem like you’d be unable to do this at all. It is possible and, often, isn’t even a big deal. We suggest that you start sleeping on your back as soon as you have scheduled your surgery. To help prevent rolling, you can tuck a pillow under each arm before you go to sleep.
Sleep with Compression
While we don’t want you sleeping on your stomach right after you’ve had breast implant surgery or a mommy makeover, we do want you to wear your compression garment when you sleep. A compression garment is used to minimize swelling and inhibit fluid accumulation. The pressure of this garment is consistent and gentle, so it prevents excessive soreness. The garment also prevents tension on incisions, supporting good healing and less dramatic scarring.
You can have a great body. We can help. For more information about breast surgery or a mommy makeover, contact our Bloomington, IL office at (309) 664-1007.
