If you're planning a mommy makeover, you already know you have a lot of things to think about: The procedures you'd like to have, your budget, location, and timing.
And of course, the most important decision is picking your surgeon.
The best mommy makeover doctors start with conversation and care, making you feel heard and never talked over. They translate your goals into a clear treatment plan, explain things without jargon, and prioritize safety at every step.
They operate in accredited settings with board-certified teams, use precise technique to protect function and sensation, and they plan recovery so it is smooth.
Great mommy makeover surgeons set reasonable expectations and stay present with responsive follow-up. They aim for balance and harmony. Flatter abdomen, lifted breasts, and refined body contour for an elegant, feminine silhouette.
You leave feeling confident, comfortable, and genuinely cared for.
So... how do you get that?
WHAT MAKES A GREAT MOMMY MAKEOVER DOCTOR?
Before you book an initial consultation, check the doctor's website for these essentials. This is how you know a mommy makeover doctor is technically qualified.
Board certification
Verify that the doctor is a board-certified plastic surgeon ("Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery"). Board certification ensures the doctor has completed rigorous plastic surgery training.
Board certification is a safety signal and a quality marker. To become board certified, a doctor must complete accredited training in reconstructive and cosmetic surgery, log extensive operative experience, and pass rigorous written and oral exams.
Hospitals use it when granting privileges, which protects you if you need escalated care. For a combined mommy makeover, it means your board-certified plastic surgeon has the skills needed to repair abdominal muscles, perform breast procedures, and manage anesthesia using proven standards.
Surgeons who advertise as “cosmetic doctors” without this certification may be less qualified.
Membership and leadership
Look for membership in professional societies like the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Active engagement in professional societies requires ongoing education, peer review, and adherence to ethical standards. Surgeons attend annual scientific meetings, complete hands-on labs, and present their own data to demonstrate continuous skill refinement in breast and body procedures.
Board-certified Beverly Hills mommy makeover surgeon Dr. Jaime S. Schwartz MD FACS, for example, is an ASPS member and has even served on ASPS national committees, helping to craft breast and body surgery guidelines.
This is how you know the doctor isn't just technically qualified (board certification), but they also maintain high ethical standards and they are passionate about providing top-notch care to their patients.
Experience with mommy makeovers
Of course, your mommy makeover doctor should specialize in mommy makeovers. They shouldn't treat them as an afterthought.
When looking at their website, the easiest way to find out if this is the case is to browse their mommy makeover before-and-after photos.
First of all, are there many of them, and how is the quality? High quality before-and-after photos should have consistent lighting and angles, without any signs of cropping or editing.
When you study before-and-after photos, compare cases that match your body type and goals. Look for a natural belly button, repaired abdominal muscles with a smooth waist, balanced breast shape and nipple position, and scars that are thin and well placed.
Location and facilities
California is known for having some of the best plastic surgeons in the world, and Beverly Hills in particular is an epicenter for cutting edge plastic surgery. Patients travel from around the world for treatment from the mommy makeover doctors in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills.
When evaluating doctors, also check up on their facilities. Choose an accredited facility that is within minutes of a major hospital and verify your surgeon has active hospital privileges, so you have seamless access if anything unexpected arises.
Out-of-town patients should plan to spend time afterward in nearby quiet, hotel-rich areas or dedicated recovery suites with trained aftercare. This makes the first one to two weeks smoother.
Dr. Schwartz maintains a Beverly Hills clinic and is affiliated with Providence Saint John’s Medical Center in Santa Monica, and his staff is equipped to help arrange lodging for patients who travel in from out of town.
Patient reviews and results
Examine before/after photos and patient testimonials. You can also get clues about a surgeon's track record in their awards and patient ratings.
For example, Dr. Schwartz maintains a 4.7-star rating in both Google and Realself, and he has been honored as a RealSelf “Top 100” doctor and won Best Mommy Makeover Surgery at the Aesthetic Show.
YOUR INITIAL CONSULTATION: WHAT TO EXPECT
After finding a great doctor, it's time for your initial consultation. You already know that the doctor is great on paper, and now you can learn about their personality, style, and ultimately, if they'd be great to work with.
When you visit Dr. Schwartz's clinic in Beverly Hills, your mommy makeover consultation will start with conversation. Dr. Schwartz listens first. You will discuss goals, concerns, and what a beautiful result means to you. Expect a review of your medical history, medications, allergies, and prior surgeries.
We'll also review your weight history, plans for future pregnancies, and smoking status at this time, because they affect safety and results.
What the examination includes
You will have a focused physical examination of the abdomen and breasts. Dr. Schwartz will assess skin quality, excess skin, and areas of excess fat. He will check for separated abdominal muscles and hernias. Breast volume, skin stretches, nipple position, and any uneven breasts are measured. Photos are taken for planning.
How your treatment plan is built
Dr. Schwartz will then explain your options in plain language. Common choices include a tummy tuck procedure to tighten the stomach area, a breast lift or breast augmentation, breast reduction when indicated, and liposuction for body contour. Fat transfer may refine shape in select areas. Together you decide whether to combine procedures in one surgery or stage them. The plan sets realistic expectations for scars, recovery time, and results.
Safety, anesthesia, and recovery
Dr. Schwartz will then outline where surgery will occur, who will provide anesthesia, and how long the surgical procedure should take. You will receive a written recovery process, including activity limits, pain control, and compression garment use. Most women plan one to two weeks off work. You will also get guidance to stop smoking and optimize nutrition before surgery.
Transparent pricing
You'll receive an itemized quote, detailing the surgeon's fee, facility fee, anesthesia and more. The office will review mommy makeover cost ranges, flexible financing options, and dates that work for you.
Questions to ask during your consultation
At this point, you already know that your doctor is:
- Board certified,
- A leader in professional organizations,
- A specialist in mommy makeovers,
- Located in a spot with easy access to hospitals and recovery areas,
- Well-reviewed by former patients.
Now you can ask more questions about your specific needs and their approach, so you can find out whether you trust their judgment, their plan, and their team to deliver results.
Here are some helpful questions to ask:
- Based on my exam, how would you repair my abdominal muscles and place my tummy tuck scar? What is your plan for my belly button shape?
- If you find something unexpected during surgery, how will you adapt while keeping safety first and results natural?
- How will you minimize risks for me specifically? Walk me through DVT prevention, nausea control, pain control, and your plan for the first one to two weeks.
- What is your compression garment protocol and milestone timeline? When can I lift, drive, and return to the gym?
- What results should I expect at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 12 months? What would make you consider a revision and how do you manage it?
- Who will take care of me if I need help after hours? How do I reach you or your team the night after surgery and through my recovery process?
- Show me three case-matched before-and-after results. Tell me what you did for those patients and what you would do differently for me, and why.
WHY WORK WITH DR. JAIME SCHWARTZ MD?
If you're looking for the best mommy makeover doctor in the Los Angeles area, look no further than Dr. Jaime Schwartz MD, FACS.
Dr. Schwartz is a board certified plastic surgeon and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He completed an integrated Plastic Surgery residency with high operative volume and an advanced aesthetic fellowship focused on complex breast and body procedures. This background equips him to plan and perform combined mommy makeover surgery safely and predictably.
An active member of leading professional societies, including the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Schwartz practices in Beverly Hills, serving patients from Los Angeles and beyond. He operates in accredited surgical facilities with board-certified anesthesia providers. He maintains hospital privileges at major centers, which adds a safety net for rare situations that require escalation of care.
Innovative recovery techniques
Dr. Schwartz’s Scar Secure™ protocol is a structured scar-management system. It pairs precise incision placement with meticulous closure technique; then it layers standardized post-op care. Patients receive timing for silicone therapy, sun protection, massage, and follow-up checks so scars heal flatter and lighter over time. The goal is thin, well-concealed lines that sit where clothing covers them.
This is in addition to Dr. Schwartz's groundbreaking Rapid Recuperation™ technique, which focuses on getting you mobile and comfortable quickly without compromising safety. It uses thoughtful anesthesia choices, targeted pain and nausea control, and early movement to reduce stiffness and clot risk. You receive a written recovery process that outlines compression garment use, activity milestones for the first one to two weeks, and direct access for questions as you heal.
Communication and planning
Great results begin with listening. During the initial consultation, Dr. Schwartz translates your goals into a clear treatment plan in plain language. He explains the tummy tuck procedure, breast procedures, and liposuction options. He sets realistic expectations for scars, recovery time, and results, and he shows case-matched before-and-after photos so you can see how similar concerns were addressed.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
You get a specialist in mommy makeover procedures who blends advanced training with careful judgment. You can expect a personalized plan, a predictable recovery, and natural-looking results that respect function, sensation, and your lifestyle.
Contact us today to schedule your personalized initial consultation.