Preparing for breast augmentation surgery — Recovery must-haves, Part 1 of 2

April 10, 2014, 6:28 am

Let’s be honest, after breast augmentation surgery, you will be sore. You may be uncomfortable, and you will need to take it easy for a while. Previously we gave you some tips to help ease discomfort and soreness after surgery, and we’ve also discussed how to shop for a bra following breast augmentation. Today we are going to look at some of the must-have items to further ease your recovery. Well before the day of your surgery, be sure to gather your must-haves, and make sure they are easily accessible. By preparing ahead of time, you will have already put yourself in a position to have a smooth start to your recovery period. Today we present you with the first three of six must-haves to ensure a restful recovery period.

Enlist help and plan ahead

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again — arrange for help. If you have children, dogs that require walking, yard work, or household chores, you will need someone to help you throughout the day for at least the first few weeks of recovery. You may find it beneficial to enlist the help of a few people who can rotate through on a schedule — your best friend to help with the kids in the morning, your sister to help with kids and chores in the afternoon, and pay the neighbor to walk the dogs or do yard work. You may also need to enlist someone to help get your children to and from school and activities.

Many women also report that doing all of the laundry and cleaning prior to surgery helps reduce the amount of work to be done in the first few days of recovery. Additionally, moving frequently used items to counter level or lower helps as you won’t be able to reach up for a while. And, if you use liquid soap that has to be pumped out of the container, buy a few bars of soap and have them ready next to the sink — the pumping action will tax your sore muscles more than you may realize.

Pillows, lots of pillows

There’s not a lot to say here, except that pillows are your friend! After surgery, sitting at a 45-degree angle will be far more comfortable than laying flat or sitting upright. Such a position is also beneficial in helping to reduce swelling and bruising. You’ll want pillows to support your back, neck, and head, and may also find comfort in having pillows at your sides on which to rest your arms, as well as to help prevent rolling over in your sleep.

A recovery kit

Start pulling together a recovery kit before you have surgery. The contents of your recovery kit are entirely customizable to your preferences, but for many women this includes lip balm, tissues, bottled water, easy to open and eat snacks (keep it healthy though!), baby wipes to use in place of showering until given the ok to shower, your television remote, your cell phone, and “bendy” straws so you don’t have to strain any more than necessary just to take a drink.

A lot of women put a pile of books next to the bed thinking they will want to read, but frequently the immediate discomfort after surgery interferes with this plan. Maybe select a few books that don’t require much brain-power, and then fill up your Netflix or Hulu lists with your favorite movies and shows — if ever there was an excuse to binge-watch your favorites, breast augmentation recovery is the time!

Additionally, make sure your cell phone charger is within easy reach. Instead of ringing a bell to get your family or your helper’s attention, you can just text! You can also use the calendar on your phone, or print a calendar from the internet, to keep track of when you take your post-operative medications.

Next time

In our next post, we will talk about clothing and footwear, ice packs, and essential meal planning. In the meantime, if you have questions or concerns about breast augmentation or any other procedures, please call Kansas City Surgical Arts today at 816-286-4126. No question or concern is too big or too small! We look forward to hearing from you!