10 weeks after having baby - Feeling ugly and bleurgh! Beauty tips please!

[MayMummy11]

It is 10 weeks since I had my daughter. I have been really good about trying not to eat junk and eat healthily. Have been doing a lot of excercise by walking to lose the baby weight. I still look like a deflated balloon - especially annoying in this beautiful weather! I had a c section and don't feel quite ready for a full on work out. But all my summer clothes (if they even fit me) look awful. Giant boobs, a wobbly tummy and saggy butt are doing nothing for me! though I am back to a size 12/14. I have dark circles that just won't go and seem to have acquired a whole lot more wrinkles and dryer skin and lanky hair. It is making me feel really fed up. I am being v superifcial I know... but any tips on what to wear with these wobbly bits or any other gentle excercise I can do (normally I love yoga but at the moment that is a bit tricky as have to take baby with me) to tighten things up? Any other tips on how to feel a bit better about this new body?! I don't even mind about having the scar or the few stretch marks I managed to get away with - they are my mummy marks for my baby! Just generally feel a bit yucky! What are your beauty tips or have you found any amazing products? What clothes are flattering without making you look preggers again?! Thanks in advance...

[prolificwillybreeder]

I have been using bio oil on my face at night.
Using bio oil on the red angry stretch marks.
Bought the Garnier under eye concealer caffeine roll on- a fiver in Superdrug! Seems to make me look brighter.
Put a semi permanent Nice and Easy hair dye on in my natural hair colour. Has made my hair brighter and shiny. Took fifteen minutes so DP only had to have the boys for 25 minutes-ish.
Primark £6 support vests, help smooth my um... bumpy bits.
Bought some nice moisturising shower gel and body puff and exfoliate in the shower, perk my dull skin up.
I'm going to get some tinted moisturiser to quicken my make up routine up.
Going for a walk everyday, helps blow the cobwebs away and I kid myself it's excerise!

That's all I've got, I'm afraid. I'm sure others will be along with more helpful advice soon.

[fraktious]

Are you drink

[fraktious]

Are you drinking enough? Especially if you're BFing!

I find I look shit when dehydrated.

[lizardqueenie]

Hey ya & congratulations!

With te yoga, if you google mum & baby yoga in your area it might come up with few classes locally that you can go to & take baby along. Depends where you love really. Also post-pregnancy a lovely person on MN recommended I get a post-natal pilates DVD, which I really like, made me feel a lot better & I did whilst my baby napped. I'll be back with a link/ name but it also has an intro then a slightly more advanced session for when you're feeling a bit more able.

[lizardqueenie]

Sorry meant to say where you live not love! Bloody app!

Here's the link, I ordered mine from amazon www.amazon.co.uk/Pilates-Mums-pregnancy-Lindsey-Jackson/dp/B000BC8G08/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1300127896&sr=8-1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Hope that helps

[valiumredhead]

I remember having a really good haircut helped perk me up loads post ds.

[Gillybobs]

Agree with support vests, wear them under your tops, makes a huge difference.

Go for a cut and blow dry, always cheers you up

Buy a nice bright scarf to wear with simple tops and treat yourself to an easy to apply foundation/tinted moisturiser and a lipgloss, takes 30 seconds to put on and makes a world of difference to how you feel about yourself. I find Revlon Photoready foundation nice and luminous to lift my complexion and Revlon lipglosses are lovely and not too £££

[newgirl]

I'd buy some new things to wear - sales are on and if your size changes again donate to charity.

[Makeminealarge]

Ive had to de-clutter my wardrobe of my pre-pregnancy flat tum, perky boobs suiting clothes. No point making me feel depressed looking at slinky lycra type dresses Im unlikely to wear anytime soon lol! So now I have slowly build up my new wardrobe with key basics and more flattering styles. tunics and leggings, summer dresses, maxi dresses etc are in fashion whilst the sun is out and are comfortable and flattering to wear. I also went and got my hair re-styled, put on a new hair colour, treat myself occasionally to a new mascara or yummy body lotion etc. under eye concealer was a god send! As for gentle exercise, nothing beats a good walk with baby in pram! In fact there are outdoor pram group exercises popping up all over the place, perhaps look into one of these classes? x

[realslimshady]

Get your eyebrows threaded/waxed regularly, keep your hair cut well and your nails nice. These simple things make me feel so much fresher and more 'put together', even if I'm running on 4 hours sleep and in yoghurt stained jeans!

[Rubiesandrainbows]

I agree go for a walk with the baby everyday, all those endorphins will kick in and you will start to look and feel better.

Also, clothes-wise, agree re the support vests and topshop do highwaisted long leggings that are great for the actual purpose of being leggings, and also for helping disguise any bumpy bits. Wear with a patterned dress (as short as you like, keep your femininity!) and the pattern is a good disguise for mummy tummy, and if you get a scoop/v neck one, will show off your big boobs :)

I started pilates when DD2 was 12 weeks and by the time she was 6 months, what with the daily walks I was feeling really good :) Managed to get DH to get home early from work a few evenings a week and started yoga. (strangely, now my children are older, I get less time to go than I used to!)

Just to say aswell, dont throw your nice old clothes away because you will be back in them, I did that with a few of mine and really regret it now - with pilates and yoga my body is actually better than it was before (and perkier boobs too!!)

[daimbardiva]

Oh, I know what you mean - it is so unfair that after having a baby, along with everything else, you have to cope with feeling like you loook crappy too ( which I'm sure you don't). I also had the delight of losing so much hair from around my hairline I couldn't tie it back! Agree with others that just making sure you take a few minutes each day just to boost your confidence a bit with "enhancing" products like concealers, highlighters etc. helps. I never used to wear make up every day, but now I find that just feeling like I've made a little effort perks me up.

Also pack away stuff you've no chance of wearing for 6 months or so just so it's out of your way and doesn't keep taunting you, and do treat yourself to a nice new pair of jeans or seomthing, to see you through the "transition" period - apart from anything else, it's very satisfying to be able to file them away a few months down the line.

[cruelladepoppins]

Can you go in a swimming pool yet? Aquaerobics are very gentle ... our local pool has a creche which is very welcome - or maybe you could get a rellie/ friend to come along to mind the baby for an hour in the cafe?

Or a buggyfit class?

My only advice on the beauty front is to pamper yourself as much as you can - even if you can carve out an hour once a week for a long bath with essential oils, facepack and deep-conditioning on your hair, will make you feel tons better. And sleep - can you nap when LO sleeps?

After my eldest was born, I became very attached to a jersey skirt with a rose print, worn with a shortish cardi on top - just enough camouflage on the skirt for the lumps and bumps, and a plain, darkish thing on top so my chest didn't look huge. (I had a naaaarsty episiotomy scar so I wasn't keen on jeans - horrible seams, ouchie!)

If you are breastfeeding ... I remember I was very keen on a breastfeeding dress I had - it was black and was cut really nicely. Not unlike this.

Enjoy this precious time!

[smearedinfood]

Early days my friend. Can recommend lots of water and maybe some mother and baby yoga, I found baby had a nice sleep after ...mmm

[snoozingbeauty]

My baby is 5 months and I feel like a different woman to how I did at 10 weeks. You really don't imagine you will but you do. I've been using Mama Mio body products too which has definitely made a difference to how I felt after baby number 1. Did you see this in the Mail today? Safe to use if you're BFing too. Been a total godsend for my middle!
www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2020859/Can-better-body-bottle.html
Good luck x

[HellonHeels]

Walking, pushing the buggy and lifting and carrying your baby are going to tone you up in the long term. Most mothers I know have arms of steel. 10 weeks seems like early days, don't be too hard on yourself.

Pedicure, manicure, eyebrows, hair colour, hair cut or treatment are all things that make me feel better about my appearance.

Congrats on your baby!