How long after having baby did you start to feel less frumpy?

[Newmummee]

I haven't worn make up since I went in mat leave in October!!

I was quite the opposite! I masked my tiredness with foundation and blusher and always tried to have my nails painted (did them in the evening in front of the TV). But my feeding bras definitely made me feel frumpy for months and I've never really got back into 'sexy' underwear.

My son has just turned two and I am only just returning to wearing make up every day and not just special occasions.

Mine is 13 months, and I've finally lost some weight, ditched maternity clothes, and my bigger clothes, got a new wardrobe, and starting to feel like me again.

I did wear make up, but initially it was just foundation, blusher and some vaseline on my lips. Added mascara when I could, but I think he was 12 weeks before that was a regular occurrence!

It does get better. Honest!

(My baby is fairly high needs, but I did have my partner around more than most - and still didn't get time to do much for myself!)

Pretty much straight away. However I took virtually no maternity leave ( moved to working from home half the time though), so within weeks I was at face to face meetings with people so had to look business like

( although the meeting I had with ds1 asleep under my blazer at around 3 weeks old prob wasn't that professional...)

Artandco- ha!

I would say 3 years is a good age to start putting yourself a little higher in the priorities ;-)

I'll tell you when it happens (dd is 3.5!)

My baby is 17 weeks and I am only feeling good now. I wear make up most days though and heels. Swim and walk a good bit. Joined weight watchers when he was six weeks as had EMCS so couldn't exercise properly.

I have bought two tops but don't really dress up that much. I am going to ttc again soon so probably about as glam as it is going to get

Straight away. Make up went on the next day in hospital. It was essential for me to feel like 'myself' in that respect, to handle all the other chaos a baby brings to your life!

Actually, now you mention it PoshPaula, I did have a full face of make up on the day after my C section! Even though I couldn't walk...I also had a Jessica geleration mani before going into hospital as I knew they wouldn't be able to remove my nail polish. Ha!

With both of mine, I started to make an effort to lose the last of the baby weight & spruce self up a bit just before I went back to work - so 9months with dd1 and about 11 mths with dd2.

Even now I still find on my day with the kids each week I dress down, wear jeans & trainers & virtually no make-up, while the SAHM's tend to much better dressed. Suspect much as I love clothes, my natural state is to be slob.

Well to a certain extent straight away - I nipped in the loo to 'do my face' before I let DH take any pics of me with our youngest (it was a really easy birth though - I was too knackered to care with our others!).

However I was BFing for about 18 months so having enormous heavy norks meant I felt a bit frumpy clothing-wise.

frankie If I had discovered gel nails at that stage I would certainly have had my nails done beforehand!

I wear make-up almost every day right from the start - I just can't bear that moment when YOH look in the mirror and see a baggy-eyed, haggard old woman. If I see a little glimmer of freshness (even from a bottle!) it cheers me up. I know this is shallow on MN but it helps me (and I have make up down to about a two-minute routine. BB cream is very helpful here, and blusher).

Definately driving - it is helpful, psychologically. That may not be a popular viewpoint with some but I know what I need to do in order to feel more positive.

I agree Driving and Paula. A bit of BB cream, blusher and mascara helps me feel myself and bolsters me to deal with the unrelenting chaos of children. Takes two minutes.

About 5 years!

I felt frumpy for ages after having Ds1 (now 2) and I finally feel myself again.
Am expecting Ds2 any day now and am taking a different approach to it - have a new, low maintenance hair cut that I love, nails done (admittedly by myself) and have treated myself to a new tinted moisturiser.

Have already started bagging up the saggy maternity wear.

What is BB cream?

Pretty much straight away too. At 40 I couldn't afford not to! Like some other posters I needed a bit of me too. DS was quite easy compared with other babies though. Had he been a bit more needy or I had a less supportive DH it would have been harder.

Still not there at nearly 7 months. Starting to run now yo get rid of some weight but don't have any decent clothes that fit. Sigh.

BB cream - would that be enough coverage to go over the green make up that covers redness?

11 years- do I win

I wore makeup straight away but took a few.months before my clothes were ok. In my head I've only started to feel like myself in the last few weeks (DD is 16m) Felt like I was chasing my tail returning to work and then Xmas.

hmm, DS1 is 13 in July - I'm expecting #7 just before his birthday.
then give it two years before I can worry about myself, so I guess all in all 15 years, at least.

do I win?

I started making an effort again by about 6-8 months post birth, but I only really felt really good when I lost most of the weight and my babies were sleeping through and less demanding (potty trained, eating solids, walking and talking) a so 2/3 yrs afterwards, if I am honest.