Polished new mum look - is it possible?

[Muppet7410]

DC2 is 2 weeks old. I look like 💩!

Is there any way I could look slightly polished but would only take 2 mins to do?

I'm 35, hereditary dark circles (emphasized by 0 sleep), fair skin (few acne scars), long dark brown hair.

Thanks in advance!

Probably not.....

A good shampoo and conditioner to make your hair easy to style and look silky.

Dark circle concealer (NYX in boots do a cheap great one!)

Little mascara

Esteé Lauder powder foundation- looks effortless and really good coverage for a powder! (About £35 but lasts ages)

Drink lots of water.

Simple outfits that look good without effort, e.g nice jeans and a simple black t shirt, nice quality black tights under a simple dress/skirt etc. Doesn't need to be expensive!

Maybe even consider a shorter trendy haircut? I find long hair to look quite crap unless it's styled well which takes time! Shoulder length bob kind of thing that takes care of itself?

Congratulations on your baby! Now is the time to be kind to yourself and not add any unnecessary pressure. However I know how it can get when you don’t feel you look your best and you are knackered.

Now, I was not polished at all when I had my son four years ago. I didn’t shower daily and some days my hair didn’t even see a brush...! But once I’d got used to my new normal and had a more confidence in parenting, I made time to shower daily (OMG amazing!) and looking more presentable.

I’m pregnant again and it’s not so much not looking like shit, but looking like me with no time to spend on me, if you get what I mean?

Things I’d love to do once I’ve had baby 2 are below and this this will massively depend on support you have at home, how comfortable you are leaving baby every now and then, plus what’s affordable.

• biosculpture gel nails every three weeks (always feel nice and no chipping!)
• false semi perm lashes (don’t need to put mascara on and hopefully make me look awake. Think this is every eight weeks)
• Weekly hair treatment that you can leave on overnight and rinse off be next day.
• Treat yourself to some premium toiletries, even if it’s the sample size/travel size as that will make you feel good as they’re not what you’d normally buy.

-clean PJs - I’m definitely changing mine daily this time! 🤣

Having written this, I need to definitely do the basics of showering daily and changing my clothes so I feel human, before I atttemp my list 🤣

God no. Im 5 years in. Theres no going back now

Showering daily would be a luxury! Definitely need to fit this in somehow. It only takes me 5 mins if I'm not washing my hair!

I'm only managing to wash and blow dry hair once a week 🙊.

What's everyone doing on mumsnet at this time of night? My excuse is night feeds 🙃 💤

I have a 6 week old newborn.
Showered daily from the beginning, it does wonders for your fatigue and sense of self-worth. Especially with breastfeeding, I'm constantly leaking milk and sweating, I can't stand the smell of sour milk on me all day.
The baby is not going to be traumatized by you putting it down for 5 minutes while you have a shower.
However, I have found that putting the baby in the bathroom on a bouncer while I take the shower does help with reducing crying, if he can see me then he's a lot calmer. And babies are often soothed by the sound of the water running.

You’ll look fine mrs....and to be fair nobody will be looking at you.....mothers with babies aren’t exactly interesting 💤

Congratulations on your baby and be kind to yourself, you've just done something amazing and it takes a while to find your new normal.

I have really long hair so washing it once a week was all I managed in the early days, my son is almost one and to be honest I still wash it at most twice a week as i just don't have time! I never usually wear my hair 'up' apart from in the house but I did embrace a Meghan Markle style low bun and learnt via YouTube how to do a quick chignon the was for a short time though, and I'm back to always wearing my hair down now.

I got myself a gel nail kit and do my nails once every couple of weeks when he's having a nap as I found appointments impossible!

I've embraced good skin care, as I often don't wear makeup out now, for example if going to supermarket, baby classes, soft play. I have a nip and fab no needle serum that perks my face up and makes it feel amazing, that plus filling in my eyebrows a little makes me feel presentable.

With a newborn again I'd say be home to yourself, and buy some nice loungewear (next was my fave) so you don't feel a scruff around the house but your comfy and still presentable for visitors and can chuck a coat and shoes on and go for a walk with baby.

Answer to why I'm on Mumsnet... baby just woke me up!

I have a 9 week old. I am v fed up as my tummy still looks 6 months pregnant. However I have done /do a few things to look smarter.

1. pedicure and gel nails. Had a mobile person so took baby with me as no stinky salon.
2. joined an group on FB calmed ‘can I breastfeed in this ‘ and hot sone top tips on new clothes and treated self
3. deffo daily shower
4. choose a few simple outfits and hang up together so leaving house needs no extra mental energy

Good luck

Your baby is barely out of the womb so you have every right to look a bit frazzled.

In terms of looking put together, get yourself a uniform. Five tops and five pairs of jeans/trousers that can be swapped about.

For skin, get yourself a foundation or BB/CC cream and a swipe of blusher.

Dry shampoo is also your friend.

And pre-instruct every visitor who enters your home to tell you how fucking fabulous you look!

My baby is 5 months. I have never looked worse. Only get two minutes for a shower so putting on make up is a rare treat. Hair permenently tied up as I am shedding so much of it. Once baby is more independent I am having a pamper day and shopping spree. Can't wait.

mothers with babies aren’t exactly interesting

I have a 2 week old and still manage to be interesting, thanks.

Anyway... definitely shower daily. It keeps me sane. I use an illuminating foundation to make my skin look slightly better. Always a quick coat of mascara too.

I’m currently feeding my five week old. I don’t tend to look great as I’m fat, but I do make an effort every day to be reasonably well presented. I have short hair so I can shower, dry and style it every day. I use concealer under my eyes, bronzer and a pressed powder just to smooth everything out, and finish with mascara. I try to keep my eyebrows tidy. My nails are just kept short and neat. I don’t have time to do them myself or have them done due to cluster feeding and three year old twins. I tend to wear dresses because I hate the feeling of anything around my stomach, and it makes me feel a little more put together. I’m lucky to have a quite laid back baby, but I think it’s important to carve out a little time for myself every morning so I can leave the house feeling okay.

I found the newborn stage easy to groom and look after myself.

To shower, I’d take baby into bathroom with me and strap them into a bouncy chair. Then I’d play peek a boo around the curtain and leave it slightly to the side so I could see them. Alternatively, I’d bath and do the same with the bouncy chair. Or sometimes. I’d take baby into bath or shower with me. This was more with my 2nd as he just never wanted to be put down, was happy as long as he was in my arms. So I could shower away no problem and did one arm hair washing!

I’d also find as a newborn that the white noise of the shower calmed them and usually they just went to sleep, leaving me to get out, dressed etc.

I wash hair every 2nd day so then I’d just sit them with me in the bouncer or even on my knee. Neither of mine minded the hairdryer noise, that came later when they were older. They usually just fell asleep as newborns.

Post 6 months it gets harder as they won’t sit fascinates watching you as they do as newborns (mine did anyway) and then trying to do these things while also keeping them in check is impossible. I then switched to showering or bathing at night and blow drying my hair then. It was a massive pain at the time, but for me was the only way it worked. Again sometimes I bathed with them, wrapped hair up in turban, did their bedtime, then went back to drying my hair.

Also choosing an outfit at night before is always a good idea.

I keep my outfits simple now.

I learnt to do my makeup whilst breastfeeding. Baby on left boob, left hand holding makeup, right hand to apply. Had a Bobbi Brown compact foundation, beauty blender, tarte concealer, bronzer, blush, eyeshadow, mascara. Only bit I couldn’t do one handed was eyeliner!

Personally I would never leave the house without a shower, makeup, hair looking ok and a clean outfit, baby or no baby! I may be feeling like crap but I need my game face on to feel human.

Also I had a bouncy chair in my bedroom so any chance I could the baby would go in that and if she started crying I’d sing at her whilst finishing up whatever I was doing. She’s six months now, she still stops crying when I sing (I have the voice of a harpy so she’s probably desperate for me to stop 😂).

Ignore the rude post above, OP. Of course you are still interesting

A good tinted moisturiser is your friend here. I used to quickly slap on some Laura Mercier stuff and it made the WORLD of difference to my haggard face in the early days.

And yy to getting a shorter haircut if you can, or stocking up on dry shampoo and mastering the messy bun?

Definitely invest in some good basics - well fitting jeans (hard at this stage I know), tops, shirts etc that can be smartened up with a nice necklace or whatever suits you.

Tbh his is going to be the most negative thinges I have written on mumsnet...however.

I just dont understand how people can't find 10 mins for themselves just because they have a baby. I have 3 kids. 7, 4 and 1. My four year old cant be left for ANZ time alone as he has seizures and if physically disabled. I still find time however to wash my hair, dry it, straightern it and put a small amount of makeup on in the morning.

I find the time. I get up 5 mins earlier. I put my makeup on while the kids are eating breakfast. My hair can be straighternd in 2 mins... surly 5/ten mins can he found...

Congratulations OP

Getting a quick shower in, even if that wasn't washing my hair, made me feel so much brighter for the day.

As for my hair, it gets put up into a claw clip if I am unable to style it. I find it keeps me looking presentable despite not really having done anything with my hair.

I also kept out some light foundation, my mascara amd a lip balm so I can quickly shove it on within a couple minutes.

Satons - totally agree! 3 kids here and still managed a shower, face on and hair done every day..

Brought baby home 24 years ago. Had a shower, did hair and put on makeup every day. When DH went back to work I fed baby in bed, DH brought me a cuppa and left at 7. Then baby went into crib and I showered, dried hair and put makeup on. Took about 20 mins. Sometimes baby went to sleep and certainly helped with self settling. Then all the jobs were done by 9.

I’m impressed by the mums who have managed to still be presentable after having a baby. I really do salute you all!

Crikey, I felt like I’d been hit by a train and there’s just no way I’d have been able to do that.

With everything, you do what you can, when you can and for some that’s more than others. It doesn’t mean you’re not doing it right if you can’t do it all!

I’m also stealing some tips for next time. Very helpful thread!

Stay off the smartphone during night feeds. The light makes it harder for you to get back to sleep between feeds and you need every scrap!

Drink loads of water and eat well.

Take that shower. Does your partner go to work? I would get up when he did and shower then.

Don't cut your hair! I did and it's my biggest regret. It's harder to take care of, needs styling, or at least blow drying to be left down and until recently was too short to go up!

Lots of water, good skincare routine, daily showers and easy to wear clothes.

Try to eat well too. I ate fabulously well throughout my pregnancies and only put on 15lb since my dd was born general knackered-ness and lack of time mean bad food and another 8lb on!!!!

I really only cared about sleep, 2 years on I still do
But maybe a BB cream, mascara, nude lips and a quick brush if illuminating product
2 minutes job?
I never had the energy though