When I was pregnant I pretty much carried on the way I always had in terms of keeping up my beauty routine and doing exercise. The only thing I quit doing was highlighting my hair. But post-birth things have changed and in the back of my mind I have this constant worry about needing to get back to the way I was before and whether this is in fact still a possibility! 

Should I be worried about this or putting pressure on myself? Probably not, but like it or not the way I look is strongly linked to the way I feel about myself.

As I'm on maternity leave, I spend a lot of time at home. This has led to spending large parts of the day in pyjamas, tracky bottoms and other generally unattractive clothing, as well as infrequent showering and an extremely pared-down skin care routine. I've got lazy but really I want to look nice again for me, I want to look attractive to my husband again, and I definitely don't want to end up a frumpy mummy.

And this may sound selfish but when I go back to work I want people to look first at me as me and not as a mother. This means turning up to the office looking pretty much the same as I used to. But I worry that this won't be possible.

Some people will say that I shouldn't need to worry about the way I look now that I'm a mum as my priorities have changed. Some will say that my attitude is distinctly unfeminist! And some will suggest that my hubby should find me attractive no matter how I look.

But I'm a realist. And even though it doesn't really, and I will continue to judge myself every time I look in the mirror. So the only option for me is to get back to that health and beauty routine now before the lazy completely takes over! Things are improving as my baby gets older but I need to pick up the pace :-)

I would love to hear from other mums and mums-to-be about your feelings on beauty after birth and if the changes you've experienced have hit your self-esteem. Or conversely, if being a mum has made you feel much more confident and comfortable in your own skin and you no longer feel the need to keep up a beauty routine / wear make-up etc.. Please hit the comments section below if you have an opinion!

RL xx