Hellobee Boards

People kept waiting for me to *relax* my grooming standards during pregnancy, but that didn't happen . . . I made sure of it! On the day I was induced (I didn't know I was going to be induced!), I walked in to my OB appointment in heels with freshly highlighted hair (done the day before - thank goodness!).

I didn't get any stretch marks, but I did gain plenty of weight. I have lost a lot, but I still have a long way to go. My weight-related insecurities were tough to deal with during the pregnancy. I totally hear you!

And definitely enjoy the pampering now! In the first few weeks/months (my LO is 16 weeks this week), I struggled to even get a shower during the day. It was so much more complicated to do things after she arrived.

I wish that happened to me in pregnancy! I just felt so uncomfortable and sick all the time. I actually began taking better care of myself after LO was born. Getting a shower is sometimes the only time I have to myself in a day. And getting dressed in real clothes makes me feel like a person instead of just a milk machine. I've blow dried my hair more in the five weeks LO has been here than in my entire pregnancy!

@jedeve: Aw, what a great hubby! That's really sweet!

I don't think I've gotten better or worse - I still shower [almost] every day, blow-dry and straighten my hair, and wear makeup. The only time I don't put on makeup is when Hubs and I are having a super-lazy day and I know we're not leaving the house. I do think I've started to care less about my clothes, but I think that's also because my options are so limited at this point, that I don't care if I repeat a shirt in a week or something like that.

@Jedeve: I was definitely in the *feel pretty for as long as possible camp*, although having to go to an office every day (or at least 5 days a week) in business attire really made it tough for me to slack. I didn't really feel *disgusting* until my legs and feet started swelling big time late in my 2nd tri/early 3rd tri. When that happened, I think I really focused on keeping everything else up because I was hoping to detract from the squishy hot mess my legs had become. My eyebrows looked great! My eyeliner was perfect! Not a single eyelash clumped together! Please don't look at my feet!

During the first few weeks (my LO is 16 weeks this week), I was too tuckered to even notice any spit up/dried milk on myself (I noticed it on my LO right away!). It took a lot for me to feel disgusting . . . the only reason I showered regularly was because I wanted to make sure I was clean for LO (and for my DH - I didn't want to stink up our sheets!). I would gladly have traded showers for sleep during those first weeks!