How Can We Pregnant Mom's Still Feel Good About Our Appearance??

E. you made me laugh. i don't think there's much you can do except enjoy it. it won't go on for too long and in no time you'll have that sleepless mami glow :)
i know what you mean though and i agree with the first post, dress up and get out though with a two year old might be tricky?
:)
congrats,
ps. i am one of those moms who struggled with fertility and was annoyed by moms who could get pregnant without doc's help :). now i have my two pumpkins :)

Hi E.,

I am pregnant with my third child, and it has taken a toll on my appearance too. I am what a lot of people would call a hip mom. I am very trendy and I love my heals! Acne is an issue for me this time around also. All I can suggest is to cleanse daily and wear a little eyeshadow and lip gloss to help you feel pretty. Also, I go out and buy myself something every two weeks...I hate maternity clothes but if you look around you can find something really cute for your belly, go have some pregnant photos taken and just try to do all the things you did pre pregnancy (except smoke or drink ofcourse) to keep your spirits high. I also on occation buy some plus sized "nighties" and put them on for my husband...this works better than you might think..most men are attracted to their baby bump.

hope some of this helps!

K. M.

stop worry about it.....just get dressed up nicely at least once a week like you are going somewhere important even if it just to the store and go with the flow...do your hair etc..you will start to feel attractive as you go thru your routine to look nice...and i am sure your two year old will love to play dress up with you and they always love to say mom is so beutiful....

EXERCISE EXERCISE EXERCISE! I walked 30 minutes on my treadmill anywhere from 3 to 5 times a week & it helped immensely! It also helped me to lose the rest of my weight after I had the baby. If you don't have any equipment walk around the block or try a pregnancy work out DVD (safer in the winter anyways). Just make sure to eat as healthy as possible and drink enough water. The combo of exercise food and water should also help out with your complexion! The last bit of advice I can give you is to make sure you "cheat" once in awhile.....I would get a burger or an ice cream cone, it's ok to splurge once a week!

Hi E.,

While I am in the 6th month of my first pregnancy, I totally get where you are at. A plus sized woman, I had joined a gym, changed my diet, and lost 44 pounds! I was feeling great! I regularly got manicures/pedicures and my hair done. My husband thought I looked awesome! Then I became pregnant. Even though we were elated that we didn't even have to try hard to concieve and we are blessed to be having a boy, I was down because I've gained almost all the weight back. My hair isn't growing at all like my moms did in her pregnancies, but is breaking off. And using Proactive is the only way to keep my face from looking like a checkerboard.
But there are some things you can do. I know money is tight, but try to treat yourself to a manicure/pedicure. You can even do it yourself. Go to the hair salon every two weeks, or if money is tight: get a salon quality shampoo/conditioner and pamper yourself at home. Get a new outfit (Target is good) and strut your stuff.

I hope these suggestions help. I do them myself and it really helps (except at 6 months the pedicure has become very hard to manuver, I can't get to my feet). I also love self-facials with different masks, clays and gels.
You may not look like Angelina Jolie afterward(who does?), but you will be a more relaxed, self-assured, put-together YOU. Thats what counts! Good Luck!

~ M.

First of all congratulations! Second of all I think, and have found that most men and woman when asked, think there is nothing more beautiful than a pregnant woman. Pale face, sideburns, acne and all. As pregnant woman we have an inability to see what others see. I am a nurse and mother of 2. We are also TTC#3. That being said, I think the best thing you can do is try and get more sleep, as impossible as it may seem. Get some facial bleach for your side burns. Eat healthy and take your prenatals for your face. Also try a different facial cleaner and astrigent. There are also some great concelers made by physcians formula. Green for red acne and yellow for under eye circles. I am also a firm beliver that exercise helps. I'm talking just a walk around the block every night or something. Good Luck and if you have any more questions I would love to hear back from you.

Check with your OB first to make sure this is OK.

If you can find the money to spare, this is not only good for you mentally, but also physically.

Call the day spas in your area. Ask if they do prenatal massage. You will feel wonderful when you are all done. it relieves muscle aches, tension and will work on the back pain. Some research is looking into its effects on baby. There are many OBs who believe prenatal massage can help calm baby down, have a positive effect on him/her after he/she is born, and possibly make labor easier because the muscles are not as tense and tired.

I had one at 8 1/2 mos and felt great. My back was fine until after labor, and thats impressive considering how many back problems I have. I only had to push for about 45 minutes and I rested for at least 20 of it.

Check it out. you'll find that some spas are reasonable, especially with prenatal massages. They usually last for an hour and are tailored to the needs of a pregnant woman's body.

Hi E., I am a Mother of 2 Beautiful Babies both under 3- My daughter is 2 1/2 and when I was pregnant the 2nd time with my Son who is now 17 mos, Well I didn't Feel Attractive either, I felt HUGE -(SHOOT I felt more HUGE w/ My 1st Pregnancy...lol) I was ALL BABY both times!! I would do My Best to dress CUTE w/ cute- attractive maturnity wear, do my hair or @ least have it look nice, get a pedicure n nails done/manicure and I would use CLEAN & CLEAR Morning Burst Facial Scrub n the CLEAN & CLEAR Moisturizer on my face -once daily on my face to keep down those Pregnancy bumps (I call them). LOL I still use the facial scrub n moisturizer! Also DRANK LOTS OF WATER, can NEVER drink to much, eating heathly too w/ Fruits & Veggies are a MUST for that NICE SKIN COMPLEXION!!! ITS ALWAYS GOOD FOR US MOTHERS TO TAKE TIME OUT FOR OUR SELVES ! :0) (even if it feels like we have NO time ...LOL) Don't WORRY bout the Green Hue -IT WILL GO AWAY! I thought NOT having my Nable sticking out & NOT having the pregnancy line was wrong- but at the end of the day I WAS STILL PREGNANT REAGARDLESS ...lol. Hope I helped cheer you up Girl! And don't Worry, Everything will BE A OKAY!!! GOD BLESS n CONGRATS on 2nd Child.
A.

Are you having a boy??????? This all sounds so familuar as my friend felt exactly how you feel. When I was prego, I loved being pregnant, but I had to do for myself in order to love it. I would dress up a few times a week, get manicures and pedicures from my friend. I didnt have the $ to go somewhere and have it done. My hubby would massage me a few evenings a week, and He even shaved my legs(I couldnt reach). I would go to a vo tech that had cosmetology had pay them like 10$ to do my hair. Not cut it, but just do it pretty. It is practice for them.I still do that on occasion. I think that just relaxing and enjoying the moment as it is, is the best thing you can do for yourself. Your daughter is going to be such a huge help to you with the new baby. If you are concerned with your acne, when I was pregnant there was only one product that worked for me during pregnancy, and that was Foaming Face Wash Skin Milk UPC# 827755200208 it comes in a 8oz. I loved it.....it cleared me up within weeks.

Haha- wait until after you are pregnant???

I sorta just ignore what I look like those nine months... HECK- so far in my life I've been pregnant a total of 33 months!!! yikes. Yeah, so what's the point of trying? Even if I end up looking nice, just wait til I start walking- it ends up looking more like a waddle. And I get cramps in my abdominal ligaments cause they are fed up with being stretched, and then there's the lovely massive heartburn- so I'm never FEELING good... Also there are these "age spot" type marks that just seems to appear overnight on my skin when I'm prego...

I LOOOOOVE babies, and they are TOTALLY worth it- but REALLY who says we have to feel good about our appearance when we are pregnant?

hahaha!!! yes, I've definitely let myself go:)

(Oh well, I'm young enough to get myself back after the baby, and she's our last so that's my excuse)