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Synopsis

'I feel blessed that I have been able to bear children, but I'll be honest with you: I'm no earth mother. I did not spend my pregnancy pottering about in a kaftan with an ecstatic expression on my face. I suffer from terrible morning (noon and night) sickness, I get acne, I get quite depressed, and rather large. I would've killed for a book that gave me, the mum, some survival strategies for looking and feeling good about myself during pregnancy and in the first few weeks of being a mother, but I found they were all about my and the baby's health. So I had to work out my own plan to feel happy, healthy and gorgeous. And here it is!'
Mel Sykes

Blooming Beautiful is divided into two sections, Big and Beautiful and Yummy Mummies. In each part Melanie and Hilary give fantastic advice on looking good, fitness and vitality, healthy eating and understanding emotions. Interweaved with Melanie's sometimes hilarious, sometimes incredibly touching observations from her own pregnancy, this is the guide mums-to-be have all been hoping for. From simply finding the right bra, to changing your shampoo, to being prepared for the whirlwind of hormone-induced emotions, Blooming Beautiful is packed with all the information Miriam missed out!

Reviews

Customer Review: 06 March 2006

Reviewer: Billie Jo Roberts

A wonderful book for all young mothers - very easy to read and stylishly produced. I am 6 months pregant and I felt completely reassured by Melanie's (and Hilary's) friendly book about the whole process of having a baby and staying healthy and lovely.

More

Looking good is not just to do with the external condition of your skin. It’s what’s going on inside that counts, too.

Here are my 5 simple steps to keep your skin looking fantastic on the outside, so that everyone will say to you: Wow, you look radiant!

Step One: Consult a Professional
What you use and how you use it is vital when it comes to pregnancy skin and hair care. I know facials can be expensive, but it really helps in the early stages of pregnancy to go and have one good facial and get advice from an expert who can set you up with the right products for your skin. The same with your nails and hair. The products you’ve been using before you were pregnant won’t necessarily do the trick now, so it’s important to be prepared to change your normal beauty routine to cope with your pregnant skin.

Step Two: Take More Time for your Basic Skincare Routine
When I’m wearing make-up I do take the time to do a proper cleanse, tone, moisturize routine, but when I’m at home, where I don’t wear make-up, I have to confess that it’s more like a once over with a cleansing wipe and a slap of moisturizer on my face and body. But when I was pregnant I had to be a bit stricter with myself and stick to a daily routine. Your skin will thank you for looking after it more carefully while it’s going through so many changes. Mine definitely looked better as a result.

Step Three: Moisturise, Moisturise, Moisturise
This one’s very simple, but it’s never been more important to moisturise your skin than now you’re pregnant. All of your skin needs moisture, but especially the areas that might succumb to the dreaded stretch marks. Find a moisturiser that suits your pregnant skin – not necessarily the most expensive – and get in good supplies. A natural product like Palmer’s cocoa butter is excellent.

Step Four: Plan Time for Extra Grooming
Your body is expanding in all directions and you’re probably not feeling at your most attractive, but this doesn’t mean that you should ignore it.

Give yourself a weekly manicure and pedicure – until you can’t reach your toes any more. Although I managed, I’m not sure how – maybe I missed my vocation as a contortionist!

Step Five: Use a Fake Tan
You may think I’m daft going to all the trouble of getting a fake tan while I’m pregnant, but unless you’re the pale and interesting type, looking tanned makes us all feel so much better. The good news is that the ingredients in fake tanners are harmless, so you can use them whilst you’re pregnant. (Not safe are tanning beds, because of the cancer risk – although there is no evidence that they are harmful to your foetus.) As with all fake tans, practice makes perfect, so don’t be put off if you have a few accidents. If you aren’t so keen on doing it yourself, you can always nip along and get a professional to put it on instead!
 

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