How soon after giving birth did you start looking after yourself (professional hair/skin care/exercise)?

Question

You know, like getting your hair/nail done, get a facial, spa, or gym, or whatever it is that you used to do before you had a baby.

Did you go back to those things soon after?

Or did it take some time before you did?

(Or you never went back? Or you never had any self care routine even before baby?)

Answer 1

After my sister had her baby she still did alot of things that she used to but just not as much (:

Answer 2

me and my girlfriend had a mommy day about 3 weeks after he was born.. hair , mani, pedi.. i need to work on the exercising thing lol

Answer 3

around 2-3months

I never exercised before, i still don't lol, but i get my nails done regularly & my hair.. No facials anymore though.. =]

Answer 4

while pregnant I broke out in eczema all over my body I felt awful as it was even in my hair I couldn't bare to look at myself.

It was 3 months before I could get my hair coloured again (because of the weeping in my scalp, horrendous eczema)

have to keep nails short (eczema again) so no pampering there

But the little one keeps me fit and i was lucky enough to regain my small body frame within a couple of weeks.  

Answer 5

I agree with Ms. Estes - my Daughter is almost 12 weeks and I am s-l-o-w-l-y managing to blow dry my hair in the mornings and paint my toenails but I have a feeling that I will never be able to fully go back to my old regime and to be quite honest, I wouldn't want to - nothing beats spending 20 minutes extra with my baby instead of straightening my hair.

Answer 6

Hes 8 weeks and the most I have been able to do was floss only once a week (i know gross) and get my eyebrows done ( I had to because they were covering my eyes haha). I would love to:

-visit the chiropractor

-visit the dentist

-take a nice LONG shower

-floss EVERY DAY

-get my hair done

-go shopping for new clothes that fit my huge b***s now that Im bfing

I guess its gonna take a while to get used to this baby. Im loving every unkempt, dirty minute of it.

Answer 7

start scheduling those appts right away! A little time away from home by yourself would do you a world of good.

As far as the exercising you should wait until you are cleared by your doctor.  

Answer 8

after 3 months when I started going back to my work

Answer 9

I never did any of those things before hand, so I never really changed my routine.

Answer 10

I had my hair done and paid interest in myself when she was a month old. Its important to have time to your self too. doing so may help you beat the baby blues and PND.

I have just started to loose the excess weight gain and introduce exercise to my routine again after a c-section. My baby girl is 10 weeks tomorrow

Answer 11

immeadietly after i was up and walking around and things the minuet after birth oh well not exactly cause i ate first lol

Answer 12

My mother-in-law wanted to babysit my daughter for a few hours to get that bonding time and I went and got my hair done! I was so excited. It made me feel so much better about myself. She was 7 weeks old. As much as I love being with my baby 24/7, it was nice to have an hour to take for myself.

Answer 13

When my baby was a week old I went to get a pedicure and left her home with daddy!  :)

I didn't exercise for a while just because I didn't feel ready.  

Answer 14

Your life changes drastically after a baby. All that free time you once had is gone! I didn't get my hair done until 3 months after I had my baby. I still find it hard to get out and pamper myself and my daughter is 7 months now. You will get to do those things again, but  just don't expect to jump right back into the swing of things.

Answer 15

It's different for everyone. I say don't wait too long or else you get in a funk. Definitely treat yourself occasionally if you can (or even take a 15 min shower instead of a 2 minute one). I waited about 2 months before I started going back to getting my hair done, nails, etc. That's just what worked for me, but next time I won't wait so long.  

Answer 16

Hahahahaha!

I don't think it even crossed my mind until my son was about three months old.  It's just *such* a blur.  I was pleased when I managed to shower and leave the house without spit-up stains on my clothing.

After that, I did go back to having my hair professionally cut and colored, plus my eyebrows shaped every six weeks - after all, I was back at work and you can't look like you're still wrestling with sleepless nights, even if you are.  (Plus, I could carve out 90 minutes once every six weeks while my son was in childcare.)

Exercise is really, really tough.  Some SAHMs have it easier because they can hit the gym and put their little one in the gym's childcare center.  (I was a SAHM for about six months when my son was around 2, and the gym childcare center was heaven.)  But when I went back to work full-time, I couldn't justify hitting the gym on my lunch hour on a regular basis - I had to work through to make sure I didn't get stuck staying late.  It took me three years to figure out how to have a new, flexible exercise routine that works.

For me, having my nails done professionally has always been a periodic treat, not a weekly or monthly part of a routine.  It's remained a treat - maybe once every other month, usually when I'm out with friends.  I've never had a facial, but I do love a spa treatment - massages, sea salt scrubs, etc. - but they've always been, and remain, vacation indulgences.

I'm not a big ol' glamour puss on my best days, but I was mildly horrified at how crazy those first few months were - I'd leave the house wondering if I'd brushed my teeth.  :(   And while it's a mistake to fall into the Mommy Frump of sweats and a ponytail day after day, I do think that new moms are to be forgiven a certain level of slovenliness.  It's tough to get it together when you're learning to parent!

Answer 17

Lol...I cant afford it anymore! Never mind someone to take care of cthe children...my Mother woorks and my husband is always at work.....I have to do it all myself.

Answer 18

Well I got may hair cut when my baby was just 3wks old. I'm waiting until I have the money to get it colored. As for my nails, they are still thriving from pregnancy so I'm not going to get them done until they start looking less healthy! I don't want to ruin a good thing! I did paint my nails in the hospital and keep them very well manicured on my own. I set aside just a little time each week to do that for myself. I just had my 6wk PP check, and my doc didn't say I had any physical limitations, so I'm assuming I'm cleared for excersise. I'm still in college, so I decided to take a 2hr physical fitness class twice a week. I also plan on working out on my own on the days that I don't have that class. My son will be 8wks when I go back to school, and that is the first day I will have him in daycare. Until then I'm just going to enjoy spending as much time with him as I can since my time will be limited by school in just a short while.

Answer 19

when my son turned 3 months.. but not as much as I use to...  

Answer 20

WELLLL . . .  My youngest is 3 *years* and I don't hardly do any of that stuff anymore.  I'm lucky if I can get a haircut once a year.  However, I do have 2 kids, 2 part-time jobs and am currently taking a college course.  

I did go back to excercising within the first week.  It's important for health and recovery, as well as something you can do with the kids.  I don't really have time for it, but I make time.  I guess you could make time for any of it if you feel it's really important right away.

I did paint my toe nails today during naptime . . . Yipee!

Answer 21

Right after..but I stopped getting my nails done because it's a pain to do all the time and now that I have a baby it seems they grow to fast to keep up with...I never used a gym before or after baby but I do go and get spa stuff done...hubby goes to..honestly our life really isn't to different with one baby...

Answer 22

I kept up with having my nails done, its only once every 3 weeks and gives me a chance to get out of the house for an hour and be me.  I tried desperatly to stay in the same routine even down to getting up at my normal time and showering, doing make up etc... as i normally would while i was in hospital (we were in for five days after birth).  Keeping a routine for me was important and while I didn't get back into exercise (bad back which i have to have operations on) i just tried to make things as normal as possible.  i like routine!  I'm hoping to stick with it this time too, my daughter is four and starting primary in september and i'm due another little girl in November! wish me luck!

Answer 23

after 6 weeks, if you can spare the time. Every mother is different. You will know when you are ready. You'll hear a voice telling you that you don't deserve it and you'll feel guilty (especially if you are a first time mommy). If you let it, that voice my delay you. Good luck and congrats!!

Answer 24

At least a few months.  I don't do anything fancy with my hair, and my mom cuts it at her salon when I'm home, so I don't really have to worry about that.  I did start exercising as soon as possible after my son was born.  I can't help it, I'm an exercise-aholic.