Letting Myself Go

Before I became a mom, I always hoped I wouldn’t become one of those moms who “let themself go” - basically someone who has completed neglected their physical appearance and personal needs. 

I haven’t completely let myself go - I still try to look somewhat presentable when I leave the house and I maintain some nonnegotiable self-care activities - but I’ve made many intentional sacrifices in my appearance to prioritize my young children (with occasional exceptions like for church on Sundays):

  • HAIR: I don’t style it anymore, just brush it and tie it back because otherwise my baby keeps grabbing it and pulls it out, leaving more stray hairs than usual around the house.
  • FOUNDATION: I don’t wear it on my face anymore because I love nuzzling my baby and I don’t want it to rub off on him and irritate his sensitive skin. 
  • LIPSTICK: I love wearing lipstick but I’d rather give my baby a million kisses all day everyday, so I stick to lip balm. 
  • MASCARA/EYE SHADOW: I don’t wear it anymore because I wear an eye mask when I try to take a nap and I don’t want to worry about smudging it. 
  • EARRINGS: I love wearing earrings but have to avoid the dangly ones for now while I’m carrying my baby a lot and he grabs everything. 
  • NECKLACES: Again, don’t want my baby to grab it and strangle me. 
  • BLOUSES/DRESSES: All my tops are conducive for frequent breastfeeding, so nothing too fussy or long. 
  • BOTTOMS: I only wear sweatpants or leggings because I’m constantly squatting, bending, and sitting on the floor with my kids so mobility and comfort are top priorities!
  • SHOES: No more heels or sandals. I wear the same pair of black mesh sneakers everywhere for comfort and so I can better hide scuffs and protect my feet when my toddler steps on me or the stroller wheel runs over my foot. 
  • EXERCISE: When I did cardio (I love dancing) or free weights while breastfeeding my first baby, my milk supply diminished noticeably. So I'm not risking it this time and just doing lowkey pilates at home whenever I can squeeze it in. And I'm excited to start walking again after this unbearably hot Texas summer ends!


I’ll look forward to being more put-together and looking nicer in about a year once I’m done breastfeeding and my baby becomes a toddler who’d rather be running around than being smothered by his mommy. 

Comments

  1. AnonymousAugust 12, 2024 at 1:56 PM

    You will reach your goals, which only need some time .

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousAugust 12, 2024 at 3:23 PM

    You always look lovely! I remember I didn’t put in my contacts for a year after Spencer was born. I couldn’t imagine trying to add that simple task to my day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousAugust 12, 2024 at 6:14 PM

    Priorities in the right place Linda! My daughter has a six year old and a three year old. Just got to pre pregnancy weight. She works from home so only prioritizes what shows on a zoom screen.

    ReplyDelete

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