Never feeling properly dressed
Remember those nights out in college or in your mid 20’s when you would spend the afternoon picking your outfit or even buying a new top? Then you would put on some music and take your time having a shower, styling your hair and doing your make up, you would go out feeling a million dollars and why not…you looked like your best self!
Nowadays, if I get to just have a shower it is a good day.
As I am on maternity leave, technically I don’t have to get ready so I always try to prioritize my husband getting ready first as he has to work. But then, if you get caught up, breastfeeding or dressing the kids or whatever, you can miss your window and “Puff!”, no shower for you that morning!
You might get 10 or 20 mins to run upstairs, throw on leggings, throw your hair in a bun and off you go for the day. You always feel like you aren’t properly dressed, you could be wearing something nicer and looking better if you had a minute to collect your thoughts and put make up on. I felt so tired and exhausted, the thoughts sometimes of making an effort left me overwhelmed, so somedays the easier option was to just stay in comfy casual clothes.
Also, you don’t fit into your old clothes but your maternity gear is big, baggy and makes you look frumpy … so you are in this limbo land of just feeling meh!
For me I used to just have a quick body shower, put on a tinted moisturiser, a bit of mascara somedays, if my eyes weren’t too stingy from no sleep, throw my hair up and that was me set for the day.
I had 4 pairs of leggings I would wear on repeat and I did buy a few hoodies and wooly jumpers in nice bright colours to try and put a pep in my step.
Covid lockdowns prevented the usual stream of callers during the newborn stage for Eleanor and I found the lack of stress of not having to get “made up” for callers a huge relief. You can stay in your pyjamas if you need to, I also had a pair of thermal leggings which were lined inside that I got in Penneys that I lived in during the winter, they were so handy for the park with the kids on those ice cold days, when all you need to worry about is staying warm.
When you do get a break and can have a shower and take your time getting ready and put on some make up, you can look like yourself again and think, “yes, I am still in there, I will be me again, it’s just going to take a bit of time”.
I think it is nice to see yourself with make up on and fresh clothes to brighten your mood, if you meet a friend in the park it gives you confidence that the old you is still there alright.
