After nine long months of pregnancy, the first few weeks postpartum can be disappointing when you realize that for the most part, you still look pregnant but now with dark circles under your eyes from those 3 a.m. feeding times and without that sought after pregnancy glow. It can take almost a year for your body to return to its normal self again and for hormone levels to regulate. In the meantime, it’s important to take care of your body while it begins to heal. We have a few ways to help it along in the beauty department. Take Your Vitamins During pregnancy, expectant mothers take pre-natal vitamins which are chock full of all kinds of goodness. After pregnancy, if you’re not breastfeeding, pre-natal vitamins are no longer necessary because your body doesn’t need that amount of folic acid. This is a great time to switch to a normal multivitamin formulated for women. Many of the benefits of the so-called pregnancy glow can really be attributed to the regular intake of pre-natal vitamins. Vitamins help your skin, hair, nails, and more; so it’s no surprise that you may start to notice that pregnancy glow begin to wear off and fade when you stop taking them. In addition to taking a multivitamin, many of these vitamins can be found in fruits and vegetables so sticking to a healthy diet is essential. Of course, most women have a few pounds to lose post pregnancy so the benefits of a healthy diet are two-fold.

Make Time for Yourself

The months preceding and following the birth of a baby are all about the baby, all the time. It’s easy to let your beauty regimen slip as catching a few minutes of shut eye becomes more important than waking up early enough to curl your hair. However, you shouldn’t think of a beauty regimen as work. Think of it as taking 15-20 minutes a day to focus on you and you alone. You’ll be amazed at how calm the start of your day is and how much more confident and energetic you can feel if you take the time to spend a few minutes on yourself first thing in the morning.

Cut Your Hair Some Slack

During pregnancy, many women stop shedding their hair. This hair retention in addition to taking regular vitamins leads to a luxuriously full head of hair. Unfortunately, once the baby is born, many women notice their hair starts to thin and fall out rapidly. Customizable hair extensions are a great option to combat this thinning as they add volume, length, and thickness. You can customize the length and color to match your existing hair exactly so no one will be the wiser. Not only will hair extensions give you that extra boost of confidence, they will also cut down your morning routine significantly. If you stopped coloring your hair during pregnancy as many expectant mothers do to avoid any exposure to chemicals, then you are probably due to visit a beauty salon for a touch up. Schedule an appointment, get your partner or a doting grandparent to babysit, and invest in yourself for a few hours. You won’t regret it.