Yummy Mummy Myth

For years women have been told they can have it all - a slim figure, nice clothes, well behaved children and an adoring partner. The ‘Yummy Mummy’ was born. Celebrities flaunted size eight figures weeks after giving birth and women swapped fashion tips outside the school gates.

Now it seems the Yummy Mummy is a myth. Far from being young, stylish and happy, research conducted by the UK’s favourite parenting club Bounty, shows that a woman's self confidence hits an all time low after having a baby. One in two new mums admitted to feeling depressed by the way they look. A staggering 73% said they felt in need of a makeover and a quarter of mums said their partners rarely complimented them on their appearance.

Almost 60% of the 1,300 women who took part in the Bounty survey said that celebrities made them feel inadequate. Glossy magazines were also blamed for piling on the pressure, with 42% of women saying magazines made them feel less confident about the way they look.

Nearly 80% of mums said they needed advice on how to dress for their post-baby shape and how to put a fashionable look together. One in two wanted help to create a working wardrobe.

As a result of the research, Bounty is launching a unique standalone looking good – feeling great website - which is designed to give women practical help and advice on everything from choosing what to wear to suit their body shape to eating a healthy diet for maximum energy.

Faye Mingo, Marketing Director of Bounty and a working mum herself, said: “For most women having a baby means that ‘me time’ goes out of the window. We know that women’s self confidence can hit a low and wanted to design an understanding and trustworthy website that is as much about feeling good on the inside as it is about how you look”.

Bounty has been supporting mums since 1959 by providing information, advice and product samples. Bounty reaches over 96% of new and expectant mothers and distributes 3.2 million reward bags containing over 60 million product samples. The Bounty website, bounty.com is an active online community with 666,000 mums meeting regularly online.

For more information on life pre and post birth, see our A-Z guide on Antenatal Exercise, Antenatal Pilates, Baby Massage, Baby Yoga, Depression, and Diet and Nutrition.