Not that long ago a new baby   meant kissing  goodbye to anything   even vaguely fashionable  . As soon as  that cute  little bump began to show out came the floral tents, or, if you were a bit more daring , dungarees ( seriously !). And it really didn't get any better  once  the baby arrived -  fashion   wasn't really an option when it came to baby accessories either!

Thankfully , things have  changed   a bit since then -  mums now   want   more. Having a  child   is a wonderful , life  altering   experience, but it doesn't have to  be   the end of everything pretty ! Modern women  demand   more, but the whirlwind that a new baby leaves in its path  can make it  easy to forget   that you're still you  and  and before you know it you can   lose yourself in  piles   of nappies  and babygros...

First time motherhood   is a real   shock to the system. Not only are you suddenly at the beck and call of this tiny little person twenty-four hours a day, but  stopping   work, even temporarily , can make you lose sight of yourself and who you were before your baby arrived. It's easy to define yourself by your  work , without realising   it and giving up that status, even for a short while   can be disconcerting.

 As well as   that, the financial pressures  of low  maternity pay  and paying for the upkeep of that beautiful  new  arrival   make spending time and money on yourself  feel like something of a luxury and it's easy to find  months have gone by  with you wearing little else than jogging bottoms, jeans and a t-shirt is  dressing up!

But it is important not to forget about yourself. Being a good  mother   is about more than just  spending every moment with   your baby - you need to be happy and comfortable with yourself  too . It doesn't have to take a lot of effort (which can be hard to muster after three months of broken nights ...), opt  for low maintenance glam and funky baby accessories and, most importantly of  all remember to take twenty  minutes to yourself whenever you get a chance - relax, read a magazine and above all, do not do the  housework ...

Thankfully  now there are  many ways you can maintain  your style, right through your pregnancy and beyond. Retailers  have finally  tuned in   to the desires of new parents out there and more and more main stream stores are  releasing    pregnancy   ranges, inspired by  their main collections and the nursery stores are  quickly launching   funky  and  bright   baby accessories.  At last   baby clothes come  in more than just  baby pink and blue   and you can  choose   a pram   in any colour  you can think of  , thanks to Bugaboo pushchairs leading the way with their stylish and minimalist  strollers .  The  fabulous   Bugaboo Cameleon is pretty enough to make you feel stylish, no matter how frazzled  you are!

With a bit of  clever   shopping you can become a yummy mummy on even a tight budget!