Controversy As Mothers Insist On Heavy Make Up And Extravagant Beauty Routines Just Before Giving Birth

Any mother will tell you, childbirth is hardly the most *glamorous* affair. Beautiful? Yes. Profound? Yes! MESSY? Oh, heck yes. But glamorous? Not quite so much…

Maybe I’m in the minority here (though I really suspect that I’m not!) but after squeezing a human being out of my lady parts I was not camera ready! I only thank God I got my kids out of the way before Instagram got going with making people feel inadequate.

Now, lots of soon-to-be-mothers are feeling the pressure to look picture-perfect before, during and after the delivery of their baby. Now I’ve always said a bit of lipstick can make a gal feel like a new woman, but this seems kind of excessive.

Sure, these women look stunning and if you’re pushing a baby out then you’ve got a right to look however the heck you want! But you have to wonder how much peer pressure plays into this? People expect women to look beautiful all the freakin’ time!

(Image Credit: Instagram, alexisjayda)

Pictured above is Alexis Jayda, a make-up artist who filmed a make-up tutorial whilst waiting to give birth. This mama does not take a break!

So whilst you’ve got to admire Alexis’ conviction and talent it does raise the question, why do so many women (who aren’t making a living as make-up artists!) feel the need to look perfectly polished for their labor?

A recent study by Cosmetify found that 4 percent of women aged 18 to 31 get beauty treatments before labor, this included hair removal (65 percent), a manicure (57 percent), pedicure (43 percent), spray tan (37 percent) or a blow-dry, cut or styling (32 percent).

In this study, the researches tried to determine why women were eager to undergo beauty treatments/apply heavy make-up. The results are hardly surprising. With 31 percent of women citing the reason, they want to look “good in photos”, 26 percent wanted to look “presentable for visitors”, whilst 22 percent wanted to avoid “looking ill, drained and tired.”

You’ve just given birth to a human being?! You’re bound to look ill, drained and tired?!?!

(Image Credit, Instagram, leeannjarrell)

Whilst some of us may be rolling our eyes others argue how make-up can make women feel empowered. Just brought a human into existence, no biggie, and you’re damn right my eyebrows look perfect. What of it?

Indeed, some women are monopolizing on this trend. This Mom had a false-alarm for her labor but made the most of her time in the hospital to promote some make-up brushes on Instagram.

It may seem pretty extreme but it’s making her money, which is always handy when bringing up a newborn baby!

(Image Credit: Instagram, glamandgab)

The Instagram user also included this caption. Business minded, just moments before giving birth?! Damn, girl!

(Image Credit: Instagram, glamandgab)

This make-up artist is famed for her bridal make-up looks. Alaha went viral in 2015 when she shared these images of her experiencing contractions whilst having her make-up topped up. Alaha went through an extremely lengthy, very painful labor.

She says that make-up acted as a helpful distraction from the pain! I guess it makes sense?! You get little kids to look elsewhere during their injections, I guess it’s the same principle?

Push! Powder! Push again! Back to powdering!

She looks pretty focussed! And you need to be! Those contractions can be awful!

(Image Credit, Instagram, makeupbyalaha)

Look at those eyebrows?! Arches sculpted by angels!

The Instagram star had this to say about make-up application pre-birth…

(Image Credit: Instagram, makeupbyalaha)

Alaha’s words are pretty inspiring, don’t you think? Clearly make-up is her artistic crutch and helped her through a very intense time!

However, reflecting on the findings of Cosmetify’s study you have to wonder if this huge majority of women are attracted by the artistic, distracting element of cosmetics, or if they’re just feeling pressured to look unnaturally “composed” when giving birth.

(Image Credit: Boredpanda)

There’s no doubt these girls look amazing. But the response to their looks has been pretty mixed.

I think at the end of the day you’ve just got to do you! You’re the one giving birth, so nobody else gets to tell you how you should do it. There is no right way! If you want to look glam then good for you, just remember you’ll look just as beautiful bare-faced and completely exhausted.

The real beauty is meeting your baby for the first time, it’s got nothing to do with what’s on your face!

Are these women pregnant powdered pioneers? Or contributing to a society that expects women to look a certain, “perfect” way at all times? How did you look in your post-birth pics? Let me know in the comments! AAx

 

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