Part Four: Inspiring Moms

This is our final interview segment with moms who inspire. Last but not least, is Nancy Lim who resigned from her training post and got promoted to "Stay At Home Mom"! Always the elegant dresser with her 'humble' collection of Chanel bags, Nancy is doting mom to 16 month-old Meredith. Being a first time mom has its challenges no doubt, but you need to look after yourself first and feel good so that you can channel your positive energy to your kid(s). Look good for your children's sakes, said Nancy.

Describe your sense of style: Practical (enough for the climate in Singapore) and elegant for work. Off work I’m totally casual. Bermudas, Capri pants and shirt blouse rule my style.

Beauty sacrifices you have to make after childbirth: Less makeup as I do not wish for Meredith to ‘pollute’ her porcelain face whenever I hug or kiss her.Reduced accessories, especially chunky ones, as babies have a tendency to yank them apart. Re-touching my grown hair roots. Going to the hair dressers for hours is something of the past. Manicured coloured nails are not something I can wear on a frequent basis.

How important it is for you to make time to pamper yourself? I want to feel refreshed with Meredith and look good for her sake as much as possible. So it is nothing short of necessary to pamper myself first. For the barest minimum, I will indulge myself with a bi-weekly body massage. Catching up on sleep as and when possible in the day. A soak in my bath tub once a while allows me some needed quiet moments.

How do you maintain your appearance despite your busy schedule? Getting hubby to watch over daughter whilst I try to get a quick fix of facial and scrub. Anti-aging skincare is indispensable. After all it does not take much time to apply. That said, I am guilty of lapping on the product creams without taking time to massage my face. I have learnt to wear natural makeup in a jiffy.

Share a beauty tip: Twirl my hair into a chignon at home so that when the hair is let down there will be make shift curls!

Inspiring message for moms: Look good for your children’s sake. They should feel proud of how their parents, especially their mothers look. There is no need to dig deep into our pockets for making ourselves look pretty. Just need to be savvy and keep ourselves in the know of where to get stuffs or services at affordable prices.

I would love for my daughter to be proud of how her mummy looks. She may not know a thing about image pride now but I am sure when she is older she will pay attention to such details when looking at pictures of us taken together.

Part Three: Inspiring Moms

Ivy Lee, 33, just knows how to liven up her day with sporty chic clothes and bright colours. And daughter, Man Ting who is 3 years old is following mommy's foot steps in the fashion department! Ivy has a bright and cheerful personality and she certainly knows how to project her beauty inside-out.

Describe your sense of style: Casual, colourful, ad hoc

Beauty sacrifices after childbirth: None so far...haha

How important it is for you to make time to pamper yourself? Quite important to upkeep my looks

How do you maintain your appearance despite your busy schedule? I use mask regularly at home every week and go to the spa once in a while.

Share a beauty tip: Plenty of rest and water.

Inspiring messages for moms: We're all beautiful inside, we need to love ourselves too.

Part Two: Inspiring Moms

Whether you are a stay-at-home mom, working mom, single mom or mom-to-be, you need to make a conscious effort to maintain your appearance and health. These are the wise words from Charlotte Lim, our "Rock Chic" mom who is always bursting with energy and passion in what she says and does! Charlotte is in her 50s (can you believe it??) and has 2 adult children, Nigel, 26 and Kimberly, 22. She owns a fashion retail business called "Forget-Me-Not"(Anchor Point) which carries reasonably priced trendy items.

Describe your sense of style: Casual streetwear inspired style

Beauty sacrifices after childbirth: Manicures and Pedicures

How important it is for you to make time to pamper yourself? Pampering myself, even if its just enjoying a coffee and magazines/papers, or relaxing by the pool, is important as it refreshes and recharges me to face the day in a more positive way.

How do you maintain your appearance despite your busy schedule? Keeping an eye on a healthy diet of more water, fruits/vegetables and less sugar and salt; as well as setting aside ample time for regular outdoor/indoor exercises, makes me feel 'good' despite busy work and domestic schedule.

Share a beauty tip: Keeping a personal style that's no-fuss as well as flattering, helps to boost my confidence levels;

Inspiring message to moms: Firstly, its important to watch your daily diet intake and exercise regularly. And then, you have to WANT to make a conscious effort to maintain that presentable and healthy appearance. You have to be comfortable in your own skin.. work on finding your own style and investing in a wardrobe of versatile pieces. Looking good does not mean having to spend a bomb on the latest trends!

Part One: Inspiring Moms

Motherhood can be the most challenging role yet it can be taken for granted most of the time. There are many moms out there who put everybody and everything else first before them and in doing so, neglect their own image, aspirations and identity. While these important values will be less priority when you become a mom, no doubt, I hope that all moms will try to squeeze in a bit of "ME time" into their schedules. If you care about yourself (please do not interpret this as being selfish!),you will be able to make hay while the sun shines as quoted by Dora Yip! I have the privilege of interviewing four fabulous mommies and I hope their stories will inspire YOU to start doing something for yourself TODAY!

                         Dora, 33, a Corporate Communications Manager with son, Jordan Ross Turner, 1

• Describe your sense of style: Eclectic, practical, comfortable

• Beauty sacrifices after childbirth: My regular facials have fallen by the wayside, as have regular manis and pedis. I even find that sometimes I just forget to put a mask on my face at nights! My beauty regime has now been completely pared down.

• How important it is for you to make time to pamper yourself? Fairly important. I was never really into the traditional notion of "pampering myself" in my pre-Jordan days, although I did enjoy my regular facials and pedicures. Since having Jordan, I consider pampering myself not so much to be about the way I look, but more about a sense of holistic wellness. It's just as important for me to find time to read quietly, as it is for me to have a luxurious full-body massage!

• How do you maintain your appearance despite your busy schedule? Well I'm not sure if I'm the best role-model in that respect! I try to squeeze in little pockets of "me time" whenever I can throughout the day. For example, if Jordan takes a nice, longish nap, I'll paint my toenails (pretty toenails never fail to cheer me up) and read my book while my toenails are drying! It's all about making hay while the sun shines!

• Share a beauty tip: Dress to please yourself. Don't feel the need to subscribe to every fashion trend that comes along - skinny jeans may not be for everyone!

• Inspiring message to moms: Take your time to regain your sense of self. Childbirth presents a seismic shift not only for your body, but also for your identity and lifestyle. Don't feel pressurised by the constant messages from the media about Hollywood stars and their pregancy weight-loss. They have an entourage of professionals to help them achieve their goals! For regular moms like us, nothing works better than a sensible diet, regular exercise, and lots of kisses and hugs from your kiddoes. And remember, even if our bodies look a bit different from before we had kids, we are all still yummy mummies in our children's eyes!