We spent hundreds giving ourselves a ‘glow-up’ before labour – other mums were screaming in pain as we patted on powder
WOMEN are heading into the delivery room determined to look their best with primer, foundation, blusher, eye shadow and a lick of lippy.
One mum’s #ididmymakeupbeforegivingbirth video has notched up 13million views.
As the trend gathers pace, three women explain why they wanted to look their glam best while giving birth.
Raven Dixon-Biggs, 28, is someone who was not prepared to let contractions stand in the way of looking good.
While the majority of mums-to-be were packing an overnight bag or fine-tuning their birth plan, Raven was having her nails done and her eyebrows threaded instead.
When she went into labour with son Remington, now two, she was wearing false eyelashes, a £300 weave as well as hair extensions, and full make-up.
Raven, from Birmingham says: “At 6cm dilated, when I could hear other women screaming in pain, I was topping up my face with powder.
“For the delivery suite, I packed a glittery pink supersized case with enough make-up, beauty products, masks, curlers, tongs and clothes for a two-week holiday.
“I was worried my weave would slip or I’d lose my false eyelashes but they didn’t move.”
It is estimated that 79 per cent of mums take their make-up bag into hospital with them, while 68 per cent apply make-up on the same day as giving birth.
But Lesley Gilchrist, co-founder of My Expert Midwife, warns: “Labour can be unpredictable and the vital signs are important elements of monitoring and keeping mums safe.
“The complexion of the mother, signs like facial pallor, pale lips or skin, can be an indication that something is wrong.
“Oxygen saturation probes are usually placed on the fingers so Shellac or acrylic nails may interfere with this.
“There is also research that shows fake tan has been detected in breastmilk.
“Midwives look after women regardless of their apparel, make-up or piercings, but experts recommend the ‘au naturel’ look.”
Model and Prince’s Trust Volunteer Raven was induced ahead of the birth at Birmingham City Hospital in 2020 because she was overdue by two weeks, having a natural delivery.
She says: “I wanted my son to meet his mum while she looked like a queen.
“I did get some weird looks from other mums, but one midwife said, ‘you look absolutely fabulous’.”
Writer Darryl Baker, 36, from Finchley, North London, spent £800 to make sure she was “birth ready”.
She put on fake tan the day before her daughter Blake arrived by planned Caesarean at Barnet Hospital in 2019.
Darryl, married to sales manager Lee, 43, would even have had Botox, if she had not been advised against it.
She says: “When I was told midway through my pregnancy I couldn’t give birth naturally, my first thought was, ‘do whatever you need to get her out safely’.
“But it was quickly followed by, ‘well at least that means I can get fake lashes for the birth’.
“I was never planning smoky eyes and red lips, but there were plenty of ways I could add subtle glamour.”
As soon as Darryl was given a date for her delivery, she came up with a wishlist of beauty treatments and ticked them off, right up until the night before, when she applied her tan.
She says: “In the days before I gave birth I booked a lash and hair appointment, a brow tint and thread, and a bikini wax.
“Lying for hours on a beauty therapist’s bed having lashes glued to my own wasn’t the most comfortable thing for my pregnant body, but the backache and leg cramps were totally worth it.”
Darryl added: “The way I saw it, a lot of photos were going to be taken on that special day and I wanted to look nice in them.
“If I could’ve had Botox I would have smoothed out my crow’s feet without a second thought.
“I slapped on lipstick between contractions, all mums should do it.”
With a wardrobe totalling £2,400, Sunny Andrea, 39, loves to look good and was not going to have it any other way in labour.
When she gave birth to son Hari, now six, at East Surrey Hospital, and then daughter Lena in June, 2021 she wore full make-up.
Sunny, a model and telecoms worker, lives in Northampton with entrepreneur Daniel, 55.
She put on primer, blusher, bronzer, mascara and lipstick between contractions.
After a three-day labour with Hari, Sunny believes feeling good about herself gave her the strength to push through the final stages.
Despite the smudges, she reckons the post-birth photos speak for themselves.
She says: “I looked good, I felt good and I had healthy babies.
“I loved how I looked, it was so empowering and made me feel positive.
“I don’t have many photos and the main thing is my child was healthy but it really helped me at a time when I was nervous.”
“It had worn a bit but I was basically happy — and delighted to have a happy and healthy son.
“And like with Hari I wore make-up with Lena – classy and elegant
“When I tell people I was topping up cosmetics between contractions, they are often shocked and ask why I bothered.
“Some might criticise my choices, but other mums who also love their make-up understand.
“Childbirth is a stressful time but it made me feel better about myself and it improved my self-esteem.”
MUMS' BEAUTY COST
RAVEN’S BIRTH BEAUTY LOOK – ESTIMATED COST £450
- Eyelashes
- Pedicure
- Manicure
- Eyebrow threading
- Weave
- Hair curlers
- Blow dryer
- Hair tongs
- Face masks (cosmetic)
- Hair dryer
- Foundation
- Contour
- Concealer
- Mascara
- Eye shadow (Nars, Maybelline, Revolution)
- Cleansing kit
- Stick on nails
SUNNY’S BIRTH BEAUTY LOOK – ESTIMATED COST £500
- Mani
- Pedi
- Primer
- Foundation
- Eyeliner
- Stay-on 24-hour lipstick
- (all Charlotte Tilbury)
- Eyebrow threading
- Hair straightened
DARRYL’S BIRTH BEAUTY LOOK – ESTIMATED COST £800
- Lash appointment
- Hair appointment
- Brow tint
- Brow threading
- Bikini wax
- Fake tanning