The Yummy Mummy's Survival Guide

by Liz Fraser

Forget the frump. Wave goodbye to those leggings – there's a new breed of mothers on the baby block. Yummy Mummies don't leave their sense of style in the maternity ward – the loving hands that rock today's cradles are manicured and moisturised.Becoming a mother, however Yummy, is still as challenging as it ever was. help is at hand, with this no-holds-barred guide to surviving the biggest transition of your life. Liz Fraser is a (mostly) stylish mother of three young children, and offers a much-needed, fresh look at what happens to us, our relationships and our wardrobes when we take the plunge and fill our tidy homes with Lego.Hilarious, honest and poignant, Liz uses her experiences of motherhood to help you through pregnancy and the first year with your baby, making the whole event seem manageable – even desirable.Along with stylish, practical advice and searingly frank entries from Liz's diaries, other new mums have their say, including well-known Yummy Mummies such as Jemima French and Tamara Mellon.This indispensable guide is the stylist, personal trainer, box of anti-depressants, bar of chocolate and best friend which every woman can carry around in her handbag. Because becoming a mother doesn't mean you stop wanting to look and feel fabulous – it just becomes a little trickier!

Genres: Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published June 4, 2007

Reviews

[Sabine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hey, hun, if you don't like the fact that your life has changed - why is it that you had kids in the first place? Most of your tips are not very helpful in real life - and especially not for those who'd really like to get a least a sample bite of both worlds.

Just a somehow "trendy and fashionable" take on mommy guilt. This time coming from those who think no-one, not even you, should notice at all that there is a new, important factor in your life equation.

[Ieva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Should have finished this months ago, but somehow got stuck a bit. Well, what to say.. a book is well written, of course it's from early 2000's, therefore some of the things are maybe closer to that point of time, but then again author herself is a mother of 3 children, which makes this book worth checking.
I like the humorous way how Liz is going through pregnancy topics until postpartum and further.
She has covered the main things and at the same time she has shown her own experience. A quote I will keep to myself will be "Do not set high expectations from the day, let it flow and it will bring you to a nice place" and the idea of making yourself happy and feeling your old-self a tiny bit everyday will help to bring out the best mom you can be as it's important to not lose self-care during challenging times too. This is self-explanatory, which I am trying to do since the day one, but it's nice to read that I have followed well my inner instinct.

Grāmata ko noteikti ir vērts izlasīt jau pirms grūtniecības, vai vismaz tās laikā, man sanāca to pašķirstīt dažādos posmos. Pilnīgi noteikti ir vērts apskatīt sievietēm, kuras gaida pirmdzimtos, tām kurām jau ir bērni visticamāk nebūs tik saistoši. Autore ar humoru iziet cauri būtiskajam + dalās ar savu un citu mammu pieredzi.

[Miss Ciara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful. Despised it. Found it patronising, dangerous (esp regarding dieting when pregnant) and then finishing by telling you to smile? Perpetuating this idea that a woman’s place is to smile at the world and make others feel great. As poor a book as o have read in ages.

[Lucy Burchell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm... readable... but not as good as Myleene Klass. Wouldn't recommend.

The glamorous title leads you into a false sence of security.

[Rikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is some useful information and advice in here, IF you can get past the fact that it’s all aimed at middle class lah-di-dah types.

[Gemma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick easy read, reassuring book 1st half more relevant before baby and end of the book just skimmed through. Not amazing but had some reassuring points.

[Margaret Windsor · Rating 2 out of 5]

may have been handy 15 years ago. not now.

[Tamina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mir gefällt, dass das Buch teils echt witzig ist und alles mit Humor nimmt und auch Dinge ausspricht, die sonst nicht ausgesprochen werden.
Doch finde ich vieles auch problematisch. Hier einige Beispiele:

Am Ende: "falls du wieder arbeiten willst, musst du dich natürlich um Kinderbetreuung kümmern": Aber ist da nicht meist noch ein zweiter Elternteil da? Wenn der dann immerhin bei der Auflistung, was für Betreuungsmöglichkeiten es gibt, aufgelistet worden wäre ...

Und dann darf bei der Arbeit möglichst nichts vom Kind gesehen werden – weder Fotos, noch ein Spielzeug, das au der Tasche schaut. In einer solchen Firma möchte ich gar nicht erst arbeiten.

Und auch pauschal zu sagen, Grosseltern nur als Backup zu nutzen: je nach Familie tatsächlich vielleicht besser aber so pauschal?

Und zu guter Letzt "Vergessen Sie nicht zu lächeln. Sie sind jetzt Mama. Das ist mehr Lächeln wert als alles andere". Das mag für viele stimmen, aber grad für Mütter, die die Mutterschaft bereuen oder komplett am Ende ist, wäre ein besserer Tipp zu sagen "Sie müssen nicht immer lächeln und sind mit ihrer Überforderung nicht alleine. Holen Sie sich professionelle Hilfe oder/und tauschen Sie sich mit Freund:innen aus"

[Fiona Robson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was like a breath of fresh air, after all the scare mongering, fat n' frumpy style parenting books. This was light hearted and proved that you don't have to gain fifteen stone, get really hairy and dull or lose brain cells just because you've had a baby. Lots of useful advice and reassurance. The best parenting book I've read by far. Don't bother reading all those crappy magazines which only scare the life out of you and make out that your life will come to an end when the baby comes - read this instead! And DON'T whatever you do listen to all those well wishers who claim: "You don't know what's ahead of you - the hard work is about to begin"! Come on ... pregnancy is the worst bit - once the baby is here, it's fabulous!

[Suzy Atkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book to read if you are expecting! Although the author is based in the U.K it still has some very good (and extremely funny) tips and advice. I read this while 6 months pregnant and it just made my pregnancy so much more blissful.

[Stephanie]

Funny and informational, can't get much better when up late with Lydia.

[Annalise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some decent practical advice, and I really did appreciate the message of self-care and keeping true to yourself during the transition to motherhood. Nothing earth-shattering, though.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, a good read for any first-time mum.

[Jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Witty & put forth pregnancy myths/ truths in a very funny way. Would recommend this to all mummy - to bes

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

very funny and great advice, but some are common sense.