After your baby is born and you know he's healthy, you experience the euphoria of owning your body again – while holding your beautiful baby. Once again you can feel the exuberance of unencumbered physical activity. Slowly you start to lose your pregnancy weight, hormone levels return to normal, and after you finish breastfeeding, you can seek guidance from a dermatologist or plastic surgeon about how to address any lingering concerns you have about your face or body.

There was a time when being pregnant meant letting go – eating whatever one pleased, forgoing strenuous beauty routines, avoiding physical exertion and wearing clothing considered unfashionable in general, but appropriate for mothers-to-be. That paradigm has not only shifted, it's been turned on its head. Whether women go out to work, stay home full time or work from home, the majority of pregnant women stay involved with the world around them. Although pregnant women are encouraged to relax, they still embrace an active lifestyle as much as possible: participating in business meetings, taking prenatal yoga classes, meeting deadlines, taking brisk walks outside, and in general, bringing balance and vitality to their families.

As women we seek to celebrate our pregnancies and honor the creation of new life. Nonetheless, we still want to feel good about how we look. The problem is you can only do so much while you're pregnant, but there are numerous options for postpartum women.

"Although we can address many women's concerns about their appearance during pregnancy, I advise them to practice good habits now and consult with me about procedures to correct any problems after they give birth," says Dr. Leonard Grossman, director of the New York Center for Plastic Surgery.

"In general, you should approach your pregnancy with restraint," he says. "You may think you need to eat a lot during pregnancy, but a baby doesn't require that much. A woman who eats healthy foods in moderate amounts can provide adequate nutrition to bring a healthy baby to term. You don't want to gain too much weight. The entire process is about will-power."

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