Being a yummy Mummy is in the jeans. Trendy drainpipe jeans, that is. Most new Mums know that with a baby bulge still hanging around, wearing them is a pipe dream. But celeb Mums, whose jobs require them to look fit and fab, face a lot of pressure to quickly return to their svelte selves.
After all, Hollywood Mum Angelina Jolie seemed to shed her pregnancy pouch at the speed of lightning.
And Singapore's Queen of Caldecott Hill, Zoe Tay, showcased her impossibly taut, tight bod in a swimsuit spread just four months after having her second child, Ashton, at 40.
Most new Mums, however, have trouble getting rid of tummy fat, says Shieryll Raqueno, 30, a physical trainer at Contours Express fitness centre.
She should know: She is still trying to zap the fat on her arms and thighs after giving birth last December.
'I was a little pressurised to look fit for the sake of my clients because I had to be a good example,' she says. 'But because I gave birth by Caesarean section, I couldn't do intense exercises for four months.'
With Mother's Day on Sunday, Urban checked out what pressure Mums in the entertainment, modelling, fashion and beauty industries face to look terrific.
Our four cover-mothers are theatre director and actress Beatrice Chia-Richmond, model Katya Malysheva, Brenda Loke, marketing communications and public relations manager of French skincare label Clarins, and Vanessa Lim, communications manager at a luxury fashion house.
It was with trepidation that Urban approached the task. After all, Dr Daniel Koh, a psychologist from behavioural health clinic Insights-Tse, notes: 'After birth, hormones won't return to normal just yet. With the trauma of childbirth, that may cause post-natal depression.
'Symptoms include tiredness, agitation, crying and lack of interest in even the baby.'
Instead of depressing sob stories, though, the four served up a confident attitude.
Chia-Richmond, 34, who suffered anorexia as a teen model, says: 'My work goes through a lot more scrutiny than the way I look. Besides, when you start listening to everybody, you'll never really feel good about yourself.'
So Happy Mother's Day. Kick back, relax and have someone else feed the baby.
