New Mommy Beauty: Having a Good Hair Day at the Hospital

Today I have some amazing tips from Aussie's Sarah Potempa all about feeling beautiful and looking great at the hospital. Really, it is possible to have amazing hair while in labor and post-partum at the hospital and I intend to follow all of her tips to the letter! Note that she gave me so much amazing info that I'll have more posts from Sarah sometime soon, so watch for them!

Sarah Potempa began her styling career at the age of fifteen in Chicago, Illinois. She later graduated from the Aveda Institute and she moved on to study business and creativity at NYU. After graduation she began assisting industry giants Recine, Danilo, and Ward. Her extensive experience as a freelance stylist includes editorial work for renowned magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Esquire, and W. She has worked with celebrities such as Ali Larter, Rose McGowan, Amy Smart, Julianne Moore, Shalom Harlow, Josh Hartnett, Jake Gyllenhall and Patrick Dempsey as well as advertising campaigns for Converse by John Varvatos, Tommy Hilfiger, Urban Outfitters, FHI Heat and MTV.

Not only is Sarah Aussie's Celebrity Stylist (go check out her must have products and amazing tips on the Aussie web site), but she's also a new mom to a son! I can't think of anyone more qualified to share these tips!



1.) To start, I always wear my hair down so during the labor it was no different. To be honest, I didn't have much time to think about it! So start by thinking about what would make you comfortable. If you sleep with your hair up or down, that is a good indication of how you should wear it. I opted for down to avoid having an uncomfortable ponytail putting pressure on my head against the bed.
*Also, since there will be lots of pictures, it's totally okay to style your hair in advance and this might be your last chance to wear it down for awhile! But if you do love your hair up, bring a large, soft scrunchie and a stretchy headband to avoid feeling pressure and keep the fly-aways down.


2.) The first hot shower after giving birth is extremely relaxing and refreshing, so why not make it a spa-like experience? Pack a deep conditioner, like Aussie's Deeeeep 3-Minute Miracle Moisture Treatment, which applies by squeezing the bottle (so easy!). This way you can take your time while your hair gets a treatment. Bring a large-toothed comb to get rid of any knots or tangles that happened during labor.


3.) Although there is a good chance you will like the feeling of a clean bun out of the shower, you may want to step outside for some fresh air. In this case, you will need to bring your own blow dryer to style your hair.
(Pictured here is my travel dryer and travel flat iron. I'm not bringing my flat iron to the hospital, but I'll definitely be bringing my dryer! It takes my hair about 10 hours to air dry, I'm not excited about feeling cold for that long.--Christine)

4.) About the bun- this is the look that you will be sporting for the first couple months of having a baby. My advice is to learn some great, cute styles to wear so that you look well-rested and stylish:


a.) The Easy Braid - Out of the shower, spray Aussie's Sun-touched Shine Conditioning Shine Spray and create a clean part (center or side) which will help you feel like you have a style. Then brush hair with a flat, paddle brush into a low ponytail. Separate into 3 pieces and wrap left over middle, right over middle, and repeat as you move the hair slightly forward and to one side. This quick, easy braid will leave you feeling "boho" chic and not a hobo mess.


b.) The High Bun - This recent trend is great for new moms! Flip your head down, spray Aussie's Catch The Wave Sprunch Spray on a brush and brush all the hair up. Twist the hair and wrap around until a bun is created. Secure with one large 2" bobby pin. Add simple studs and you will feel refreshed and trendy!


c.) The Headband Updo - Apply Aussie's Mousse + Leave-In Conditioner to roots and scrunch damp hair in the towel to create texture. Pull hair into a high or low bun and secure with a large 2" hair or bobby pin. In advance of having your baby, shop for some cute headbands (stretchy, comfortable material is the best!) Adding a cute wrap or headband can really vamp up your look and will get your hair off your face--don't be surprised if all you want to do is chop it off when you are feeding the baby all day and night!


5.) Flameless candles and a iPod "labor" mix- What really kept me relaxed and feeling beautiful becoming a new mom was listening to the music mix that my husband made. Having the lights dimmed in the hospital and the soft flickering of the flameless candles made us feel more at home. Even when the staff at the hospital walked into our room you could tell they instantly relaxed--at one point they were singing..haha! The most important thing is to enjoy the moment and realize how strong and beautiful you are!

Aussie Hair Products
Sarah Potempa