The importance of having a healthy savings account balance has been highlighted by a new report which reveals the full financial impact of having a baby.
According to Egg, the cost of having a baby is going up as increasing pressure is being exerted on parents - and especially mothers - to look the part.
Not only do 'yummy mummies' feel the need to secure the latest 'must have' baby items such as Bugaboo pushchairs, the survey found, but they also want to look as good as they possibly can.
Research which appears on the website Mumsnet.com shows that the average amount spent by mums-to-be on preparing for the arrival of a new baby is ?939, with almost one in three (32 per cent) saying that this cost is inflated due to the fact that they feel it is necessary to buy certain brands rather than opt for the cheapest option.
For instance, 23 per cent say they feel pressurised into buying a designer buggy despite the fact that some of the most popular brands cost around ?500 more than a basic model.
Baby-related technology and gadgets, designer highchairs, stylish baby clothes and bespoke furniture were also cited as trendy products which women aspiring to be yummy mummies couldn't be seen without.
Meanwhile, new mums spend around ?123 on themselves in an attempt to make themselves more attractive.
The overwhelming majority of those polled (87 per cent) admitted to having bought new clothes and getting their hair done in an attempt to improve their appearance shortly after the birth of their baby.
Others preferred to visit a beautician (15 per cent) or employ a personal trainer in an effort to get their figure back (2.8 per cent) although a small number resorted to a more aggressive course of action. Botox procedures were undergone by 0.3 per cent of respondents, and 0.2 per cent had cosmetic surgery.
Consequently, the total cost of being a yummy mummy in the UK is approximately ?1,062 - although mums in the north-east were found to spend more (?1,216) while their counterparts in the east of England spend just ?969.
A healthy savings account balance is required in any case, and to facilitate saving, yummy mummies-to-be could consider opening an online savings account to manage their finances on the internet.
The Egg survey found that the people to blame for this phenomenon are celebrities - with Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie cited as the two most likely to be emulated. Scary Spice Mel B and Kerry Katona - a former mother of the year - were considered the two least influential celebrity mothers.
