CORRIE beauty Samia Smith reckons having a baby has made her fitter than ever thanks to exercise and oil.
While most new mums face an uphill battle to come to terms with stretch-marksand regain their figure, Samia's back to her sexy best just a year after having daughter Freya.
Yummy mummy Samia, 28, said: I actually recommend having a baby because I feel in better shape since Freya was born.
Im back to a size 6 or 8 and my arms are a much more toned from carrying Freya around a lot and from the exercises I did.
Samia hairdresser Maria Connor in Coronation Street got her figure back with crunches and aerobics she learnt from a DVD called Ten Minute Solution: Blast Off
Belly Fat.
And she claims using a skin-lotion called Bio-Oil throughout her pregnancy means she has no stretch-marks.
Samia said: I rubbed it on my tummy every day.
But I think a lot of it is in the genes as well my mum didn't get stretch-marks either.
And Samia insists motherhood has given her even more energy than she had before.
Shesaid: Last month I did a midnight charity walk and in May I did a 10kmrun without any training, so it seems my stamina has increased since having a baby as well.
Samia joined the midnight walk to raise funds for the East Cheshire Hospice,where her 65-year-old father Joseph died last year after battling oesophageal cancer.
Stunning
But her grief at losing her dad has been eased by the joy little Freya has brought Samia and her husband Matthew.
She said: Its been a happy year as well as the saddest time of my life.
Samia is certainly a great advert for motherhood with her stunning curves, her tumbling hair and her eyes sparkling with happiness.
But she admitted there's one big drawback to becoming a mum.
She sighed: I have no boobs left, which is down to breast-feeding.
Its definitely worth it but Id like to have my pregnancy boobs back.
However, you cant have everything. There have to be some downsides.
And although in the past shes considered having a boob-job, she is too scared to go through with it now.
But apart from a bit of deflation up top, it seems bouncing back into shape has been effortless for Samia, now back to 7st 7lb after gaining 2stwhile pregnant.
She puts it down to crunches and a healthy diet but insists she hasn't morphed into a gym bunny.
Samia said: I used to go to the gym but I don't like being watched while I'm exercising.
Theres something wrong about people seeing you when you're sweating and in pain. Samia cant believe Freya is already a year old.
She said: Its gone so fast but its been amazing.
What Ive struggled most with is lack of sleep. I haven't had a whole nights sleep for over a year.
But Freya is great she is perfect. Shes my girl.
Despite her joy, motherhood came as a shock to Samia.
She said: Id never even changed a nappy before so it was just overwhelming.
It was like, Ive got this little person, what do I do now? But Ive had tons of help.
My mum and Matthews mum have been amazing and Ive got lots of friends with babies who have been giving me advice.
They include Corrie co-stars Jane Danson, who plays Leanne, Julia Haworth (Claire), Ali King (Carla) and Andy Whyment (Kirk).
She said: Ive had great advice off the boys as well as the girls.
Property developer Matthew, 34, has also taken well to parenthood.
Samia said: Hes the best dad in the world he adores Freya. Having her has made us closer I think it does if you have a strong marriage already.
Freya looks like a complete mix of both of us her lips, mouth and chin are mine and her eyes are like her dads.
Willthe happy couple expand their brood of little Smiths at their home in Alderley Edge, Cheshire? Smiling Samia joked: Not yet! I need a full nights sleep before I think of having any more.
Freya has been spending her days with Matthews mum since Samia returned to Weatherfield in the spring.
She said: Freya is well-looked afterand my mum helps out too, so its perfect. At night Matt and I bathe her and read to her and put her to bed together.
Motherhood has inspired Samia to support Bafta-winning CiTVs kids show Bookaboo and its Share A Book Today campaign.
In the show, Samia and celebs like Myleene Klass, Emilia Fox, Johnny Vegas and Bernard Cribbins read to Bookaboo the puppy, a drummer who cant perform until hes had a storyread to him.
Samia said: I wanted to do it because Ive always been a bit of a bookworm and always read to myself at night as a child.
I loved Enid Blyton, particularly her Tales Of Toyland. And shes determined to pass on her love of books to her child. She said: Freya is at the stage where she always wants to be off but reading calms her down.
She likes Peppa Pig books and we have a nice cuddle when I'm reading to her.
And she loves her Little Miss Sunshine book so much we take it with us and give it to her if she plays up in a restaurant.
She also likes menus anything with pages she can turn.
Samia is now busy on Corries 50thanniversary special in December, a week of crash-bang-wallop excitement as a tram crashes in Weatherfield and takes out some of its residents.
Not even Samia, a Corrie regular since 2000, knows who will stay and who will go.
She said: They haven't told us much about it. She added: It makes me feel old were celebrating 50 years {because I can remember the 40th anniversary.
But I'm not planning to stay another 50 years I just take one day at a time.Corries millions of die hard fans have watched Samia grow up on screen and after a decade in the ITV1 soap she remains one of the shows best-loved and sexiest characters.
And now shes the yummiest of mummies, too.
But Samia giggled: I don't feel like one most of the time.
I'm a sleep-deprived and small-boobed mummy though I'm a happy one.
features@people.co.uk
Bookaboo is on weekdays on CiTV and Sundays on ITV1 from 1 November.