Maxwell's mom can learn a lot from another superstar mama, Queen B.
By John Mitchell
<P><a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/simpson_jessica/artist.jhtml">Jessica Simpson</a> is basking in the glow of new motherhood after <a href="/news/articles/1684216/jessica-simpson-baby-girl-maxwell-drew-johnson.jhtml">giving birth to her daughter</a>, Maxwell Drew Johnson, on Tuesday, but if we know anything about celebrity moms, she'll be back to work in no time flat.</P><P>While she hasn't released an album of new material since 2008's country crossover record <i>Do You Know,</i> Simpson remains a true mogul. Her fashion line, the Jessica Simpson Collection, is the most successful ever for a celebrity. What began as a vanity line of bags and shoes has transformed into a billion-dollar brand that now also includes clothing, jewelry, fragrances and sunglasses.</P><P><CENTER><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:724613/cp~name%3Dnews%26id%3D1676907%26vid%3D724613%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A724613" width="460" height="260" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="."></embed></CENTER></P><P>The dueling pulls of motherhood and celebrity create a tough balancing act for a new mom, but being a mogul already is evidence enough that Simpson can wear a lot of hats. Just look at <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/knowles_beyonce/artist.jhtml">Beyoncé</a>, another multi-hyphenate superstar with a newborn who is already plotting her return to form.</P><P>Indeed, Queen B is a perfect example of exactly how to balance early motherhood with the rigors of being a mogul. She's done things her way and is readying her musical comeback with several <a href="/news/articles/1681308/beyonce-memorial-day-atlantic-city-shows.jhtml">planned dates in Atlantic City</a>, currently appears on the cover of<a href="/news/articles/1683832/beyonce-people-most-beautiful-woman.jhtml"><i>People</i>'s Most Beautiful issue</a> (a covert and classy post-baby body reveal, in true Beyoncé style) and has even suggested she may at some point create a line of maternity clothes for her House of Dereon fashion line, telling <a href="http://www.harpersbazaar.com/magazine/cover/beyonces-baby-love-interview-1111"><i>Harper's Bazaar</i></a> late last year, "I love figuring out designs that still make me feel edgy and sexy while pregnant."</P><P>Here are the three ways Jessica should look to Beyonce for post-baby mommy mogul inspiration:</P><P><big><b>Bouncing Back Professionally</b></big><br>
Simpson's focus has switched from music to television in recent years, though she has never ruled out returning to the studio. Motherhood is a subject that has proven to be ace songwriting material for several pop divas, most notably Madonna. Madonna's 1998 album <i>Ray of Light</i> was inspired by the changes having a child had on her life, from her pursuit of spirituality post-baby to the change in her priorities once Lourdes entered the picture. The album went on to become one of her best-selling and most acclaimed, scoring five Grammy nominations, including Album and Record of the Year, and winning three awards. Its success reinvigorated the star, who returned to touring a few years later with a bang and has been on the road multiple times since, setting records along the way.</P><P>Beyoncé is reportedly already working on <a href="http://rapfix.mtv.com/2012/02/14/beyonce-prepping-two-new-albums">not one, but <i>two</i> records</a>, and it goes without saying that baby Blue Ivy and the experience of motherhood will be a chief topic of her songwriting. She's also set to make her return to the stage for three concerts at the re-launch of Atlantic City's Revel Entertainment Center over Memorial Day weekend.</P><P>Simpson would be smart to put all the emotions she's feeling now to good use and start penning tracks for her return to music. The very emotions she's feeling now are the things that make for the best songs, something Beyoncé is seemingly well-aware of.</P><P><big><b>Working on Your Fitness</b></big><br>
Jessica seems intent to make her post-baby weight loss a public affair (Get it? That song is her most underrated jam!) with a reported <a href="http://todayentertainment.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/02/11490423-jessica-simpsons-baby-wait-is-over-but-weight-watchers-awaits?lite" target="_blank">multimillion-dollar endorsement deal</a> with Weight Watchers, clearly taking a cue from B by keeping it healthy.</P><P>Unlike so many other celebrities, who rush hard in ways that cannot be good for them to get their figures ready for "How I Got My Body Back" tabloid photo shoots as if it were some sort of competition, Beyoncé didn't appear to feel any sort of rush to get her pre-baby figure back. According to her <a href="http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20360857_20589758,00.html"><i>People</i> interview</a>, she has relied on a healthy, protein-heavy diet and three 90-minute workout sessions per week, mixing things up by combining running, dancing and exercise ball crunches. And the results speak for themselves: Four months later she looks fantastic, if not yet back to her perfect pre-baby figure. (Which is just fine; regardless of what the tabloids tell you, it is unnatural for the mother of a newborn to look as if she never had a baby in the first place just a few months after giving birth.)</P><P>"I feel my body bouncing back," B told <i>People.</i> "Whatever was tight and muscular, like my legs, I'm seeing it come back. You just have to work at it."</P><P>And work at it is exactly what Jessica will do — just in a more public setting than B. In the scheme of diets, Weight Watchers is among the healthiest and most effective. The program helps participants lose weight by forming helpful habits, eating smarter, getting more exercise and providing support, and has proven successful for such celebs as Jennifer Hudson.</P><P>Having negotiated her contract with the company in December, she may not be taking her cues from Beyoncé here, but they clearly share the same mind-set when it comes to post-baby weight loss. Slow, steady, healthy and long-term is the goal.</P><P><big><b>Creating Products</b></big><br>
While Beyoncé doesn't have a line of baby clothes just yet, she has mentioned being interested in creating a maternity line for her House of Dereon label. Jessica may have a leg up on Beyoncé in this department, given the breadth of products that have popped up under her Jessica Simpson Collection label.</P><P>As both moms search for ways into the elusive baby market, Christopher Gavigan, who works with Jessica Alba on her Honest brand, <a href="/news/articles/1677997/beyonce-motherhood-business.jhtml">told MTV News</a> that he urges celebrity moms like B and Jessica to stick to what they love when it comes to branding.</P><P>"Find what you're passionate about and go do that," he advised. "You articulate that in a brand or in a way you feel from a business perspective that you feel you get your focus articulated in some meaningful or special way. A lot of it is partnerships and leveraging the greatest assets of each other."</P><P><i>What else can Jessica learn from Beyoncé — or vice versa? Let us know in the comments below!</i></P><P><a href="http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1617615"><img src="http://www.mtv.com/news/photos/s/spotted/banner/spotted.jpg"></a></p>
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