Billie Piper strip for sex scenes in Diary Of A Call Girl

She's had no problem stripping off on-screen, despite her husband's reservations.

But it appears motherhood has prompted a change of heart for Billie Piper.

The 27-year-old actress, who plays a high-class prostitute in the popular television series, Diary Of A Call Girl, admits that she feels a lot more awkward peeling off since the birth of her first child in October.

She is currently filming the final series of the controversial show, which features a number of raunchy sex scenes. And she admitted feeling 'dirty' when she then headed home to be with her 15-month-old son, Winston.

Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Billie Piper as Belle de Jour. She said motherhood has made her feel more awkward about stripping off on screen

She said: 'I'm aware of the fact that you have a child, yet here you are again, with another actor, pretending to be prostitute.

'I'm not shy of a sex scene, but these scenes aren't just pretend penetration in your pants, they're really exposing. There was one where I had to do it doggy style and make animal noises.

'And there is a part of me that thinks: "I have to go home and feed my son now, and I'm going to need several showers before that. And a lot of praying".'

'I just hope I raise my son as someone who's really open-minded. And forgiving.'

Since having her baby, Piper also starred in a Kay Mellor film, A Passionate Woman, which also features several sex scenes.

'There seems to be a bit of a theme emerging here, she added. 'That's what my husband said. He said: "Some day, you're going to have to rein it in".'

Speaking to the Observer, she added: 'I have accepted now, which is quite a hard thing to do, that your career choices are going to be dictated by your family.

Happy Family: Billie and her actor husband Laurence Fox with their son Winston on holiday in Miami

You can't just go off and do certain things any more, you can't be as wild and free-spirited. I accept that there are certain things professionally I can't really do now. Once you get over that, it's quite liberating actually.'

Miss Piper has also hit out at critics who have accused her of glamourising prostitution through her portrayal of Belle de Jour.

The series is based on the real life story of Dr Brooke Magnanti - a high-end London call girl turned university lecturer, who only revealed her identity in November, after six years writing and blogging anonymously about her experiences.

Last year, she the programme was lambasted by the Archbishop of York, for misleading the public over the reality of prostitution.

He said that the lifestyle portrayed in the works was in stark contrast to the suffering endured by the majority of women who work as prostitutes.

But Piper has said that Magnanti's life was 'exciting and thrilling'.

Asked if Magnanti, 34, was a victim, she said: 'She just wasn't. And we told it how she told it. It's not like we made her story glamorous and fluffy. She found it exciting and thrilling – very different to what other prostitutes are exposed to.'

Magnanti said in an interview that sometimes she misses her life as a prostitute.

'I can relate to that,' said Piper.

'In the sense that I miss acting when I'm not doing it – just because it's fun, eventful and strange. She may have enjoyed her line of work for the same reason – dominating men, pleasing men, being the centre of attention. I imagine it can all get quite addictive.'