Beauty tips during pregnancy

Use natural products

Given the skin’s ability to absorb anything that is put onto it, preconception and pregnancy are essential times to ensure women are using the most natural possible products on their body and personal home environments for the ultimate health of their developing baby. The key to choosing safe is to avoid preservatives, phthalates, parabens, petrolatum and SLS.

Look after your skin to prevent stretch marks

Preventing stretch marks in pregnancy requires an ‘inside and out’ approach for optimum results:
The first essential step is ensuring nutritional balance. I often recommend my patients ensure they take enough zinc, vitamin E, vitamin C and omega fats especially DHA, which are essential skin building blocks and have a very positive effect on skin elasticity. These nutrients are also essential for embryonic and foetal development with global research pointing to the incredible benefits in brain and general health of prospective children.
A nourishing and natural moisturiser that will add extra suppleness to the skin is also paramount. This helps to provide the stretching skin some extra support and elasticity to prevent the kind of tearing that causes stretch marks.
A healthy overall diet, gentle exercise and ensuring appropriate hydration (2 litres of filtered water daily) also helps the skin to better adjust to the body’s growing demands and prevent permanent damage to the skin.

Rest as much as possible

It’s very easy to try and push oneself especially in the first trimester of pregnancy but that is also the time where hormones are raging and a huge amount of work towards baby development is happening behind the scenes. A woman needs to conserve her energy and self-nurture as much as possible throughout pregnancy in order to be at her best for the arrival of her little bundle of joy!

Eat well

A healthy diet based on vegetables and protein, plenty of filtered water (at least 2 litres daily) and the right nutrients during pregnancy are the best insurance policy for a healthy mum and bub.

Regular exercise

Regular exercise will help to balance blood sugar levels, heart health and tone muscles that are going to be very important when it counts the most - delivery time. Plus it enhances the release of the all-important endorphins and neurotransmitters that make you feel good and experience less pain.