After pregnancy, your life changes completely. You experience hormone fluctuations, changes in mood, your daily dynamic takes a sharp turn and you get no or very little sleep. Of course, all of these factors will contribute to how you look. You probably won’t be happy with it, but it doesn’t mean you will need a lot of time to go back to your old self. If you follow these 5 useful tips, you’ll manage to fight the consequences of a strenuous period you have been in and look as fresh and attractive as usual.
1. Help your hair
You have probably lost a lot of hair during pregnancy and it looks lifeless at the moment, but you can bring it back to life if you do the following:
– make sure you eat food rich with antioxidants, like apples, strawberries and prunes, which will strengthen the roots.
– use a gentle shampoo and a conditioner
– don’t tie your hair tightly, as it will make your hair fall off even more
– take vitamin supplements like Vitamin B and C to help your hair recover
– avoid chemical treatments like straightening or coloring your hair to prevent more hair loss.
– if you lose too much hair, have a short haircut, as it will look fuller.
2. Get rid of stretch marks
The best move is to prevent stretch marks the moment you find out you’re pregnant, by using moisturizer rich in olive oil on your breasts and belly. Massaging the breasts and belly while applying the oil will make sure they don’t appear. However, if they still appear, you can use a quality anti-stretch mark cream and start exercising and eating healthy to make your skin firmer. Of course, you first need to get the approval from your doctor that you can start with the exercises. It will probably be something of low or medium intensity, like yoga or brisk walking. Still, any type of exercise will help you get rid of or reduce the stretch marks faster.
3. Heal your skin
Your skin may be one of the most affected parts of your body. There are many skin problems that may appear after pregnancy. Acne is a common issue, so you need to cleanse your face twice a day. Make sure you use a mild cleanser, not an aggressive one. Also, use an oil-free moisturizer twice a day and have a soft peeling once a week. Always turn to natural ingredients like eucalyptus or Aloe Vera.
If your problem is pigmentation of the skin, there may be more than one solution, depending on how serious depigmentation is. The spots are likely to appear on your face. Some of them may disappear after a year, and some may only become lighter in time. To prevent new ones from appearing, use a sunscreen every day, even if you are in your home most of the time. Still, if you can’t simply wait and hope the spots will disappear over time while feeling low self-esteem, you can turn to professionals for help. As plastic surgeon Dr Ross Farhadieh states, even subtle procedures on your face can do wonders for your self-confidence.
4. Dark circles and swollen eyes
Dark circles are annoying because they make you look older but it’s hard to get rid of them because new mothers don’t get much sleep. The issue with water retention also makes your eyes look swollen. Still, there are ways to deal with these problems. Try to sleep when the baby sleeps even if it’s just for 20 minutes. While sleeping, make sure you have a thick pillow. Try to drink less fluid before going to bed, but drink at least 8 glasses of water throughout the day. When your eyes get swollen, use cucumber slices or potato to reduce the swelling. Use a concealer for dark circles and use a quality eye cream designed specifically for dark circles.
5. Pamper yourself with a spa day
As a new mother, you really deserve some time off. Get one day free and experience a full body massage and a spa treatment. You need to pamper yourself from time to time, as it will relax you both physically and mentally. You can find a couple of hours one day of the week to be completely alone and enjoy. This will definitely reflect on how you look.
All in all
Nobody says you should look awful just because you have given birth recently. You have every right to look amazing and to take care of yourself. If you are the best version of yourself, then it will reflect on how you take care of your baby.