Caring for Your Breasts’ Skin During Pregnancy
There are so many things that you need to take into consideration when you’re pregnant, from your nutrition, sleep and exercise schedule to your breast health (inside and out)! So how exactly do we take care of our skin? Here’s a few simple techniques you can follow and easily adapt into your everyday routine.
It’s what’s on the inside that counts.
There’s a few foods you can eat to help improve your skin’s collagen levels, hydration and texture:
- Carrots, apricots and sweet potato (and other orange/yellow vegetables)
- Spinach and other green leafy vegetables
- Berries (high in antioxidants)
- Beans, peas and lentils
- Salmon, mackerel and other fatty fish
- Nuts
Things to avoid, as these will damage your epidermis (outer layer of skin):
- Smoking
- Coffee
- Alcohol
- Sunbaking
These will rob your skin of vital nutrients and actually counteract the good things that you’re doing for your skin. Plus you should be avoiding most of these when you’re pregnant (and even when you’re not) anyway!
Supple is key.
Photo by elizabeth lies on Unsplash
What’s the difference between hydration and moisturisation?
If you think about hydration, this can occur from inside the body and also from the outside through the skin. If you’re not drinking enough water, your skin will be the first to show signs of dehydration.
Moisturisation is only from the outside. If you only moisturise, it will not be enough to keep your skin supple, you also need to hydrate from the inside for that perfect combination.
Development and support.
When your breasts’ skin is developing at puberty, the increase of a couple of cup sizes may occur over a few years. This is when your skin is young, soft and supple and ready for the change due to forewarning hormones. When you are pregnant, however, the breast change that occurs can be so dramatic that your breasts and skin aren’t ready for it. When you become pregnant, they can become sensitive and sore to the touch, which is often the first sign that you are pregnant.
The most dramatic breast changes occur during the first trimester and immediately after your baby is born. During these times it’s important that you wear a comfortable yet supportive seamless bra, like Cake Maternity’s Cotton Candy Nursing Bra, as they are able to adapt to your fluctuating size.
Did you know that the average breast size increase from conception through to breastfeeding is 2-3 cup sizes?
If you are well supported then the ligaments supporting the breast are less likely to be stretched and sometimes even broken. If these are stretched too much, this is when sagging occurs.
Natural ingredients.
If you’re thinking of trying for a baby or you’ve just found out you’re pregnant, it’s a good idea to start using a natural product to prepare your skin to stretch, because it will need to. Your belly skin will expand as your baby grows, your breasts’ skin will stretch as you get ready for milk production and your bottom will grow as your hips widen for birth. Choose one with natural ingredients such as shea butter and avoid petroleum or parabens. A natural product such as Shealove’s Mother’s Skin Cream is perfect, as it has anti-inflammatory properties and ingredients—such as vitamin E, stearic and oleic acid—that condition, tone, and soothe the skin. It’s also infused with essential oils to further provide nourishment for the mother’s changing skin.
Massage.
Photo by Taisiia Shestopal on Unsplash
We need to take care of our skin on a daily basis to ensure that we don’t end up with dehydrated, stretched skin that has lost its elasticity. Not only is it a good idea to take care of your skin, but when you massage your belly and legs, this can improve circulation and can add to your daily self care routine.
Skincare has been important throughout history, with a particular emphasis on caring for your skin during pregnancy. The tradition carries on today with many simpler methods to adapt into your everyday life. Our skin is our biggest organ and if we take good care of it, it will serve us well through our years.
Katie is the proud mum of two beautiful girls and has been responsible for all the designs, style and fit at Cake Maternity for over a decade now.
Katie is a nursing bra specialist and a fit, pattern and grading technician. She is passionate about breastfeeding and the many benefits it offers to both mum, bub and the environment.
She is determined to make the breastfeeding journey a comfortable, supportive and beautiful one for all mums, understanding that it doesn’t always come easy to everyone. That’s why she has made it her mission to empower women as they mindfully navigate the world of motherhood and help make breastfeeding easier, through experience-driven innovation.