As the saying goes: “There are no ugly women, only lazy women.” Mummies who wish to restore that pre-pregnancy glow, start by taking care of your skin as part of self-care and improve recovery after pregnancy.
Research has shown that having children accelerates mum’s ageing process at cellular level. Since we know it is true, what is holding you back from taking better care of your skin before it is too late?
Find out why our skin changes before and after delivery!
Post-partum skincare: how improve recovery after pregnancy and get healthy, glowing skin after having a baby
1: Pay attention to skincare
After welcoming our new baby, most of us are busy tending to our newborn and tend to put our own skincare routine in the back burner. As new mums, as we are time-pressed juggling our bubs in addition to the daily routine, we end up being lazy and skip our daily skincare. Facial masks and spa session are a thing of the past! Many mums may not know, but at postpartum, the Estrogen level starts depleting and that show up visibly on our face. Research findings have shown that post-pregnancy accelerates women’s skin aging by 33%-48%. Should we neglect our faces and choose not to put some effort into caring for it, we could age by as much as 13 years after popping kids.
Hence, if you do not wish to wear those extra years on your face, it’s good to start taking better care of your skin, especially the eye area. The most obvious signs of ageing usually appear around our eyes due to the lack of sleep that comes with motherhood; our eye area bears the brunt of ageing effects quickest too.
2: Pay attention to your diet – confinement and beyond
Try your best to have a balanced diet, including meats and vegetables. The antioxidants, proteins and other vitamins help fuel healthy cells and contribute to a better complexion. In addition, post-partum mummies can consume more collagen-rich food, such as pork trotters, white fungus, and peach gum to replenish collagen levels in our skin that’s responsible for maintaining that bouncy and more supple complexion.
How to help your body recover after pregnancy
3: Be discipline with exercise
Exercise helps to firm and tone up loose skin after pregnancy, and helps burn fats and tone muscles so mummies are on their way to regain their pre-baby figures. If you wish to regain more energy and work at toning up your body, exercise is an important step to keep fit and stay healthy. After delivery, it is recommended to go slow and easy, and do what you feel most comfortable about. There is no rush to start exercising right after birth – starting too early and doing too strenuous workouts may cause more harm than good. Mummies who have gone through a natural birth usually start walking around 2-3 days after delivery. For mummies who went through caesarean delivery, you may start with slow walks from the 5th day after getting your gynaecologist’s nod of approval.
Mum’s tips: After 6 weeks post-delivery, you may start with low impact weight loss exercises. At 4 months postpartum, most mothers are ready to start with strengthening exercises, depending on their body’s recovery and condition. Before starting any exercise, do consult your doctors to get the go-ahead as everyone’s body and wound recovery differ.
4：Pay attention to body recovery
Our body goes through a life-changing transformation which includes stretches and expansion to accommodate our growing baby during pregnancy – most significantly, our belly, thighs, and bums. Postpartum recovery focuses on the contraction of the womb and the pelvic cavity. The uterus follows a triangular shape; now that baby has evicted from the uterus, our internal organs start shifting again due to the lack of support, and starts sagging due to gravity. Beyond the physical appearance of a post-partum belly, the theory is that sagging internal organs could lead to women’s diseases and premature ageing. Thus, it is recommended to work on tightening the abdomen in a bid to prevent sagging internal organs.
Mum’s tips: How do you tell if your “mummy’s pooch” is just excess skin and not Diastasis Recti (split abs)? Do a self-check at home, or, see a physiotherapist to address this concern. You will need to avoid certain exercises, depending on your condition. It is not usually life-threatening, but it can affect one’s self-confidence and how your body looks like.
5: Keep a positive mindset and a happy mood
A happy mood spreads happy vibes and shows a beautiful side in a person. As the saying goes, “a smile makes you younger by 10 years”, so mummies, try your best to stay upbeat. Juggling this new role called motherhood can be challenging at various stages, and it is definitely okay to ask family and friends for help, or, discuss about your worries and work out a solution.
New mummies, how are you coping with your new lifestyle with baby? I know the early days can be challenging – I’m a mum too and I’ve been through a similar parenting journey. I hope you remember to spend some time on caring for yourself and take care!
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