Month: November 2018

I was counting on the radiant pregnancy glow… I was even prepared for the stretch marks, but it turns out that pregnancy changes much much more about your skin (and skincare) than I’d ever considered.

Thankfully, the day I found out I was pregnant, I was actually booked for a facial, so my pregnancy skincare education came quickly. I was getting cosy between the sheets and asked what we were doing with my skin that day… to which she replied “chemical peel”. It dawned on me that perhaps chemical peels weren’t that suitable for pregnant women… so before I’d even told my husband (!) I was sharing the news with my facialist.

My instinct was right, chemical peels were off the table for pregnancy, but that wasn’t to be all. First, though, what’s going on with your skin during pregnancy?

As your body drastically changes on the inside, it’s unsurprising that some of these changes show on the outside too (besides just your baby bump).

The cause for most of these is your hormones (aren’t they responsible for everything in life…) as well as your circulation and immune system taking a hit.

I hope you find this article useful – Please have a look at made with love – pregnancy journal before you go xx

How does your skin change during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, it’s common to experience increased skin pigmentation (discolouration) aka ‘Pregnancy Mask’ Chloasma, spots or acne, and super sensitive, possibly dry and itchy skin. It’s even common for tiny blood vessels (capillaries) to break, as the extra blood circulating in your body puts pressure on them.

Stretch marks are common during pregnancy. Stretch marks usually appear on your stomach, upper thighs or breasts as your bump grows. The first sign might be itchiness in the area where skin becomes thin and pink, and then the colour may deepen into darker lines. Genetics seem to determine whether stretch marks form in the first place, and over time, your skin will shrink and the marks will fade into white-coloured scars.

Effects of pregnancy on your hair

Like your skin, pregnancy hormones can also effect your hair growth, possibly hair loss, and even a total change in your hair. Dry hair can turn oily, curls have been known to straighten, and you may find even your colour changes.

While some women are blessed with thick and lustrous hair during pregnancy, others will be disappointed with hair that turns limp and thin. If so, the best thing you can do to promote luscious, healthy locks is eat a nutritious diet (which is good for baby too). Whole-grains, nuts and seeds, fresh fruits and veggies and cold pressed oils are great for hair and skin.

Does “Pregnancy Glow” Exist?

Yes, absolutely! Your skin does actually retain more moisture during your pregnancy, plumping it up and smoothing out any fine lines and wrinkles.

This, combined with the extra blood circulation can give you a beautiful radiant glow. This can also make your skin feel warmer and possibly flushed.

How to take care of your skin during pregnancy?

Most skin concerns will clear up on their own when your baby is born, but skin damage and pigmentation is hard to reverse, so it’s also very important to take care of your skin during pregnancy. Pregnancy pigmentation, known as Chloasma or ‘Pregnancy Mask’ is caused by your body producing more melanin when the skin is exposed to the sun. I work with Dermalogica as an ambassador and stand behind all of their incredible products, but the Power Bright range is incredible for use during pregnancy for this reason – you can use ‘meg10’ for a discount onilne.

The best protection is to keep your face out of the sun entirely, think wide hats and sunglasses, but as that’s pretty impossible to maintain 24/7, the next best thing you can do is wear a broad spectrum sunscreen all day, every day. Keep a sun-hat or cap in your car for when you’re driving, as the glare through the driver’s side window can also leave you with pigmentation predominantly on just one side.

Honestly, with almost every skincare and make-up product being available with an SPF, there’s no excuse not to lather up – and ensure you reapply your sunscreen throughout the day.

Those spots that you’ve noticed are ‘popping up’ more often, you can blame hormones for them.  Hormones encourage the production of sebum, which can cause pores to become blocked, resulting in greasy skin and spots. The best thing you can do is cleanse properly and often (try a silicone cleanser for effective and gentle cleansing), and wear minimal make-up. Talk to your doctor, and read the below, about any skincare to avoid.

There’s less you can do about your broken capillaries, but thankfully, these will fade within a few months after giving birth.

When it comes to stretch marks, research differs as to whether any topical creams or oils help at all, but can aid the dryness often associated with your skin stretching. It can be a lovely ritual to massage your bump each night anyway, and the oils certainly won’t hurt.

What Skincare can’t you use during Pregnancy?

I thought I’d save this for after the paragraph on your pregnancy glow, but there are a few pregnancy no-no’s when it comes to your skincare. As you’ll know from my experience above, you can’t have a chemical peel during pregnancy, and there’s a couple of other treatments to avoid.

Skincare with Retinol/Vitamin A

While most commonly used products are completely safe, there are a handful of ingredients experts say it’s best to avoid.  Retinoids are a type of vitamin A that speeds up cell division, improving skin’s renewal and reducing the loss of collagen. Unfortunately, they’re also a skincare ingredient that experts recommend pregnant women stay away from, as some studies have shown that taking high doses of Vitamin A during pregnancy can be harmful to an unborn child. Don’t panic and worry about the ingredients in all of your skincare, retinol is an expensive ingredient – you’ll probably know if it’s in your skincare, especially if it’s a high potency.

Hydroxy Acids (AHA, BHA)

Hydroxy acids such as beta hydroxy acid (BHA) and alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) are found in various skincare products to reduce the signs of ageing. Salicylic acid is the most common one, and has been studied in pregnancy. High doses of BHA should be avoided orally (including in Aspirin) as they have been known to cause birth defects. While topical BHA creams are much less absorbed by the body, experts recommend using too much of them for the same rationale. However, the small amounts of salicylic acid in an over-the-counter toner used twice a day, are thought to be absolutely fine.

If you do use BHA skincare, always use it with an SPF too, as it can cause sensitivity to sunlight.

The big one… Botox!

Despite little research to determine what (or any) effect Botox or Dysport could have on pregnant women, doctors and cosmetic surgeons overwhelmingly warn against the treatments. Likewise, it is unclear how cosmetic fillers impact unborn babies and nursing infants.

Why is there so little research? To find out the effects of cosmetic procedures such as muscle relaxers or fillers during pregnancy, doctors would have to actually perform the procedures on pregnant women – which isn’t a risk anyone is willing to take.

For now, you’ll have to suffice with good skincare, the occasional facial if you’re lucky, and lots and lots of sleep – which it doesn’t sound like many of us will be having with a new baby!

If you haven’t already (and you’re not already too disappointed) make sure to read foods to avoid when pregnant too.

I hope you found this useful – Please have a look at made with love – pregnancy journal before you go xx

When I found out I was pregnant, it was honestly  only a matter of hours until I was starting a pregnancy journal! To put that in perspective a little, I had to wait two whole days for my husband to come home from overseas before I could even tell him, so I was avoiding my flatmates and friends (and the temptation of talking about it), and was completely overwhelmed with emotion – I had to get those thoughts out of my head.

I should also disclose, I’m pretty passionate about journalling, I already had my own wedding journal business, and I’ve kept a diary since I was a child, so the momentous occasion of finding out I was pregnant was definitely something I had to record.

However, journalling during pregnancy is something I strongly believe ALL mums-to-be should do, even if you’ve never kept a diary before in your life, and I have a few good reasons why:

The act of journalling actually helps your brain to process information

A well-studied benefit of journalling is that the process of writing something down actually  assists your brain’s understanding and clarity. A brain imaging study by UCLA psychologists revealed that expressing feelings,  in verbal or written words, reduces activity in the amygdala, the brain’s emotional centre, and engages the thinking brain. This can help with decision making such as life and career choices, but also just enables our brains, and bodies, to cope with an overload of information.

Pregnancy, and especially early pregnancy, is a time when you are very likely to feel overwhelmed, both with the news, and the information you start to consume almost immediately.

When you’re keeping your pregnancy a secret, journalling can really help

The first trimester is often one fraught with emotion, and sometimes anxiety, as pregnancy hormones cause an emotional rollercoaster within your body. One reason for this is that many mums-to-be are keeping their pregnancy a secret at this time. If you usually deal with stressful or emotional experiences by talking to a friend, you may end up feeling alone. Putting feelings into words — whether that is talking with a friend, parent or your partner – or writing them down — helps you feel better.

So, when you’re not yet talking to others about your news, a pregnancy journal is an invaluable tool to regulate your emotions. Similarly, throughout your pregnancy, when you don’t feel like talking to anyone, perhaps for fear of being given unsolicited advice, writing can be your voice, helping to explore and express emotions.

Journalling offers real physical and psychological benefits

Expressive writing has been linked with many physical psychological benefits, such as improved mood, greater well-being, lower stress levels and fewer depressive symptoms, all of which are incredibly beneficial during pregnancy. One study found that simply writing about feelings before a stressful task helped chronic worriers’ brains perform more efficiently.

Lower blood pressure, improved lung and liver functioning, and decreased time spent in the hospital are among the physical benefits, while another study found that journalling about feelings after a traumatic event can actually make physical wounds heal faster.

Keeping a journal will help you to actually remember your pregnancy

Sure, there are some parts of pregnancy we’d probably rather forget (morning sickness, anyone?) but for the most part, it is a beautiful and hugely special journey, and there are so many incredible moments to remember. The act of using a pen or pencil (sorry, typing doesn’t count) to put thoughts on paper can help you retain the information you are writing. Writing a pregnancy journal by hand forces the brain to process information promoting comprehension and retention.

Of course, you’ve probably heard the term ‘baby brain’ already. From forgetfulness to poor decision-making and a lack of concentration, pregnant women have long complained of the total mind-blanks caused by pregnancy. A recent Deakin University study published in the MJA tested the theory, asking women to memorise numbers in a line. Of 709 pregnant women and 521 non-pregnant women, expectant mothers performed worse on tasks measuring attention, decision-making, planning and memory.

As well as jogging your memory along the way, a pregnancy journal means you don’t need to recall each little bit of information – it’s all written down for you to reflect on later. How did you feel when you first found out you were pregnant? What was your first reaction when you saw the ultrasound image of your baby? How would you describe your symptoms.

During your next pregnancy (if you choose to have another baby!) you’ll be able to look back and compare your journey along the way.

How to begin a pregnancy journal

Once you decide to keep a pregnancy journal (and you’re definitely going to, right?) you’ll need to decide whether to start from scratch, or use a custom designed pregnancy journal. Each have their benefits – a custom journal like made with love comes full of journal prompts, checklists and pregnancy journal guides, so all the thinking is done for you, you just have to record your thoughts.  However, if you choose to use a plain journal, you’ll have total flexibility about what, when and where to write, and you can write 20 pages about the day you discover your pregnancy, should you wish to!

What foods should you eat when pregnant?

Pregnancy is a time of rapid growth – your baby will be growing from a sesame seed to an avocado, and even melon, in a matter of months! As a result, pregnant women need increased amounts of many essential nutrients, including protein, folate and iron.

A diet full of key nutrients is best for the baby’s development.  The best thing you can do is eat a colourful, balanced diet, but what, specifically should you put on the menu, now that you’re expecting?

Protein

The amino acids that make up protein are the building blocks of your body’s cells – and of your baby’s body as well. Beef, lamb and pork are excellent sources of protein and are rich in iron, choline and other B vitamins — all of which are important during pregnancy (pregnant women need more iron to compensate for the increase in blood volume.

Not a fan of meat (or less so now that you’re pregnant)? Eggs are your next best choice. Eggs contain a little of almost every nutrient you need, including choline and healthy fats.

Legumes are also a great plant-based source of fiber, protein, iron, folate and calcium, so make lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas, soybeans and peanuts your friend (peanut butter smoothies, anyone).

Dairy

Speaking of smoothies, dairy is an amazing pregnancy food. Dairy products contain both casein and whey proteins, calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, magnesium and zinc. Yoghurt, especially Greek yoghurt, is particularly beneficial for pregnant women, so stir it into curries, have it with fruit for breakfast or dessert, or dollop it into your smoothies.

My favourite pregnancy smoothie recipe is from Kohi Cafe, and packs 15 grams of protein:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1 1/2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2-3 T creamy peanut butter (or cashew or almond butter)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 medium banana, chopped and preferably frozen

You could also add ricotta or cottage cheese to meals, parmesan or pasteurised buffalo mozzarella cheese in salads or pizza, or snack on cheese and crackers.

Kumara/Sweet Potatoes

Kumara (aka sweet potatoes) are rich in beta-carotene which your body converts into Vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for the growth and differentiation of cells in your growing fetus. Put simply, kumara are one of your best carbohydrate sources, also containing vitamin B6, potassium, vitamin C and iron, as well as fiber which helps to reduce blood sugar spikes and improve digestive health and mobility. Substitute rice or potatoes for delicious mashed, roast or kumara fries.

Salmon

While there are unfortunately some fish and shellfish to avoid eating when you’re pregnant, most are amazing pregnancy foods, and salmon is one of the best. Salmon is rich in omega 3 essential oil, low in mercury and one of very few natural sources of vitamin D. Studies have shown that pregnant women who eat 2–3 meals of fatty fish weekly achieve the recommended intake of omega-3 and increase their blood levels of EPA and DHA, so ask for cooked salmon instead of bacon with your weekend brunch, and have a couple of servings in lunch or dinner too.

Orange Juice

You’re already taking folic acid supplements (right?), but getting folate from foods is even better. Folate is a nutrient necessary for preventing certain birth defects early on, and for ensuring a healthy pregnancy thereafter, so try to hit 400 micrograms a day. A glass of pasteurised OJ will fill you up on folate, potassium for muscle function and overall health, and vitamin C of course, for fighting colds, and aiding iron absorption. Bonus, opt for Vitamin D fortified OJ.

5 + Fruit & Vege

You can also get your vitamin C and folate from leafy greens like broccoli, kale and spinach, also boasting vitamin K, vitamin A, calcium, iron, potassium and fibre… basically everything you need! Berries, capsicums and tomatoes, citrus fruits – when it comes to fruit and vege, it’s hard to go wrong, but you can’t go better than avocados. Because of their high content of healthy fats, potassium, fiber, B vitamins (especially folate), vitamin K, copper, vitamin E and vitamin C avocados are the best choice for pregnant women, helping with leg cramps and restless leg syndrome too. Rewash salad ingredients and vegetables before serving, and be aware of pre-prepared salads and coleslaws that have been left out a long time (see foods to avoid when pregnant).

Whole grains

Whole grains too are great for fibre, protein and vitamin B6, and you can even look for varieties fortified with iron and folic acid. Wholegrains are complex carbohydrates which will give you consistent energy, ideal if morning sickness is leaving you drained, and fibre will keep you regular (especially if pregnancy constipation is causing issues). Oats or bran are a perfect way to start the day, and swapping white bread for whole-grain will up your intake easily.

Water

When pregnant, your blood volume increases by up to 1.5 litres, as your body also needs water to form amniotic fluid, help digestion and flush out wastes and toxins. Aim to drink at least 2 litres of water each day, more if possible, especially if it’s hot or you’ve been exercising. Herbal teas, smoothies, juices and soup all count, and generally if your urine is light yellow or colourless, you’re probably well hydrated.

Once you’ve filled your diet with these nutritious and delicious foods, you won’t even miss the foods you should avoid when pregnant – leave your favourite craving-beating healthy foods or recipes below.