There is no doubt that pregnancy marks the beginning of a life- changing experience in a woman’s life. In addition to going through bodily changes during pregnancy, some of these changes persist even after pregnancy. When a woman gets pregnant, her body requires a new system of hormonal balance to sustain the life inside. After the baby is delivered, the mother's body slowly goes back to its original flow. But this fluctuation of hormones results in visible changes of the body as well as the skin of the mother. The skin might lose its natural glow and give rise to different skin related problems like dark circles, melisma, breakouts etc. Hence, postpartum skincare is important.

How to take care of your skin after delivery

Here are 10 tips for new mothers to revive their glow back without affecting the breastfeeding process.

Cleansing

What any skin type demands is regular cleansing. A good cleanse will wash away the impurities on the skin and will help to prevent unsolicited breakouts. Although new mothers will, more often than not, feel the urge to skip cleaning their face due to a whole day of tiredness. 

If you are a new mom, your skin will thank you after going through this step. Cleaning the face with a mild cleanser will also get rid of the oil or any sebum that accumulates on the skin, ultimately allowing the skin to shine through.

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Healthy diet

Post- partum diet requires special attention as it does not only provides a good supply of breast milk for the baby, but also helps to sustain the skin’s natural glow. Eating the right kind of food that is full of fibers and vitamins not only keeps the skin firm and glowy but also helps to restore the mother’s stamina. 

Thus, eating a healthy diet including whole grain foods, vitamin- enriched vegetables and fruits can help the new mother maintain sound health as well as a healthy looking skin. However, each breast-feeding mother should consult with a dietitian to get their individual diet chart.

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Hydration and Toning

To maintain a healthy skin after delivery and also to ensure that the body remains fit, there is nothing more important than hydration. A recommended amount for new moms is drinking 8 glasses of water on a daily basis. 

Apart from hydrating the body, the skin requires its own hydration and so after cleansing it, it is important to use a toner to make the skin supple and to restore the natural pH of the skin. Using products that are rich in hyaluronic acid will help maintain the skin’s hydration without affecting the breastfeeding process.

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Sufficient sleep

While getting a sufficient amount of sleep is a basic need for the human body, it is also required for the glow on the skin. The new moms can hardly manage time for sleep, as the newborn babies tend to keep them awake the whole night and sometimes even the whole day. This disruption in the sleep cycle is the main culprit behind breakouts and dark, puffy eyes, which can make the skin look dull and spotty. Hence, ensuring at least 6 to 7 hours of sleep is an essential skin care tip for the new mothers. 

Sun damage prevention

Most pregnant women go through a skin discoloration condition during their pregnancy, which is called chloasma. The dark spots from this disease get worse when exposed to the rays of the sun. To prevent this from happening, a good and reliable sunscreen with adequate SPF is recommendable. Application of sunscreen is such a significant postpartum skin care tip that it should also be maintained even when a mother stays indoor.  

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Moisturizing

Cleansing, toning and moisturizing are the three foundational steps of any skincare routine. Often, just cleansing and toning the skin are not enough to keep the skin’s hydration intact. This is why the skin demands to be moisturized. 

Application of a light moisturizer twice a day, after waking up and before going to bed, would help the skin to soften up and remain supple. It also helps to prevent dry skin during the post-pregnancy period.

De-puffing

Puffy eyes are the results of a long night of soothing the child while the mother has to keep awake. They make one look tired and add to the bags under the eyes. The best way to de-puff the eyes is to place refrigerated slices of cucumber on the eyes for a couple of minutes. This can also be done with the help of a spoon that has been cooled for this purpose.

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Lightening

Dark circles are yet another primary cause behind making the skin look wearisome and somber. Using eye lightening creams that have vitamin E in them can be a great way to combat these dark areas around the eyes. The cold juice from cucumber will also be able to help in this case.

Self-massaging

Massaging one’s own skin with some sort of soothing gel such as aloe vera gel is a great way to bring the skin’s radiance back. As it is a hassle for new mothers to leave their child to go somewhere to take care of their skin, it is easier to use a jade roller or any other massaging tool to calm the skin. Apart from making the skin glow, self- massaging feels relaxing and it also fights the premature signs of aging.

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Vitamin Supplementation

Vitamins like vitamin A, B, C and E keep the skin young and fresh. In some cases, physicians recommend the intake of these vitamins through multi- vitamin tablets. In other cases, vitamin E capsules containing vitamin E gels might be recommended to be applied directly to the affected areas of the skin.

Skincare Ingredients to Avoid

While these skincare products and skincare habits can help rejuvenate the skin, it is absolutely important to look out for certain ingredients that might hamper the mother’s breastfeeding. Nowadays, many brands are using harmful chemicals in their skincare products to assure quick results. These ingredients include- retinoid, hydroquinone, ammonia, toluene, fragrance compounds like aldehydes, parabens and derivatives of benzene which should be avoided at all costs. 

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Therefore, it behooves you to check the ingredients of a skincare product carefully before applying on skin. Another important thing is to apply a little portion of the product on your hand, before using it directly on the face.

Bottom Line

Motherhood does not mean that the mother has to sacrifice her own health and skincare. Post-pregnancy skin care is necessary for the new mother's mental and emotional health too. Doing as much as possible to take care of the skin with the right skincare routine will revive the skin’s natural glow. When the mother looks healthy and glowing, it would improve her mental status. And, a happy mother can definitely keep the child cheerful.

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