Best Skincare Routine During Pregnancy and After Birth

Women’s body faces a huge number of changes during pregnancy and skin is not an exception. It has to stretch a lot in several areas and then return to its (more or less) original shape in about a year. A good skincare routine can help support those changes.

During pregnancy and after birth, I adjusted my skincare routine a little bit. The basics stayed the same, but as I have very dry skin, often facing eczema, I did a little upgrade. Keep reading to see how I managed to avoid stretchmarks right until birth.

DAY-TO-DAY SKINCARE ROUTINE

Every morning I take a shower with lukewarm water, using A-DERMA Emollient Shower Oil. After that, I use either A-DERMA Emollient Cream or A-DERMA Emollient Balm. This routine keeps my skin hydrated throughout the year.
This is my basic routine and I kept it as such also during the whole pregnancy. I continue with it also now, after birth.

SKINCARE ROUTINE DURING PREGNANCY

In the middle of the first trimester, I adapted my skincare routine to pregnancy. Although it was summer (beginning of July), I wanted to prep my skin well for the changes it faced in the next months. As my belly was growing the most in the coolest months (from September on), when my skin is driest, this preparation was even more important. ?

MORNING

After my day-to-day routine, I always rubbed my belly, breasts, and hips with BUTTERS Almond Oil. In case I felt my skin is becoming itchy or tight during the day, I applied extra oil and immediately felt relief.
This almond oil is not as greasy as other oils and my skin absorbed it fast. This meant my clothes stayed stain-free. ?

One big advantage of this particular oil is the packaging. First, it’s a spray, which is very convenient for usage. Second, it’s a 100ml (3.4 oz) packaging, so it was also perfect for traveling with hand luggage only.

EVENING

Every night before heading to bed, I applied a generous amount of BUTTERS Belly Butter to my belly, waist, breast, and hip area. Belly butter is a mix of different kinds of natural butter, which helps to increase skin elasticity and prevent getting stretch marks.
Belly butter is heavier than almond oil, so my PJs often got a bit oily. ?
I was using the one with a gentle scent of mango, but I also love the one with the scent of vanilla & strawberry.
And they come in different sizes! I loved the fact that I can order a sample size first to see, whether it will be a good fit for my skin or not.

LAST WEEKS OF PREGNANCY

Perineal massage is supposed to improve skin elasticity.  This decreases the chances of tearing or episiotomy. From the 34th week on I was using WELEDA Perineum Oil for massaging this small part of my skin.
I am not 100% sure this was the reason, but my perineum stayed ‘untouched’ during labor. ?

SKINCARE ROUTINE AFTER PREGNANCY

I had already given birth to our son and also now I continue with the same routine as described above. But already in the hospital, I added two extra steps to my skincare routine.

TAKING CARE OF STRETCHMARKS

The whole pregnancy I was able to keep my body stretchmark-free. But, due to the pressure on my belly during labor I ‘won’ two small stretchmarks.
After every morning and evening routine, I massage stretchmarks with A-DERMA  EPITHELIALE AH DUO Massage gel oil. When I’m in a hurry, I use A-DERMA EPITHELAILE AH DUO Ultra-repairing cream instead. Its less oily structure absorbs faster, so it’s more convenient when rushing. ?
In case I had a C-section, I would use both gel oil and cream for scars.

NIPPLE CARE WHILE BREASTFEEDING

I started breastfeeding immediately after birth. And soon after that, my nipples got very sensitive. My best friend got me a to.to nipple lanolin, which worked great! I still use it now sometimes, especially when my nipples are sensitive due to the usage of breast pads. As a Christmas present, I got BUTTERS nipple balm, but I used it only a few times so far.

Already at the hospital, I felt that nipple infection is not far, so I immediately started using Multi-mam compresses. I felt immediate relief! Compresses have a cooling and soothing effect on sore nipples and support the natural healing process. They are worth every penny! ?
I also keep A-DERMA DERMALIBOUR+ Repairing CICA cream “on stock”. This cream is a double agent – I can use it for infected nipples as well as for a diaper rash. Due to its double role, I’ll take this one on trips.

SKINCARE DURING AN ACUTE STAGE OF ATOPIC DERMATITIS

In general, I was using topical immunomodulators (like Protopic) for my skin. These creams or ointments have fewer side effects compared to corticosteroid creams. But due to possible negative effects on the baby, their usage is not allowed during pregnancy.
Since I had several outbreaks during pregnancy I had an appointment with my dermatologist. She prescribed therapy with corticosteroid cream Afloderm. This cream was safe to use during pregnancy, which was also confirmed by my gynecologist.
I use the same now after bith, in case I need it.

That’s it, you’ve reached the end of this post! ?
Did your skincare routine change during pregnancy or after birth? Let me know any tips and tricks you’ve learned during your journey down in comments ?

Thank you so much for reading! ?

Love,